The increase in expenditure for rural delivery by periods was as follows: 1897, first year, $14,840. Third year, 1900, increased to $420,433. In 1905, to $20,864,885. In 1910, to $36,914,769, and in 1916 to $51,715,616. * * * * * Revision of the rural delivery service to eliminate duplication, unnecessary retracing and unjustifiable special facilities was conducted in 329 counties in twenty-nine States during the fiscal year of 1916, at a reduction in cost of $1,359,162. This saving with that made in readjustments in the fiscal year of 1915, made it possible to grant all applications for new service and extensions where the requirements have been met. It is estimated that the whole territory now covered by rural service, with such necessary revision, could be operated at a reduction in cost of $3,500,000. * * * * * The commercial shortage in the paper industry is being to some extent remedied, at least so far as the Post Office Department can aid and assist, by urging the cooperation of every employe in the conservation of the waste paper in all of the larger post offices of the country. Paper-baling machines are now supplied to the postmasters for this purpose, which not only contributes to economy in use and adds to the visible supply, but is a matter of revenue as well, for what was formerly regarded as waste, and destroyed, is now made a matter of profit. * * * * * The numberless curiosities gathered from unmailable and unreclaimed articles which found their way into the Dead Letter Office from time to time, together with the many articles of postal interest to those who delight in antiquities--the old mail coaches used in the west, the dog sledges used in the Alaskan service, the carriers in uniform of all nations and the many features of interest too tedious to enumerate here and which formed a veritable collection of postal wonders and delighted thousands of people when gathered for display purposes on the first floor of the Post Office Department are now, in part at least, in the National Museum at Washington and are well worthy a visit when people come to the Capital City on a sight-seeing tour. * * * * * The period of greatest activity in extension and general progress of Rural Delivery was from 1900 to 1905, the appropriations running from $450,000 in 1900 to $21,116,000 in 1905. On February 1, 1902, the rural letter carriers were placed under the civil service by executive order. * * * * * Salary increases in the Rural Delivery service have been as follows: August 1, 1897, $300; July 1, 1898, $400; July 1, 1900, $500; March 1, 1902, $600; July 1, 1904, $720; July 1, 1907, $900; July 1, 1911, $1,000; September 30, 1912, $1,100; July 1, 1914, $1,200. Some Old Laws and Regulations