BUSINESS ON THE INCREASE

Value of the Money Orders Sent to Japan This Year.

Local Postoffice Has Certified More Than Half a Million Dollars' Worth -- New Blanks.

Money orders representing half a million dollars were sent to Japan through the Seattle postoffice during the fiscal year ending with June 30, 1902. This is an increase of approximately fifty per cent over the amount handled by the Seattle office during the preceding year, and it is confidently anticipated by the head of the money order system that the coming year will show a further increase of a hundred per cent, bringing the business up to one million annually.

The Seattle office certifies to all of the money orders for transmission to Japan, originating in the northern tier of states west of and including the state of Minnesota and from Alaska. The business in these states has increased very rapidly during the past few years owing to the increased number of Japanese immigrants and to their increased prosperity.

In order to further stimulate the transmission of money through the money order department the head of the department has decided to issue money order requests in the Japanese and Chinese dialects in order that persons who understand those languages and do not understand English may be given greater confidence in the system. This announcement is made in a letter received yesterday by Assistant Postmaster W.J. Colkett of the Seattle office from J.F. Metcalf, the superintendent of the postal money order system.

This letter is in reply to one sent to Mr. Metcalf by Mr. Colkett, some two weeks ago calling the attention of the head of the system to the increase in the Japanese business and the fact that the number of orders certified to during the past year was 12,408 and the total amount represented $512,892.83. Mr. Metcalf's letter is as follows:

July 21, 1902.

Mr. W.J. Colkett, Assistant Postmaster,
Seattle, Wash.:

Dear Mr. Colkett: Your statement of the 8th instant I find on my desk upon my return from Newfoundland, and it is very gratifying indeed to observe that our business with Japan shows such a satisfactory increase and I think that during the coming year we shall almost double that branch of business.

I will have sent to you some blanks in Japanese vernacular carrying out a suggestion made by a clerk of one of the Hawaiian offices. I think that through the use of these blanks our business with that nationality will be considerably facilitated and would be glad to have your people give them a trial.

In addition to the above the San Francisco people have thought it would be well to make use of placards in Chinese vernacular and I will also have some of these sent to you. We ought to have a largely increased business in China and I propose to direct considerable attention to that line of business during the present year.

Respectfully,

J.F. METCALF,
Superintendent Postal Money Order System.