54

POSTAL  SAVINGS

monthly  audits  were  frequent—all  involving  substantial ­
  expenses.  During  the  fiscal  year  1913-1914
  postal  savings  functions  were  discontinued
at  18  Presidential  offices,  2,753  fourth  class  offices, ­
  and  8  branches  and  stations  ; 6  and  at  the  end
of  the  fiscal  year  1916,  the  last  date  for  which
detailed  figures  are  available,  the  total  number
of  postal  savings  banks  was  8,421,  classified  as
follows: 7

First  class  post  offices  531
Second  class  post  offices  2,064
Third  class  post  offices  4,252
Fourth  class  post  offices  854
Branch  post  offices  176
Post  office  stations  544

8,421
Notwithstanding  the  discontinuance  of  many
postal  savings  banks  in  1913-1914  and  since,
there  are  still  a  very  large  number  of  small  and
inactive  banks  The  annual  report  of  the  Board
of  Trustees  for  the  fiscal  year  1915-16  gives
for  each  city,  town  and  village  having  a  postal
savings  bank  the  amount  of  deposits  held  on
June  30,  1916.  An  analysis  of  these  figures
0  A  few  of  these  changes  were  due  to  the  discontinuance
or  the  reclassification  of  the  post  offices.  Some  new  banks
were  opened  during  the  year,  but  notwithstanding  this  the
year  showed  a  net  reduction  of  2,473  in  their  number,  bringing ­
  the  total  down  to  10,347.  Ann.  Rep.  3  Assist.  Postmast.-Gen.,
  1914,  p.  6.
7  Ibid.,  1916,  p.  32.  In  January,  1914,  the  system  was
extended  to  Hawaii  and  Porto  Rico.