Many Pieces Handled

Washington, Dec. 27.- A statement prepared at the postoffice departnient shows that during the last fiscal year the total number of piecesof letter mail sent in the domestic mails of the United States was 3,407,810,175, of which 2,321,314,563 were paid at letter rates and 86.495,612 were sent free on official business. There were also 535,917,899 postal cards handled. The number of newspapers and periodicals mailed by publishers in the severa! counties of publication free, was 882,8(51,271. Newspapers and periodicals mailed by others than publishers and news age'nts, 71,078,777. The total second matter class was 1,434,245,632 pieces. Third class matter handled, books, pamphlets. etc., 595,134,179 pieces. Fourth class matter mailed 48.733,181 pieces. Grand total number of pieces of domestiumail matter handled, 5,021,841,056.