  Miscellaneous Matters General and Financial Summary
Items of General Interest Statistics show that although 70 per cent of parcel post matter comes from the fifty largest cities of the country, these cities only receive 17 per cent of parcels for delivery. The smaller post offices which receive 65 per cent of the parcels, dispatch only 9½ per cent. The annual readjustment of the salaries of presidential postmasters, will, according to the provisions in the postal appropriation bill for 1917, be based on the gross receipts for the four quarters ending December 31, instead of March 31, as heretofore. Eligibles for fourth-class postmaster places are selected in the order of their civil service rating unless good and sufficient reasons to the contrary are submitted to the Department. Of 32,000 of such eligibles, 89.5 of those whose names appeared first on the list were appointed. In 8 per cent the second highest were selected, and in 2.5 per cent, the third. The number of postmasters in the United States are, according to classes, 567 in the first, 2,211 in the second, 6,414 in the third, and 46,742 in the fourth class. Total, 55,934. Custer County, Montana, has one of the longest mail routes in the United States. This line runs from Miles City to Stacey, Olive, Broaddus, Boyer, Graham, and Biddle. It is said to be 126 miles long and some contend that it is longer. The longest star route in the United States is from Helper to Vernal, Utah, 116 miles, and the price the Government pays is $38,678.70 per annum. The longest route in Alaska, is overland, Barrow to Kotzbue, 650 miles. The shortest route is in Pennsylvania, from Keiser to Natalie, 65/100. There is one route in New York, Delhi to Bloomville, 8 miles and back, twelve times a week, for which the contractor receives but 1 cent per annum, no doubt considering the advantage of carrying the mail as a sufficient compensation for taking the job at such a rate. There are 3,010 counties in the United States, 984 have rural service and steps are being taken to see what can be done with the That fractions count in a great business organization such as the Post Office Department, will be seen when it is stated that postmasters during the year, 1916, accounted for a total of $131,625.90, arising from gains in fractions of a cent where stamped envelopes and wrappers were sold in odd quantities. The annual per capita of expenditure for postage in the United States has increased since 1912 from $2.58 to $3.04, and the gross postal revenue from $246,744,015 to $312,057,688. In the fiscal year of 1857, the first full year in which prepayment of postage by means of stamps was compulsory under the Act of March 3, 1855, the per capita use of stamps was but 19 cents. The increase of population in this period has been 257 per cent. Of postage stamp consumption 4,968 per cent. The sales of postage stamps and other stamped paper for the fiscal year 1916 aggregated $277,728,025.20, an increase of $21,521,481.49, the greatest sales and the largest increase ever recorded, exceeding the entire sales of the fiscal year 1873, which amounted to $20,324,817.50. The Post Office Department was removed to Washington, D. C., first Monday in December, 1800, the seat of Government being changed to the District of Columbia at that time. Over 100 years ago the question of patronage was already a disturbing feature in the management of public affairs. Gideon Granger, of Connecticut, Postmaster General in 1814, who had been an active and efficient official in the administration of President Madison, lost his place on account of some disagreement with the President, regarding the appointment of postmasters. It is not clear whether he resigned or was displaced, but the differences of opinion with President Madison led to his retirement from the service. Joseph Habersham, of Georgia, Postmaster General in the administration of General Washington, 1795, was the first one of Post route and rural delivery maps made by the Government are on a scale of 1 inch to the mile. These maps show all public roads, rural routes, school houses, churches, streams, etc., and negative prints can be purchased at 35 cents each by application to the Third Assistant Postmaster General. The number of claims filed with the Solicitor for the Post Office Department in 1916, for the value of postage stamps lost by burglary of post offices, was 690, amounting to $144,440.54, as compared with 720 claims, amounting to $197,011.88, filed in 1915. It will be seen that while the number of claims is approximately the same, the amount is $52,571.34 less. It was the custom in 1857 and prior thereto, to publish the names of the postmasters in connection with the post offices as is indicated by an old Postal Guide published by D. D. T. Leech at that time. This was then easily enough done, for the offices then numbered but 13,600 and changes were not as frequent as at present. The First Assistant Postmaster General had in his Bureau 18 clerks, the Second Assistant, 26, the Third Assistant, 25, and the Chief Clerk of the Department, who had charge of the Inspection Service, had 18. There were then but 11 distributing offices in all of New England including Pennsylvania, 8 in Virginia, and the Carolinas, 3 in Georgia, 4 in Ohio, 2 in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Iowa, and 1 each in Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Texas, and California. Aaron V. Brown, of Tennessee, was the Postmaster General. The abbreviation for Massachusetts was then “M.S.” as is seen by an old dating stamp of that period. In 1868 money orders were issued at the rate of 10 cents for all orders not exceeding $20. By act approved June 8, 1872, the rate was reduced to 5 cents for all orders not exceeding $10. By this change the Government lost, in the two succeeding years on account of this reduction, 2.84/100 on every order issued on the 5-cent basis, showing that such rate at that time was too low. There were 2,405 rural carriers separated from the service during the year 1915, of which number 1,228 resigned, 232 died, and 618 were removed. In 1916, there were 2,602 changes, 1,844 carriers resigned, 208 died and 550 were removed. Almost the entire expense incident to the operation of the rural mail service is in the compensation paid to carriers. On account of their unusual duties, which include the sale of stamps and stamped paper, registration of mail, transaction of money-order business, etc., duties not required of city delivery carriers, it is stated that carriers maintaining a motor vehicle of the capacity required by the Department, who work eight hours a day and carry perhaps as much as 50,000 pieces of mail a month, should receive not less than $2,000 per annum. The total number of miles of railroad in the United States in 1830 was 23, and 634 miles in 1834, on which mail covering 78 miles, was carried. In 1844 the mileage had increased to 4,377 and mail carried on 3,714 miles. In 1854 the mileage was 16,720, in 1864, 35,085, in 1874, 70,278, and in 1882, 104,813, with corresponding increase of mail carriage. There are now 3,479 railroad mail routes with a length in miles of 234,175.13 and an annual travel of 502,937,359.43 miles. The decision of President Wilson to place all postmasters of the country under the civil service law will take away $16,587,300 of public patronage from the customary method of disposal. At the first of the year there were 567 first-class offices in the country paying salaries ranging from $3,000 to $8,000, or a total of $2,014,300. Included in this list were the post offices in New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo Columbus, Atlanta, and other large cities. There were 2,213 second-class offices, salaries ranging from $2,000 to $2,900, or a total of $5,235,500. Third-class, 7,437 paying from $1,000 to $1,900 yearly, or a total of $9,337,500. Fourth-class postmasters are already under the civil service law. From 1816 to 1845, a letter carried not over 30 miles paid 6¼ cents, over 80 and under 150 miles, paid 12½ cents, and if the By official order it is stated that the Department commends and will give record credit marks to rural carriers whose efforts result in greater quantities of farm products being transported through the mails. Notwithstanding the growth of the service together with the added work of the postal savings system and the parcel post, the Department service in Washington has been reduced by 200, with a resultant saving of over $166,000 per annum because of the adoption of methods of operation which develop efficiency, and permit the changes so necessary to progressive improvement. It is estimated that the cost of extending rural free delivery service throughout the entire country will be $100,000,000, additional. This seems like a vast sum for one form of public service, but country-wide extension is also a vast proposition and its benefits would be so immeasurably great if it could be accomplished, that the nation might consider the money well spent for such a purpose. It may not be generally known that fully 80 per cent of all civil service employees of the Government are in one way and another connected with the postal service. This shows how vast and widely extended this service must be and how intimately connected with the public welfare. The objectionable use to which window-delivery service in the cities of the country may be subjected, has led to an active and vigorous campaign by the Department to check the possibility of The danger to life and limb by service in postal cars, to which attention is called elsewhere, has led to increased effort to provide cars of all-steel construction for better protection in this naturally hazardous service. One thousand of this pattern have within a recent period been added to those already in use and a liability law enacted for the relief of employes. The risks which must be taken in this service demand that the best possible protection that can be given should be afforded that the dangers of the rail may be lessened to the least degree. The mails of the United States were first carried on steamboats from one post town to another in 1813, the Government paying not over 3 cents for each letter and 1 cent for newspapers. Railroads were declared post routes by act of Congress in July, 1838, and the mails carried thereon. This administration is certainly doing all it can to save money in various directions. An opportunity was presented in the motors returned to the Department for repair. These motors have been neglected in many instances through indifference or lack of mechanical knowledge on the part of postal employes. Each returned motor is now given careful examination by an expert electrician and from the knowledge thus gained, additional instructions as to proper handling of this class of equipment will be sent out. The same is true of old cancelling machines which have lain idle for a number of years but by the adoption of newly designed mechanical attachments have been converted into serviceable equipment at a nominal cost. 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 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 NOTE.—In some old postal publications dating back to 1843 and 1857, a number of curious laws and regulations appear which may be of interest to people who delight in antiquarian research. Where no date or Act of Congress is mentioned in the paragraphs following, they refer to laws or regulations prior to 1843 or between that date and 1857. These items are published simply as indicating the peculiar views and opinions of the time, and are not to be taken as an official guide for the present day, for changes may have been made in some cases, amendments in others, some superseded by later enactment and all more or less affected by later conditions and needs. No attention can therefore be given them except as phases of other days, unless indeed existing laws and regulations make them, or some of them still operative and in force, which may be determined by consulting the laws and regulations of today. To Senators and Members of Congress, the franking privilege was originally limited to 2 ounces in weight, excess to be paid for. Act of March 3, 1825. The sum of 4 cents was allowed for advertising each letter remaining unclaimed in a post office if published in more than one newspaper. Section 35, Act July 2, 1836, Act of 1825, Section 26, allowed but 2 cents for each letter, published three times. Newspaper publishers could have printed or written notice sent to subscribers stating the amount due on subscription, which shall be attached to paper and the postmaster shall charge for such notice the same postage as for a newspaper. Act of 1825. No ship or vessel arriving at any port in the United States shall make entry or break bulk until the mails are delivered to the postmaster by the master of such ship or vessel. Penalty was $100. Act of 1825. Section 1, Act of March 2, 1847, permitted deputy postmasters whose compensation for last preceding year did not exceed $200 to send letters written by himself, and to receive through the mail written communications addressed to himself in his private business which shall not exceed ½ ounce, free of postage. Regulation 293, allowed every deputy postmaster to frank and receive free all his letters, public and private, subject to the ½-ounce weight. This privilege did not extend to his wife or any other member of the family. Paid letters might be forwarded by private opportunity to places where no post offices were established. Postmasters were not allowed to give credit for postage, but if it was done, letters addressed to such persons on which postage was paid or tendered by him could not be detained. Act of August 31, 1852, allowed letters enclosed in stamped envelopes to be sent out of the mail. By joint resolution of February 20, 1845, the Postmaster General could make contracts with railroads for carrying the mail without advertising for bids as was then the custom. The postmaster, or one of his assistants, was required, before office was swept or otherwise cleaned of rubbish, to collect and examine all waste paper in order to guard against possibility of loss of letters or mail matter by falling to the floor or mingling with waste paper. Observance of rule was strictly enjoined, its violation constituted a grave offense. They were also admonished in mailing letters or packets to use all wrapping paper fit to be used again, and the sale of such paper was strictly forbidden. As late as 1843, postmasters were officially known as “Deputy” postmasters following the old custom from the beginning. If a newspaper began to arrive at the office in the course of the post office quarter, deputy postmasters should demand postage in advance of the subscriber up to the end of that quarter. At the end of a quarter, they might refund postage on so many of the newspapers as had not arrived during the quarter. Advance payment of postage was invariably demanded and unless complied with no papers should be delivered even though the postage was tendered on them singly. (Act, 1825.) Carriers were required to receive and convey a letter (and the money for its postage when tendered) if delivered more than a mile from a post office and to hand it with the money, if paid, into the first post office at which carrier arrived. A penalty of $50 attached on failure to do so. (Act of 1825). Postmasters were forbidden to show any preference between one person and another in the arrival or delivery of mail by the unlawful detention of any letters, packages, pamphlet or newspaper. A fine not exceeding $500 was the penalty and the person was forever prohibited from serving as postmaster. (Act of July 2, 1836.) A ferryman who by wilful neglect or refusal to transport mail across a ferry thereby delaying the same, was to be fined $10 for every ten minutes of such delay. (Act of March 3, 1825.) Letter carriers employed at such post offices as the Postmaster General may direct, were allowed to collect 2 cents for each letter they delivered. For letters lodged at the post office by direction of the individual, the postmaster was to receive 1 cent; newspapers and pamphlets ½ cent; letters received by carrier for deposit in a post office, 2 cents, to be paid to the postmaster for a fund for compensation of carriers. This was known as the “penny post” and was in vogue until the day of free delivery. Section 38, Act of March 3, 1825, provided that: Any person confined in jail on any judgment in a civil case obtained in behalf of the Post Office Department, who makes affidavit that he has a claim against the General Post Office, not allowed by the Postmaster General, and shall specify such claim in the affidavit, that he could not be prepared for trial by lack of evidence, the court being satisfied in those respects, may be granted a continuance by the court until the next term, and the Postmaster General authorized to have such party discharged from imprisonment if he has no property, of any description, but such release shall not bar a subsequent execution against the property of the defendant. A postmaster was not allowed to receive free of postage, or frank any letter or packet, composed of, or containing anything other than paper or money. (Sec. 36; Act of July 2, 1836.) According to the Postal Laws and Regulations of 1843, only a free white person could carry the mail and any contractor who employed or permitted any other than a free white person to convey mail was subject to a penalty of $20. At post offices where the mail arrived between 9.00 o’clock at night and 5.00 in the morning, the postmaster was allowed a commission not to exceed 50 per cent on the first $100 collected in any one quarter (Act of March 3, 1825), but the commission was afterwards increased to 70 per cent. (Act of June 22, 1854.) No allowance on this account was, however, to be made unless accompanied by a certificate signed by postmaster upon a prescribed form. Post riders and other carriers of mail collecting way letters on which postage had been paid, were allowed 1 cent each for such service by the postmaster when such letters were delivered at the post office. “Express mail service” could be established by the Postmaster General if deemed expedient, for the purpose of conveying slips from newspapers in lieu of exchanges, or letters, except such as contained money, not exceeding ½ ounce in weight, and public dispatches, marked as above, at triple rates of postage. Employment of extra clerks was permitted and authorized when actually needed to answer some information called for by Congress. Copyists, etc., were paid at the rate of $3 a day; other service $4 when actually and necessarily employed. (Act of August 26, 1842.) Section 442, Chapter 60, says: “Every deputy postmaster will consider himself the Sentinel of the Department in regard to its affairs in his immediate vicinity; and he will carefully observe and promptly report to it everything tending to affect its interests or injure its reputation.” Section 445 says: “If a mail carrier having the mail in charge becomes intoxicated, the Deputy Postmaster will instantly dismiss him, employ another at the expense of the contractor and report the facts to the Department.” Section 382, Chapter 53. “Deputy postmasters are in the habit of settling their printer’s bills only once in two or three years and then forwarding the advertising account for several quarters at Section 379. “No allowance for furniture will be made to any post office when the net proceeds do not amount to $20 per year.” Act of 1825, Section 39, and Act of 1863, Section 41, says the carriers of the “United States City Dispatch Post” in New York, and other city dispatch posts, wherever established, are authorized to charge and collect 3 cents on each letter deposited in any part of the city, and delivered at another. Act of 1825, Section 38, states a deputy postmaster will not open, nor suffer to be opened, any packet of newspapers, not addressed to his office, under a penalty of $50. A penalty of $20 was to be imposed on any person not authorized to open mails, who shall open any packet of newspapers not directed to himself. Regulations 324 and 325 says that the franking privilege travels with the person possessing it and can be exercised in but one place at the same time, and prohibited deputy postmasters or other privileged persons from leaving their frank behind them upon envelopes to cover public or private correspondence in their absence. Queer Collection in Holiday Mail Some years ago, the Cincinnati, Ohio, post office, gave an account of the queer combinations and collections of articles found loose in the mails at the Christmas season owing to the carelessness of senders. These articles vary from value to worthlessness, utility to uselessness. Money, jewelry, articles of dress, dainty ribbons to choice silk patters, tableware, and even to “corn shellers.” Many of the articles named were doubtless in combinations and sent to one address, but being carelessly wrapped or addressed, they could not be assembled for identification or identified singly for delivery in the great majority of cases. The list is given for the benefit of readers who delight in curious things. These articles were held for a week for possible identification and then sent to the Dead Letter Office. No attempt has been made at classification as more interest is excited by taking them as they A cabinet photograph, pair rubber sleeves, 2 silver quarter-dollars, sewing machine shuttle, piece of white swiss goods, 2 dimes, a brass key, package common tea spoons, 5 cents and 8 childs’ cards from Beamsville, Ont., for Mrs. J. Carl, Tallahassee, Ala., and sent to the postmaster of that place for delivery. Two unstamped letters, one to Mrs. Rebecca Washington, the other to Wm. Cummings; 65 cents, plated butter knife, gold plated lead pencil, silver quarter, 2 combination tools, 2 pen knives, lot photographs, pension affidavit of Jasper Acres, pair knit stockings, 6 books, false mustaches, pearl pen holder, box of pills, patent corn sheller, 2 electrotype plates of “Sellers Cough Syrup,” yellow and purple knit hoods. Christmas cards, studs, 2 small drills, peacock feather, fountain pen, ladies brooch, butter knife, felt soles, letter in match box addressed to postmaster Berlin, sugarspoon, celluloid, ring, sleeve buttons, 25 cents, hair switch, open letter to J. Lyon, Red, Ky., Ind., which was delivered to him. Two pen knives, dime, box violin strings, ladies fashion bazaar, bottle “Fruit Laxative,” plain gold ring, ear rings, breast pin, and thimble (snide), paper needles, book “Bad Boy’s diary,” pencil, large pen knife, 70 cents, unstamped letter to Adelaide Long, iron hook, toy knitting machine, 2 tops of sleeve buttons, hair chain, lot crayons, chalk, letter to P. O. Wickley, Augusta, Me., unstamped, containing 70 cents in stamps, child’s book “The Proud Little Lady,” magic lantern, watch chain, masonic charm, ½-dozen teaspoons, paper needles, childs mits, comforter and doll, 2 harmonicons, Bible, child’s gingham dress, 2 sticks of candy. A wallet containing a gold double eagle, $20 bill, 9 $5 bills, 3 $10 bills, found by F. A. Montague, in a pouch from Lewisburg, Tenn., and returned to postmaster of that town to be delivered upon receipt to the sender. Gold plated pencil, unaddressed envelope, containing pair of lisle thread gloves, black and white stamped ribbon, uninclosed letter containing $1 marked from “Joe to Gus,” two-cent piece, gold and jet pencil holder, butter knife, tidy, white apron, pair baby socks, blank check book, dominoes, black cord and tassel, red worsted shawl, tidy. Wooden box, lot of candy, assortment of rubber sheep. Letter from R. MacFeeley, Washington, D. C., to Capt. A. M. Corliss, without envelope, one cent, Feeding the Cats It is perhaps not generally known that cats are kept and fed at the public expense in some of the larger post offices of the country. Some years ago (and it may still be the custom) an appropriation of from $80 to $100 was annually made for this purpose for the benefit of the New York post office, and $30 to $40, spent for like service at the Philadelphia office. In an article in the Philadelphia Record it was stated that a man in that city had a contract for keeping these feline employes of the office in provisions, and it was also mentioned that there are about 1,000 of these useful domestic animals in the employ of the Post Office Department and they are paid for their services by food and shelter. It is estimated that about $1,000 per annum is expended in this way at the principal post offices and large public buildings of the country. Ferrets are also often employed for this purpose in the great public buildings in Washington when the rodents get too numerous and damage to papers and files likely to occur. The common practice of eating lunches in these government buildings tends to the spread of this annoying condition and the cats in the public service are held to be a useful and necessary convenience in hunting down and interfering with the nibbling propensities of this pest to domestic as well as public economy. A Couple of Distinguished Canines Mention is made in another article of the employment of cats in post offices as “mousers,” and they doubtless contribute their share towards public benefit. The dog, man’s most faithful friend, so eulogized in song and story, has also, it seems, his part in public interest and concern. For many years the postal clerks of the country paid great attention to “Owney” an adventurous terrier dog who attached himself to the Railway Service and whose “Owney” had an humble imitator and counterpart in canine sagacity and wisdom in a dog at Mount Carmel, Pa., whose watchful guardianship of the office mail and general fidelity won him such deserved recognition at home as a remarkable example of what a dog can be taught to do, that his fame spread abroad, was brought to public attention at Washington and the post office people awarded him special recognition in the shape of a handsome collar, raised by subscription. He got his name in the newspapers, but whether all this honor and glory turned his head and his attention elsewhere, or some evil-minded person, jealous of the costly collar he wore, appropriated it and the dog also, is not known, but after being thus honored and decorated and set apart from the rest of the canine fraternity, this famous dog suddenly disappeared and was never heard of again. Soldier’s Sister a Mail Carrier President Wilson has issued an executive order allowing the Postmaster General to appoint as temporary rural mail carrier, during the absence of the regular carrier on military duty, the person on whom the support of the dependents of the regular carrier devolves, without regard to civil service requirements, if the substitute is found competent. The first appointment under the order is that of Miss Edith Strand, of Princeton, Ill., whose brother was called into the military service, leaving her to care for the family. Notice In a pamphlet giving a brief history of the postal service, compiled by Mr. Stanley I. Slack during the administration of Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith from which a few general facts are taken relating to our early postal history, appears a statement that use had been made of the following works—Journal |
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