The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-23
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Sendixg Money by Mail-Registered Letters-
Postal Money Orders.

Postal Money Orders.
Few -sons, probably, are aware OF the large amount
OF money annually forwarded in letters through the
mails in this country 1t would indeed be difficult to
arrive any probably correct estimate Of the aggregate
of the sums so sent but the following facts may per-
haps afford starting point for any DESTROYS OF
attempting such MISUNDERSTANDING TO the last
report OF the Postmaster General for the year ending
June 30, 1896, the amount found enclosed in 40. 648
letters which had been sent to the Dead Letter ONCE at
Washington from the various Post Offices throughout
the country a. unclaimed, misdirected &c, was
$24S 24o which afterwards returned to the writers
in every case where these could be discovered
AT all the larger Post Offices and especially at New
York, the number OF letters which arrive containing
money usually in small sums very large The prin.
cipal portion Of these addressed publishers OF daily
and weekly newspapers and monthly magazines and
periodicals Next in order the 'gft enterprise"
operators and lottery ticket Dealers then dealers in var
articles in general demand who advertise largely in
country papers, then quack doctors eted physicians"
ditto 'clegymen," and lastly the miscellaneous public.
Although the conveyance Of coin bank notes in let
tors was probably not contemplated BY the orignators
Of the postal system, yet its obvious convenience for
that purpose taken advantage Of In all coun-
trios and in nearly all Of them this practice has
increased to such an extent as to call for
the establishment Of some precautions TO insure
the safety, far as possible, OF letters con-
tanning valuable enclosures by protecting them from loss
by accident through dishonesty In most countries
Of Europe this has been done for many through
sregstration system under which the writer sender
Of valuable letter. depositing II in Post Office takes
receipt therefor from the postmaster who forwards IT
route its destination under such precautions
TO it, extent against the risk Of loss
depreciation and insure its delivery arrival to the
person addressed who also signs receipt therefor In
no country, however rhough very general and erro
opinion to the contrary Is prevaent does any
postal establishment insure the safety Of
letters whether registered not bind itself TO make
restitution in Of loss, with the exception Of single
branch of the Post ONCE in Germany, in which
ARRANGEMENTS made for the insurance, on
the payment Of certain premium on the amouns said
to be contained In them, of money letters. rather
curious incident in connection with this system took
place several years since in Berlin. firm in that city,
having large sums Of money to transmit by mail, and
being DESTROYS Of avoiding the payment OF the full
Insurance premium resored TO the rather sharp prac
tjce of undertaking the amounts contained their
ier and thus securing their safety at trng expense.
Unfortunately however one OF the clerks in the Post
Office Insurance Office suspected the existence Of an
sAfrcan in fence and tested the correctness Of
his surmise by opening some OF the letters which he
found contain greatly in excess Of the amounts
for which they were insured. He extracted the
surplus and applied il to his own use, carefully
resealng and forwarding the oters and though he was
afterwards detected and arrested the equally dishonest
losers deprived by their own Overcoming Of any
legal clam to restitution II was clear case Tor a
rendition Of the oftrepeated popular verdict Of served
'em right"
On the Sd Of March 1855, an act passed by Con-
gress authorizing the Postmaster General "for the
greater security OF valuable letters posted for transmits
sion In the mails Of the United States to establish
uniform plan for the registration OF such letters on
application Of parties posting the same and TO require
fee Of i've cents on every s1cn letter subsequent
act March g. $685. increased the registration foe 20
twenty cents Both acts expressly provide that such
liable for the loss OF such letters or
packets. or the contents thereof"
In 1855 the Postmaster General under the authority
conferred by the first Of the above acts, established
registration system which, With little variation, he's
been In operation until the first Of tho present
possessed by that system were that while i Was
well calculated afford protection to valuable letter 70
nee in which IL was deposited and its delivery, on it,
arrival in the hands Of the proper Official to the rghu
owner and 70 none other 1aled . make adequate pro
vide any MEANS II lost or stolen OF ascertainng the
probable locality Of the loss or deprsda
that system those in.rused with the task Of tracing
obliged 70 look outside Of the system itself for aid
in seeking the cause OF the loss
The system nov in operation was designed to remedy
these defects and during the brief period which has
elapsed since s the results have been sucn
The following details Of the plan win be sulc,en. to
~a~'~-So
some minor particulars and echnicalties important
only to those connected with the Post ONCE
When letter Is deposited in Post Office for regstra
ton the registry fee twenty cents domestic let
ers and those for England Ireland Scotland, Wales
Canada Nova Scotia and the Island Of sama'ca and
man Austrian Postal Union, via Bremen or Hamburg
MALL we'll as the full postage to destination, must
FIRST be prepaid bv postage stamps receipt is then
given for the letter by the postmaster or clerk,
and after being numbered and its address recorded,
II is placed in what Is known as registered package
- vrhf ia n
coored Manila paper marked BY two red stripes about
Inch and q quarter in width, running icngthwise
es, far III. the address master at the name Of
the Post Office which Is be sent being added The
envelope also BEAR tue ~ rSan 10
the postmark Of the mailing office and a number A
tongue tip projects from the flap OF the envelope,
WHICH inserted in slit left for the purpose, well
gummed and after the letter has been placed within
the envelope is securely fastened numbered, post
marked and dated and directed TO the postmaster a the
cept, 10 be signed by the person TO whom II s de-
vered arrival at destination, first attached 10 the
letter. MM8
The letter enclosed in the sealed package envelope
il then delivered to clerk whose duty it IL either TO
ceev locked and despacned on the proper rouse or 70
deliver IL TO . mail route agent railway Post 0fice
clerk who receipts for the same By It's number post
mark and address, and akos 10 In his personal charge
recording 1t in book ana taking receipt therefor from
the postmaster ut whose office he delivers It on his
agent or railway Post once ccrk to whose charge
he may transfer Il At any point the route.
Al very many Post 0oes railroad lines NAH bags
delivered from the cars containing letters, &C. for
other Post O1ccs situated on branching routes,
which the mail service performed by stages In such
cases the agent clerk the places in the bag
with each registered package envelope receipt for the
same, which is 10 DO signed by the postmaster
at the Office where the bag Ii first opened.
and returned 10 the clerk agent by next
mail The postmaster then places each registered
velope proper Dag to BE- conveyed It's route
and at each once where tho bag Is opened the post
master there required to keep "rccord OF registered
matter In transit . which he enters the postmark
date and destination Of registered package envelope
which passes through his Office. On lie arrival at tbs
once Of destination the postmaster the registered
package envelope records the arrival OF the letter,
dorses correct Of the two post-bs which have
been sent him by mail tcslled the return b"D
which he returns the postmaster at the mailing Office
and the delivery Of the oter 70 the person addressed
he takes receipt therefor which he keeps ilc and
also requires tho signing Of the rcurn receipt" which
he returns 70 the mailing postmaster who delivers TO
the person who deposited the letter the latter being
thus assured Of Its safe arrival and delivery.
At every large Post ONCE one or more clerks are spc
ciay detailed be present NJ the opening Of every
irving mail bag and select from its contents all regis
tered package envelopes (which required always TO
be placed loose In the bag and never wrapped In paper
fnI, rwttt 49,. nd nf