The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-18

The Postal Registry system--Impor.
tant Changes by Ihe Post once De-
partment.
The Post Office Department will soon
make changes in the system by which
letters are now registered and forward
ed in the mails, SO as toprovide for a
certain conveyance of these letters, and
IA more strict accountability of post
masters, clerks, DC, to the department
for the package going through their
hands. Referring to this proposed
change, the New York Post remarks:
Though the adoption of the money
order system has afforded great and
needed accommodation to the public,
by making safe the transmission of
money in small sums to all important
places in the country, the number of
registered letters is scarcely diminished,
and the necessity for an improvement
of the system becomes more urgent
with the increase of postal business.
| Letters containing important informa-
ton, which letters i is desirable should
be registered for reasons other than that
they should be delivered without fail;
| enclosures OF original documents, law
paperA &C.; bank checks for larger
amounts than it is allowable to send
in money orders; and government
| bonds and securities of various classes,
having value in the hands of the hold
ers, which properly ought to be sent by
express companies that may be held
responsible for losses-are constantly
committed to the mails, notwithstand-
ing the known imperfection of the
| present registry system.
The new regulations soon to be issued
TO postmasters contain the following
provisions of interest to the public
-HEvN. naNWr
the mails among other matter, as now,
but will be enclosed in large envelopes
with which every postmaster will be
provided-the envelopes to be OF. stout
paper, and each to constitute of itself n
sort of pouch. Registered letters being
placed in them, are delivered to the
mail agents, railway postottice clerks,
or other persons employed by the de-
partment, who will, in each case, give a
receipt for the package taken, in book
the postmaster is to keep for the pur-
1 pose. Then the agent or clerk will de-
liver the package at the postoffice to
which it is directed, or, if that is off his
route, to another agent, who will convey
it onward, invariably taking receipt
for it, so that every man who receives a
package gives his signature for il, and
he is held directly responsible for its
safety until it has passed ont of his
hands, fact which will appear by the
SlBnuluEe he luheSs AZ lue OlLlCe Vi ue-
livery this rule applies as fully as to
that of mailing, or in the case of agents
on the way, the signature of the re-
ceiver of the letter completes the chain
of evidence which must always ac-
company the transmission. 1t will be
very easy to detect delinquents. All
packages are stamped and numbered,
and the receipts have corresponding
marks. The signature of the last man
who had any particular letter must
render the duty of investigation light
and unfailing, and the knowledge on
the part of every postoflice man that he
has given this check upon himself will
cause the new system TO operate, if not
with absolute certainty, at least with Il
precision which will be the nearest ap.
proach to it.
OF course the public, as well as post
masters, will understand that the new
regulations are not TO be put in force
for month or two to come probably
the earliest time at which all the blank
forms required and the envelopes can
be prepared.