Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-08-01

F''''''-'''''
BY single rate, it was always un-
derstood to mean a single piece Of pa
per, however small, like an ordinary
sheet Of note paper. If a sheet Of
toolscap was employed, it was not
unusual to rate it as subject TO doub-
lie postage. Very few envelopes were
used because they were charged as
an extra rate; and if anything was
enclosed in letter, such as bank
note, or small pattern of silk or lace
or even few garden seeds, the post
age was doubled, or tripled to the fan
cy Of the post Office clerk.
As long as forty years ago, these
charges were considered exorbitant-
ly high, aud loud and frequent were
the complaints Able writer's pub
lished strong articles, urging our
government to reduce these charges.
Their efforts, however, did not avail,
the stupid plea being always put
forth by every administration that to
reduce the postage would virtually
destroy the whole postal system.
In 1913, the writer of this sketch,
having fully satisfied himself that he
would violate no law then existing,
determined to carry his ideas of
cheap postage into practical effect,
by doing it, instead of scoIding in
the newspapers about the old rates.
"Hales Independent Mail" was
thereupon started, and duly adver-
tised in the papers, and by floods of
hand-bills. At first daily mail was
established between New York and
Boston, postage on single letters, in
GLIDING envelopes, if desired, six and
quarter cents. Immediately fol-
lowed a daily mail between New
York and Philadelphia and every
day thereafter new routes were add
ed, so that in o few months there
were one hundred and ten offices,
giving employment to more than
thousand persons.
The choap postage plan had been
in operation but short time, when
a reduction was determined upon,
and additional convenience afforded
to the public. This was by the in
Production of the POSTAGE STAMP,
the first ever used in the United
States, and three years before the
adoption ofthe stamp by the govern
ment. These stamps were Of an oc-
tagonal form, about the size of sill
yer quarter dollar, printed with light
blue ink, and having upon them the
honored name Of the cheap post
age man. 1t was a good advertise
ment. These stamps were sold at
the rate Of twenty for one dollar,
thus reducing the postage on letter
to five cents, and letter with one IF
these stamps would be carried from
Maine to Michigan, a distance of one
thousand miles or more. By the
old line q letter from Boston to New
York cost Is "a cents, and from N.
Y to Buffalo, % cents. The conse-
quence was that the U. S. mails did
not carry quito all the letters.
1t would be impossible in this ar
tice to give any adequate idea of
the innumerable annoyances and OBJ
stacles which were constantly inter-
posed by the government in its eff
forts to deprive the people of cheap
postage. BY means of detectives,
spies, decoy letters, and other con-
trivances, the Post Master General
managed to bring nearly FIVE hun
dred suits against the writer.
At the opening of the session of
Congress, 1915, the Post Master
General recommended "that the rates
of postage should be materially re-
duced, as the piratical interference
OF private persons was manifest in
jury to his department. An act was
therefore passed, to take effect July
LIST, 1915, reducing the postage on q
letter not exceeding half an ounce to
FIVE cents for four hundred miles and
under, and ten cents for any greater
distance; and some three or four
years afterward, the postage was still
further brought down to the present
uniform rate of three cents. 1.-THE
independent Mall ceased to exist il
July, 1S45, the object of its establish
ment having been accomplished.
The whole people are hourly reap
ing the advantage OF his labors, but
the originator of the cheap postag,
system is already forgotten.
John W, HdleS in "Americdn OBJ
FelloU."
ra Goprs are no longer used a