Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-05-01
THE NEW POSTAL CARDS.
DESCRIPTION AND PRICEs-UsEs OF tt
RDs-COUNTERFEITS. &C.

DESCRIPTION AND PRICEs-UsEs OF THE
Ds-CoUNTERFEITs, &C.
The third assistant postmaster-general, E.
w. Barber, has given notice that the necessa-
ry appropriation having been made for the
purpose, the department will, on the first of
May next, commence the issue to postmasters
of the postal cards authorized by the act of
June 8, 1872.
The card adopted is five and one-eighth
inches in length, and three inches in width,
and is made Of good stiff paper, water marked,
with the initials U. S. P o. D. in monogram.
The face of the card is engraved, surrounded
by border of scroll work one-eighth Of an
inch in width. The one cent stamp, printed
on the upper right hand corner, is from pro-
file bust of the Goddess of Liberty, looking to
the left, and surrounded by lathe work Dor.
der, with the words "United States POSTAGE
inscribed above and zone cent" below.
On the upper left hand corner are the words
"United States postal card" with directions to
"write the address only on this side-the mes.
sage on the other" Underneath, and occupy.
ing the lower half of the card, are ruled lines
on which to write the address, the top line be-
ing pre6xed with the word "to -"
The back of the card intended for the COM
munication, is entirely plain, being devoid
even of ruled lines. In color the body of the
card is light cream, the printing velvet brown.
No variation in size, shape, color or any other
particular will be made from the regular style
to accommodate special cases, nor will the de.
partment do any printing on the cards beyond
the engravings specified in the description.
Postal cards will be sold for one cent each,
neither more nor less whether in large guam
ties or small.
The object of the postal card is to facilitate
letter correspondence and provide for the
transmission through the mails, at reduced
rate of postage, of short communications, eth
er printed or written, in pencil or ink. They
may, therefore, be used for orders, invitations,
notices, receipts, acknowledgements and other
requirements of business and social life, and
the matter desired to be conveyed may be
either in writing or in print, or partially in
both. In their treatment as mail matter they
are to be regarded by postmasters the same as
sealed letters, and not as printed matter, ex-
cept that in no case will unclaimed cards be
sent to the dead-letter Office.
An ordinary printed business card may be
sent through the mails when prepaid by one
cent postage stamp attached, but such card
must contain absolutely no written matter ex.
cept the address otherwise it will be treated
as not fully prepaid, and refused admission
into the mails.
All cards differing from those herein de-
scribed bearing embossed or printed postage
stamps, and purporting to be United States
postal cards are counterfeit and the manu-
facturer of such cards, or the attempt to use
the same, will subject the offender to fine of
$500 and Imprisonment for five years. [Sec-
ton 17S postal CODE ]
Postmasters will not, under any circumstan-
ces, be permitted to reduce or exchange postal
cards that may be misdirected, spoiled in
printing, or otherwise rendered unfit for use,
in the hands of private holders.
The department will not furnish less than
five hundred cards on the order ofa postmas-
ter. individuals desiring postal cards will
purchase them ofa postmaster, as in no case
can they obtain them upon direct application
to the denartment