Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-17
The New Law Relating to Newspaper Post
age.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 6.
| The following instructions have been
| approved by Postmaster-Gen. Jewell in
relation to the prepayment of postage on
papers and other printed matter on and
after Jan. l, 1875, under the act Of June
%, 1874:
| Section OF said act divides the matter
! therein described into two classes and fixes
the rate OF postage on each as follows: On
all newspapers and periodicals issued
weekly or oftener two cents per pound or
! fraction thereof; and on all those issued
less frequently three cents per pound
or fraction thereof. Under Sec. g.,
upon the receipt of such matter at the
mailing office, properly assorted into the two
| classes, it must be prepaid latter deducting
the weight Of the sack) by special adhesive
stamps furnished by the department for
this purpose. Ordinary postage stamps
cannot be used for this purpose, nor
can these stamps be used for any other
purpose. POstmasters will make the fol
lowing deductions for the weight of sacks,
viz: No. jute sack, two and a half pounds
No. 2 jute sack, two pounds; No. l cotton
sack, three and quarter pounds; No. 2 cot
ton sack, three and a half pounds. On re-
a receipt from a book Of blank forms fur
nished by the department. The stamps will
then be affixed to the stub of the receipt and
Cancelled by perforating them with punch,
and the blank spaces in the stub be filled
to correspond with the receipt. The stub
books are to be kept permanently in the
office, to be ready to be produced when
ever demanded by the department. The
Postmaster will render promptly at the end of
each quarter, in blank forms furnished for
the purpose, a statement of the postage col
lected from each publisher or news agent
-
will be charged to Postmasters, and account
ed for in the same manner as ordinary postage
stamps.
Newspapers, periodicals and circulars de-
posted in a letter-carrier Office for delivery
by the Office or its carriers are subject to post
age at the following rates: On newspapers,
regular or transient, not exceeding two
ounces in weight, one cent each; on peri
odicals, regular or transient, not exceeding
two ounces in weight, one cent each;
on periodicals, regular or transient, exceeding
two ounces in weight, two cents each; circu-
lars, unsealed, one cent; weekly newspapers
to transient parties, one cent for each two
ounces or fraction thereof. These rates must
be prepaid by postage stamps affixed. Weekly
newspapers to regular subscribers will be five
cents per quarter. Under this section county
papers pass by mail free to subscribers actual
ly residing within the county, but when de-
livered at letter-carrier offices or by
the rates of postage fixed in the
laws and regulations, page 81, Sec. 15S,
namely: On publications not exceeding four
ounces in weight, issued less frequently than
once week, one cent for each copy, and
when issued once a week five cents addi-
tiOnal per quarter, and five cents additional
per quarter for each issue more frequent
than once a week. An additional rate shall
be charged for each additional four
ounces or fraction thereof These rates
must be paid quarterly before de-
livery of such matter, either at the
Office of mailing or delivery. When not
so paid, postage must be collected on delivery
of each copy at transient rates, viz: One
cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof
The foregoing instructions are to take effect on
the LIST day of January, 1875, and to continue
in force until modified or superseded by the
department.
In regard to the question where newspa-
pers and other printed matter must be
weighed for prepayment of postage under the
new law on and after Jan. l, 1875, it may
be stated, by authority of the Postoffice De
partment, that the general rule re-
quiring the weighing to take place at the
Postoffice where the matter is mailed will be
modified for convenience of publishers in any
locality where it IS shown to be desirable that
weighing should be permitted elsewhere than
at the Postotfice. 1t is understood that New
York newspaper publishers prefer the weigh
ing to be done at the Postotfice, while at
Chicago and other cities it is desired to have
printed matter received and weighed at the
railway depot. Each application for modi-
fication of this rule will be decided on its in
dividual merits.