Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-08
ABOUT OUR POSTAL SYSTEM.

A post.ofica system for the colonies was
established by the British government in ITO.
Under this system Benjamin Franklin was
postmaster at Philadelphia, being appointed
in 1888, when he was twenty.seven years old.
He held the Office until 1853, when he was
made the colonial postmaster-general, and
the British government guaranteed him a
salary of s600, "for himself and his sssis'
tant." The system was not completely or.
ganized until the general management OF
postal affairs came into bis hands. He held
the office of postmaster.general twenty.one
wears. He was removed in q rather sunlma-
~ manner in 1774 because he was an out
spoken patriot who couldn't be tory.
After the national constitution was adopted
in 1889, a postal system fer the United
States was established by Congress. The
first acknowledgement was Samuel Osyood
of Massachusetts In 1890 the first year Of
his administration, the whole number Of post
Offices was seventy-fye; the whole amount
of postage received, 1885; and the whole
net revenue to the government, $3.50. In
1900 the whole number of post.ofices was
nine hundred and three; the whole amount
of postage, $280,840; the whole net revenue,
S66,S1O. The first rates of postage were as
follows: For single letter, under forty
miles, eight cents; over forty and under
ninety miles, ten cents; over ninety and
under one hundred and fifty miles, twelve
and one.half cents over one hundred and
fifty and under three hundred, seventeen
cents; over three hundred and under tlve
hundred miles, twenty cents; over i've hum
dred miles, twenty-five cents. In 1916 these
rates were changed, as follows: A sing 10 let
ter, not over thirty miles, six and one-fourth
cents; over thirty and under eighty miles,
ten cents; over eighty and under one hundred
and fifty miles, twelve and one-halfcents;
over one hundred and fifty and under four
hundred miles, eighteen and three-fourths
cents; over four hundred miles, twenty-five
cents. In 1843 there was another change,
snd rates were established as follows Tor
letter weighing not more than half an ounce,
carried not over three hundred miles, FIVE
cents; over three hundred miles, ten cents.
In 1851 Congress enacted that letter weigh
ing not more than half an ounce might be
carried three.thousand miles, if prepaid, for
three cents, OF for FIVE cents, if not prepaid
For over three thousand, six cents, if pre-
paid, or twelve cents, not prepaid; but in
1852 the twelve was reduced to ten. In
1856 the rates were made to be three cents tor
ell distances under three thousand miles ! ten
cents for all ever three thousand miles; post.
age to be prepaid in all cases. Finally, by
means of several acts and amendments, the
rates were established as we have them now.
Cheap postage cannot be as well afforded
in this country as in Great Britain, because
the expenses of the postal system are necessa-
rily much greater here than there. Great
Britain is a small country in extent, with
great population. Ours is country of "mag-
ni6cent distances" and large portions OF it,
where there are post-ofices to be served, are
thinly inhabited. In majority of the States
the amount Of postage paid is far below the
cost of the postal service they receive. In
some of the States the amounts paid for post
age are much greater than the cost of the SER
vice. Nevertheless, the postofce department
does not pay expenses. Every year there is
deficit of several million dollars. In Eng
land the postal service yields the government
g. net revenue; and so it is in France and in
most of the other countries Of Europe.