Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-13
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
GENERAL NEVIS AND GOSSIP.

''"NA tsa-t"t htcent AruS tfdPr
aud Lieutenant Greeiy.
lBy telegraph to the Dispatch.I
WASHINGTON, August I2.-The
iohowlng circular relating TO the imme-
oiate-delivery system, which is to be
put IN operation on October LIST, has
oeen prepared and will be sent to post
masters at once. 1t is of interest to
the general public:
section ! of the post-Ofiice appro-
Pra'ion act, approved March 3, 1885,
PROVIDES that a Especial stamp Of the
lace valuation Of 10 cents may be pro-
weed and issued whenever deemed adj
'isaoie or eSpedisnt, in such form and
oeafing such desice as may meet the
approval of the Postmaster-G General.
whlcA' when attached to letter in
addition to the lawful postage thereon,
the delivery Of which is to be at
hee-deliyery Office, or at any city.
town, or village containing popu-
iatlon OF 1900 or over, according
TO The fedtfal census, shall be regarded
as emitting such letter to immediate
delivery within the carrier limit of anv
iree-deliyery Office which may be de-
sisnated by the Postmaster G eneral as
special-deliyery office, or within one
mile OF the post-oflice at any other
Office coming within the provision of
this section, which may in like manner
be designated as a special-deliyery
office"
1t has accordingly been decided to
introduce the special-delivery system
on the lst Of October, 1885, at all
post-oiiices at which it is permitted bv
law-yiz., those at which the free-de-
livery system is in operation, and those
in cities and towns having population
OF AGO or over, as shown by the last
Federal census.
Suitable supplies Of these special
delivery stamps will be sent to any post
office in the country which may make
requiSition for them. and when received
they are TO be taken up by the post
master IN his account current and ac-
counted for quarterly in the same man
ner as ordinary pOStage-stamps. They
are to be sold by postmasters in any
required amount to any person who
may apply for them. but they can be
used only for the purpose of securing
immediate delivery of letters ad-
dressed to and received in any of the
mails at any Offices designated as
special-deliyery offices. Under no cir
cumstances are they to be used in the
payment of postage OF any description,
or registry fee, nor can any other
stamps be employed to secure
special delivery except special-delivery
stamps. The special-delivery stamps
must be in addition to the lawful post
age, and letters not prepaid with at least
one full rate of postage. in accordance
with the laws and regulations, must be
treated as held for postage, even though
bearing the special-deliyery stamps.
Registered letters will be entitled to
immediate delivery the same as ordinary
letters, when bearing the special-deiv-
cry stamps in addition to the full post
age and registry-fee required by the law
and regulations. The specal-delivery
stamps must be effectually cancelled at
the Offices of mailing in the same way
as the ordinary postage-stsmps. A
letter bearing a spccial-delivery stamp
in addition to the lawful postage may
be mailed at any post-oilice in the
country. but it will not be entitled
TO an immediate delivery by messenger
when addressed to post-oilice to which
the special-delivery system has not
been extended.
Special-delvery letters will be deliv-
cred by messenger within the carriers
limits Of a free-delivery Office andwith-
in a radius of one mile from the post
Offices at all other special-deliyery Of
fees.
POstmasters at fourth-class Offices are
not entitled to commission on special
delivery stamps in any case. No effort
will be spared to expedite the mailing
of letters bearing special-deliyery
stamps addressed to special-dellyery
Offices.
Postmasters are urged to use all
available means for furnishing the pub
lie with information with regard to the
special-deliyery system. A list of spe-
offices will be furnished to
postmaSters, and must be conspicu-
ously posted in the post-oflice where it
will readily attract public attention.
ISignedl WILLIAM F. Villas.
Attorney-General.
A second circular by the Postmaster
General embodies technical instructions
to postmasters concerning the above
system, 1t directs postmaSters to em-
ploy requisite number Of messenger
boys to insure prompt delivery, and |
provides that substitute letter-carriers |
may be employed as messengers and |
receive the same compensation as other
but in no case shall the
compensation paid to any one person |
exceed $50 per month.
Two objects" says the Postmaster
General, "muSt be particularly and !
strenuously sought-GrSt, the most ef-
fcient delivery service; and, second,
to bring the service up to revenue
yielding condition.
Three officers in the Signal Service
First Lieutenant A. w. Greedy, Fifth !
cavalry; First Lieutenant Robert Craig,
Fourth artillery; and First Lieutenant
II. Ii. c. Dunwody-are included in
the provisions Of the recent order di-
recting line officers who have been on
detached duty for four years back to
their regiments. An exception will
be made in the case of Lieu
tenant Greedy in order to allow him to
his report Of the Arctic ex-