The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-05-22
THE NAIL SERVICE
Interesting History Of the United States
Postal Systeln---Benjamin Franklin's
Startling Invention While Deputy
Postmaster General.

postmaster 6eneral.
In the English colonies, whicE sub
s~eauently became the United States,a
postal system was projected as eerly as
1892, but owing to the sparsvness of the
population it was not organized until
ITO. By act of parliament of that
year the post-chief letter office in New
York, and other chief offices at some
convenient place or places in other OF
her maiesty's provinces or colonies in
America" The revenue was for some
a very small. In 1853 Benjamin
Franklin vas appointed deputy post
master general for the colonies, and
was guaranteed the sum OF f6O0 per
annum for the salary of himself and
his assistant. He remodeled and ex-
tended the operations OF the office,
and in a few years materially increas-
ed the revenues He startled the peo-
pie of the colonies in 1850 by propos-
ing to run a stage wagon to carry the
mail from Philadelphia to Boston, once
a week, starting from each city
on Monday morning and reaching
it's destination by Saturday night.
In 1774, while Ill England, he was
removed from office.
In 1889 the constitution of the United
States conferred upon congress the x
elusive control of postal matters for
all the states; and congress proceeded,
Immediately on the adoption of the
constitution, to organize the postoffice
department., and to pass the necessary
laws for the protection of the mails.
The rates of postage from the
organization of the postoffice depart
ment until 1916 were: For a single let
ter (that is, one composed of a single
piece of paper), under 40 miles, 3
cents; under 90 miles, 10 cents; under
100 miles, 123 cents; under 500 miles,
IL cents; under 500 miles, 20 cents;
over 500 miles, 25 cents. In 1916 these
rates were modified as follows: A
single letter carried not over thirty
miles, 81 cents; over 80 miles and
under 80 miles, 10 cents; over 80 miles
and under $50 miles, 123 cents; over
100 and under 400 miles, 184 cents;
over 400 miles, 20 cents, and an addi-
tional rate for every additional piece of
paper, and if the latter weighed an
ounce four times these rates. News
papers under 100 miles, or within the
state where published, l cent; over 100
miles and out of the state, Ii cents;
magazines and pamphlets II cents a
sheet under 100 miles, if periodicals;
over 100 miles, "a cents a sheet. II not
periodicals, A and 6 cents.
In 1916 the following rates were
adopted: For a letter not exceeding
J ounce IN weight, under 800 miles, 5
cents, over 800 miles, 10 cents; and an
additional rate for every additional !
ounce or fraction of J ounce. Adyertis-
cd letters, 8 cents additional; drop-let-
ters, 2 cents; circulars, unsealed, 2
cents, pamphlets, magazines, etc..
per ounce, % cents, and each adj
ditional ounce l cent. Newspapers,
under so miles, free; over 80 and un-
der 100. or any distance within the
state where published, cent; over
100 miles and out of the state, II
cents. The next congress made the
postage. on transient newspapers 3
cents, and required payment; the
postage on circulars was raised to 3
cents; newspaper postage to Oregon
and California was fixed at Al cents;
and letters to the Pacific territories
via Chagres and Panama, 10 cents. In
1849 the postage on transient news
papers was reduced to ordinary ews
paper rates, but prepayment was still
required.
In 1851 a law was passed estab-
fishing the following rates: For a
single letter ii. e., of bounce weight),
under 5000 miles, if prepaid, 3 cents,
or If not prepaid, 5 cents; over 5000
miles, 6 or IL cents; to foreign coun-
tries, not over $500 miles, except
where postal arrangements have been
made, 10 cents; over $500 miles, 20
cents; drop letters, | cent; ship let
ters, 2 cents, or if delivered where de-
posted, 6 cents; if sent through the
mails the ordinary postage TO be added.
Weekly newspapers to actual sub
scr1bers in the country where pub
lished, free; under so miles and out of
the county, 5 cents a quarter; W. 80
and under 800 miles, 10 cents; over 800
and under 1000 miles, 10 cents; over
1000 and under 1000 miles, 20 cents;
over 1000 aud under 1000 miles, Is
cents; over 1000 miles, 80 cents.
Menthlv papers one-quarter and semi1
monthly papers one-half these rates;
semI-weekly double, ~tri-weekly treble,
and oftener than ri-weekly, five times
these rates; newspapers under 500
square inches, one-quarter these rates;
if paid quarterly in advance a de-
duction of one-half to be made from
these rates. Transient newspapers,
circulars, and other printed matter, /
cent an ounce under 500 miles; over
SOC and under 1900, 2 cents; over
1900 and under 1860, 8 cents; under
$500, A cents; over $500, 5 cents.
Books under so ounces, l cent an
ounce if prepaid; if not 2 cents an
ounce. In 1852 the following modif-
cations were made: Letters sent over
5000 miles, and not prepaid, 10 cents;
newspapers, circulars, etc, under
ounces, l cent; every additional ounce
or fraction, 1cent; small periodicals,