McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-05-14
THE MAIL SERVICE.
Interesting History of the United States
Postal Systein---Benja FranklIn's
Startling Invention While Deputy
Postmaster General.

In the English colonies, which SUBJ
sequently became the United States, a
postal system was projected as early as
1892, but owing to the sparseness 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 majesty's provinces or colonies in
America" The revenue was for some
years very small. In 1853 Benjamin
Franklin was appointed deputy post
master general for the colonies, and
was guaranteed the sum of f600 per
annum for the salary of himself and
his assistant. He remodeled and ex-
tended the operations of the office,
and in few years materially increas-
ed the revenues. He startled the peo-
pie of the colonies in 1860 by propos-
ing to run stage wagon to carry the
mail from Philadelphia to Boston, once
q week. starting from each city
on Monday morning and reaching
its destination by Saturday night.
In 1774, while in England, he was
removed from Office.
In 1889 the constitution of the United
States conferred upon congress the eX-
elusive control Of postal matters for
all the states; and congress proceeded,
Immediately on the adoption of the
constitution, to organize the postoi1ice
department, and to pass the necessary
laws for the protection of the mails.
The rates of postage from the
DE thn ,NncfIfiinn MT
ment until 1916 were: For single let
ter Chat is, one composed of a single
piece of paper), under 40 miles, 8
cents; under 80 miles, 10 cents; under
$50 miles, 12I cents; under 800 miles,
II cents; under 500 miles. 20 cents;
over 500 miles, % cents. In 1916 these
rates were modified as follows: A
single letter carried not over thirty
miles, 81 cents; over 30 miles and
under 80 miles, 10 cents; over 80 miles
and under $50 miles, l24 cents; over
$50 and under 400 miles, 1SI cents;
over 400 miles, % 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, 1! cents;
magazines and pamphlets /! cents
sheet under 100 miles, if periodicals;
over 100 miles, 2! cents a sheet, If not
periodicals, 4 and 6 cents.
In 1915 the following rates were
adopted: For letter not exceeding
J ounce IN weight, under 800 miles, )
re,
additional rate for every additional ]
ounce or fraction of ounce. Advertis-
ed letters, 3 cents additional; drop-let-
tiers, 2 cents; circulars, unSealed, 2
cents, pamphlets, magazines, etc,
per ounce, . cents, and each adj
ditional ounce i cent Newspapers,
under so miles, free; over 80 and I'M
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 ~ cents;
and letters to the Pacific territories
via Chagres and Panama, 10 cents. In
1919 the postage on transient news
papers was reduced to ordinary news
paper rates, but prepayment was still
required.
In 1851 IA law was passed estab-
fishing the following rates: For Il
single letter ii. e., of 9-ounce weight,
under 5000 miles, if prepaid, 3 cents.
or if not prepaid, cents; over 5000
miles, or II 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, L cent; ship let
ters, 2 cents, or if delivered where de-
posteG, cents; if sent through the
mails the ordinary postage to be added.
Weekly newspapers to actual sub
scrlbers in the country where pub
iished, free; under so miles and out of
the county, D cents quarter; over 80
and under 800 miles, 10 cents: over 800
and under 1000 miles, ID cents; over
1000 and under 1000 miles, 20 cents;
over 1000 and under 1000 miles, %
cents; over 1000 miles, 80 cents.
Monthly papers One-quarter and semi
moHInI} papefS OHG-nili THESE rates.
seml-weekly double, tri-weekly treble,
and oftener than tri-W eeklv, five times
these rates; newspapers under 800
square inches, one-quarter these rates;
if paid quarterly in advance de-
Guction of one-half to be made from
these rates. Transient newspapers,
circulars, and other printed matter,
cent an ounce under 800 miles; over
500 aud under 1900, cents; over
1900 and under $500, cents; under
$500, 4 cents; over $500, cents.
Books under 30 ounces, l cent an
ounce if prepaid; if not cents an
ounce. In 1852 the following mOdifi-
cations were made: Letters sent over
5000 miles. and not prepaid, 10 cents;
circulars, ETC., under 3
ounces, cent; every additional ounce
or fraction, cent; small periodicals,
published monthly or oftener, and
of not more than 16 octave
pages, sent in single packages OF not |
less than s ounces, prepaid. J cent an
ounce. or if not prepaid, cent. Books, |
bound or unbound, less than pounds, |
under 3, 600 miles, l cent an ounce;
-