The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-24
THE NEW DELIVERY SERVICE.
Details of the Messenger System for the
Immediate Delivery of Mail Matter.

Postmaster Jones has received instructions
from the Postoffice Department at Washington
relating to the immediate delivery system, which
will go into operation on the LIST of October in
all cities having population of more than 1000.
The new system is Ii kind of messenger service,
by which articles bearing the stamp issued for
the service may be Immediately delivered to the
person to whom addressed The price of the
stamp for the service is fixed at 10 cents each,
and 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 the immediate delivery
of letters addressed to and received in the mail
at any of the Offices designated as special delivery
offices. Under no circumstances are they to be
used In the payment of postage of any descrp-
tion nor of the registry fee, nor can any other
stamps be employed to secure special delivery
except the special delivery stamp The special
delivery stamp must be in addition to the lawful
postage, 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 special delivery
stamp in addition to the full postage and registry
fee required by the laws and regulations. Spe
cial delivery stamps must be effectively Cancelled
at the office of mailing in the same way as or
binary postage stamps.
Letters bearing special delivery stamp in addi
| ton to lawful postage may be mailed at any
postoffice in the country, but it will not be en-
titled to an immediate delivery by messenger
when addressed to postoffice to which the
special delivery system has not been extended
Special delivery letters will be delivered by
messenger within the carrier limits of q free
delivery Office, and within radius of one mile
from postoffice at all other special delivery
offices. Postmasters at fourth class offices are
not entitled to a commission on special delivery
stamps in any case. No effort will be spared to
expedite the mailing of letters bearing special
delivery stamps addressed to special delivery
offices, and postmasters urged to use all
available means for furnishing the public with
information with regard to the special delivery
system.
The instructions from the Postmaster.general
embody technical instructions to the postmas-
tiers concerning the delivery system. 1t directs
them to employ the requisite number of messen-
ger boys to insure prompt delivery, and provides
that substitute letter carriers may be employed
AS messengers and receive the same colnpensa-
| ton paid to any one person not to exceed the
sum of $50 per month. Two objects says the
Postmaster-genera must be particularly and
strenuously sought: First, most efficient delv-
cry service; and second to bring the service I'D
to revenue yielding condition. Postmaster
Jones has not yet decided how many messengers
he will employ. but the number will probably be
small until the demands of the service are
learned. and the force will then be increased ac-
cordipCly