Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-30

The Rapid Delivery Postal sys.em-Its
Operation.


Postmaster Wilson has received the de-
partment circular In reference TO the IN
auguration Of the immediate letter de-
livery system. The system will 20 into
effect Oct. /, and the circular contains
instructions and suggestions. Every
effort will be made to promptly deliver all
letters bearing the special lO-cent stamp.
As soon as mail is received the letters
/ bearing the special stamps are to be sorted
out by themselves.
The address Of each and the date Of the
receipt are to be entered in an Office
record " ith the name Of the messenger who
Is to deliver it. The address and date OF
receipt viii also he entered in the mes
seuger's book. The messenger will be
started OF at once in order 10 secure the
quickest possible delivery, unless
carrier should be gong direct to
the place, IN which case be
would he expected to deliver the letter.
When delivered, the letters are to be re-
ceipted for IN the messengers book the
plan being similar TO that Of the telegraph
companies. Boys not less than 10 years
of age Will be appointed messengers.
They will not be uniformed. but Will be
required to dress neatly and Will have to
be bright, Intelligent lads. At first the
messengers will be allowed Sc. on each
letter delivered, providing the compensa-
ton Of any one does not amount to more
than $50 a month. Messengers Will not
be allowed to pDol their earnings, and the
routes and hours VIII be changed 40 that
no one can get monopoly OF the best
business. The hours will be from 7 a. IN,
TO midnight.
Postmaster Wilson, in speaking of the
system Yesterday, stated that he would
probably begin with three messengers,
who, with the two substitute carriers,
Will no doubt be able to deliver all Of the
letters promptly. The force will have to
be divided, as the time on duty-lI hours
is too long for one act OF messengers.
They will be provided with an apartment
separate from the other employees OF the
office.
If the party addressed cannot be found
the letter is to be left with any RESPONSE
BILE party authorized to receive it as
clerk, agent or one of the family. The
system will only include the territory
covered by the present carriers delivery.
The advantage to the morning mail In
point Of time will be slight. In the bust
ness section the carriers now deliver
the morning mail by the time the business
houses are open. Letters received in the
morning for residents in the southern sec
ton of the city will be delivered perhaps
an hour before the carriers get around.
The principal advantage will be in the
case Of drop letters, and letters received
by the night mnil about Q p. m.
At present that mail matter lies In the Of
fee all night, as there is no provision for
its delivery. A special delivery will
place letters received at night in the
hands of the party addressed at least
eight hours before the carriers would de-
liver them.
Postmaster Wilson thinks that drop
letters will form the bulk Of the mail spe-
cially delivered. That class of matter is
now heavy, and is sufficient to pay the
carriers.
Ii is not expected that there will be
much mail at first to be Immediately de-
livered, but the delivery of thirteen letters
a day by each messenger will more than
pay his salary. All Postmasters are
instructed to use every effort to make
the system success. There are 800
cities that will have the system, six of
which are in Georgia, Savannah, Au-
gusta, Atlanta, Athens, Columbus, and
Macon.
The stamps will contain a vi9nette OF a
messenger boy in run, and Will bear the
words, especial delivery" Omitted
States" and $40 cents.'