The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-29
THE MAIL
Interesting History Of the United States
Postal Systein---Benjamin F%ranklin's
Startling Invention While Deputy
Postmaster (,eneral.
Postmaster General.

Startling Invention While Deputy
Postmaster General.
In the English colonies, which sub.
sequently became the United States,a
postal system was projected as early as
1892, but owing to the sparseness of the
population it vas not organized until
1710. 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 OF colonies in
America" The evenue 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 f60O 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 1860 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
its destination by Saturday night.
ln IVA, while in England, he wa
removed from office.
In 1879 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 p~ostoffice
department., and to pass the necessary
laws for the protection of the mails.
The rates of postage from the
organization of the postoilice depart
ment until 1916 we're: For a single let
ter Chat is, one composed of a single
piece of paper, under 40 miles, s
cents; under 80 miles, 10 cents; under
100 miles, 12} cents; under 500 miles,
IL cents; under 800 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 sc miles, 10 cents; over 80 miles
and under $50 miles, 124 cents; over
100 and under 400 miles, 49, cents;
over 400 miles, rs cents, and an addi-
tlonal 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 u cents a
sheet under 100 miles, if periodicals;
over 100 miles, q cents a sheet, If not
periodicals. 4 and 6 cents.
In 1915 the following rates were
adopted: For a letter not exceeding
] 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. 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 l cent. Newspapers,
under 80 miles, free; over 80 and I'M
der 100, or any distance within the
state where published, 1cent; over
100 miles and out of the state, II
cents. The next congress made the
on transient newspapers 8
cents, and required payment; the
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
lS49 the postage on transient news
papers was reduced to ordinary news
paper rates, but prepayment was still
required.
In 1851 a law was passed estab-
the following rates: For a
letter ii. e., of bounce weight),
under 5000 miles, if prepaid, 5 cents,
or if not prepaid, 5 cents; over 5000
miles, 6 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
tiers, 2 cents, or if delivered where de-
pcsitec, 6 cents; if sent through the
mails the ordinary postage to be added.
Weekly newspapers to actual SUBJ
scrlbers in the country where pub
lished, free; under so miles and out of
county, 5 cents a quarter; over SO
and under 800 miles, 10 cents; over 800
and under 1000 miles, Is cents; over
1000 and under 1000 miles, 20 cents;
over 1000 aud under 1000 miles, Is
cents; Owe 1000 miles, 80 cents.
Monthly papers one-quarter and semi
monthly papers one-half these rates;
double, tri-weekly treble,
and oftener than tri-Weekly, five times |
these rates; newspapers under 800
inches, on%e-quarter these rates; |
# paid quarterly in advance a de-
duction of one-half to be made from
these rates. Transient newspapers,
circulars, and other printed matter, l
cent an ounce under 500 miles; over
500 and under 1900, 2cents; over
900 and under $500, 8 cents; under
$500, 4 cents; over $500, 5 cents.
Books under 80 ounces, l cent an
ounce if prepaid; if not 2 cents an
In 1862 the following modif-
were made: Letters sent over
5000 miles, and not prepaid, 10 cents;
newspapers, circulars, etc, under 8
ounces, / cent; every additional ounce
fraction, cent; small periodicals,
published monthly OF oftener, and
pamphlets of not more than 16 octave
pages, sent in single packages of not
.ess than s ounces, prepaid, cent an
ounce. or if not prepaid, 1cent. Books,
bound or unbound, less than 4pounds,
lnder 5000 miles, l cent an ounce;
over 5000, 2 cents an ounce; so per
cent. added when not prepaid. By
he act of the same year postage
and envelopes were ordered. i
BY a law passed March 8, 1855, and
effect July of tho same year,
he rates oE single inland letters were
reduced to 3 cents for all distances I'M
Ter 5000 miles, and 10 cents for all
that distance; and all inland let
,er postage was to be prepaid. The
charge for advertising letters was re-
luced to l cent.
In 1868 the rate of postage was made
inform at 3 cents on all domestic let
,ers not exceeding half an ounce, and
) cents additional for every half ounce
fraction thereof; on drop letters not
exceeding half an ounce, 2 cents. The
quarterly postage and periodicals sent
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