Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-05-22
THE q / NAIL q Y sERVIc,E..
Interesting History of the United States
Postal Systeld- Benz asnin Franklin's
Startling Invention While DEPUTY

L 3ssg 1OSsal ystel0----b hon kIAnk1n,s
Startling Invention While Deputy
f II Postmaster General.
In the English colonies, which sub
tsequently became tho United States, q
postal system was projected as early as
l692, but owing to the sparseness Of the
/ population 1t was not organized until
17lO. 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 provinces or colonies in
America. 8 The revenue was for some
years very small. In 1853 BENJAMIN
Franklin was appointed deputy post
master general for the colonies, and
was guaranteed tho sum 81 f6OO 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 l760 by propos-
ing to run stage wagon to carry the
mail from Philadelphia to Boston. once
& 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. ,5.5 5.s n
In 1889 the constitution of the United
States conferred upon congress the ex-
elusive control Of postal matters for
ali the states; and congress proceeded,
Immediately on the adoption OF the
constitution, to organize the postoHice
department., and to pass the necessary
laws for the protection of the mails. Il.
The rates of postage from the
organization Of the postoffice depart
ment until 1916 were: For single let
ter Chat is, one composed of single
piece OF paper), under 40 miles, 8
cents; under 90 miles, 10 cents; under
$50 miles, 123 cents; under 800 miles,
II cents; under 500 miles, 20 cents;
over 500 miles, IS 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, 12s cents; over
$50 and under 400 miles, 1Sa cents;
over 400 miles, % cents, and an addi-
tional rate for every additional piece of
paper, and if the latter weighedS an
ounce four times these rates. News
papers under 100 miles, or within the
state where published, cent; over 100
miles and out of the state, u cents;
magazines and pamphlets II cents a
sheet under 100 miles, if periodicals;
over 100 miles, q cents sheet, If not
periodicals. 4 and 6 cents.
III l845 the following rates were
adopted: For letter not exceeding
} ounce IN weight, under 800 miles,
cents, over 800 miles, 10 cents; and an
additional rate for every additional !
ounce or fraction of ounce. Advertis-
ed letters, cents additional; drop-let-
tiers, cents; circulars, unsealed, 2
cents, pamphlets, magazines, etc.,
per ounce, q. cents, and each ad-'
ditionak ounce cent. Newspapers,
under ~ 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 8
cents, and required payment; the
postage on circulars was raised to 8
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
1S49 the postage on transient news
papers was reduced to ordinary news
paper rates, but prepayment was still
required.
In 1851 law was passed estab-
fishing the following rates: For a.
single letter Ii. g., of bounce weight),
under 5000 miles, if prepaid, 3 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, cent; ship let
tiers, 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
scrlbers in the country where pub
lished, free; under 50 miles and out of
che county, 5 cents quarter; over 50
and under 800 miles, 10 cents; over 800
and under 1000 miles, Is cents; over
1000 and under 1900 miles, 20 cents;
over 1900 aud under 1900 miles, rs
cents; over 1000 miles, 80 cents.
Menthlv papers one-quarJer and semi
monthly papers one-half these rates;
seml-weekly double, tri-weekly treble,
and oftener than tri-w eekly, Eve times
Inose tat1si newspapels unoer ooo
square % incnes, one-quarter tnese rates;
II pala quareerly ~ ADVANCE ae-
uuctlon OF one-nai1 10 De mace IRON
tnese rates. transient newspapers.
clrculars, ana otner printed nn n matter, l
e eon' ~ an ounce unae En- ooV mlles; over
w = eon a ~ unaer ,, ~ Genus over
. o'g eoo 'n : unuoi 1'ovV' Gnu's' unuei