Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-08-27
TO De MADE UNIVERSAL.
Special Delivery Extended TO all Mailablo
Matter aud All Postotices.


cular OF information and instruction 10
postmasters concerning and preparatory
to putting into operation on October the
net OF August (, 1876 authorizing the ex-
tension OF the special delivery system To
all post Offices and 10 all mallable matter.
The circular provides that every postoilco
in the United States and Territories and
the District of Columbia now established,
and which shall be established while the
foregoing act remains, is hereby designat-
ed as a special delivery Office. These regu-
lations take effect October !, lsSi, after
which date every postmaster will he held
responsible for the immediate delivery of
every article of mallable matter which
may be received addressed TO his Office,
properly stamped with "a special delivery
stamp. Such immediate delivery must be
made when the article Is dire ted 10 an
address residing or having place of bust
ness within one mile OF the postOtlce. The
obligation TO so deliver does not extend To
an address beyond that distance,
but the postmaster Will be at
liberty to make such delivery
beyond such limits, and 10 receive tho
compensation therefor rs in any other
case. IL Is commended 10 him as proper
and considerate thing TO be done, IN nc
commodation Of the sender, whenever it
Is reasonably convenient. The hours
within which immediate delivery shall be
made shall be at least from a. III. TO p.
m. and further until the arrival OF the
last mail, provided that such arrival he
not later than y. IN. PostmasteTs are
not required to make delivery Of special
matter on Sunday, but viii be at liberty,
however TO deliver special delivery letters
and parcels arriving ON Sundays. Such
immediate delivery may, at third and
fourth-clas Offices be made by the post
master himself, by any assistant or clerk,
or by any other competent person he may
employ as messenger. The service con
templated by law requires that all special
delivery matter shall reach the addresses
with the greatest possible expedition
after II arrives at the postoiiice. Post
masters should, therefore, open all mails
at once on their arrival and immediately
separate the matter bearing special deliv-
cry stamps, and stamp or write on the en-
velOpe or wrapper the name of the post
Office and the date and hour when the mat
ter arrives. Next the matter must be
numbered, after which IL must be deliver
ed without loss OF time. For every special
delivery article delivered the postmaster
must take receipt. After special de-
livery article has been taken out for de-
livery and has been returned with tho In
formation that the person addressed
has removed TO the delivery OF another
Office, and the article Is then forwarded,
II Il not to be regarded as entitled 10
special delivery at the second office. Regis
tered matter Will be entitled TO special de-
livery the same as ordinary matter when
bearing a special delivery stamp in add
dition TO the full postage and registry fee
required by law and the regulations. No
effort will toe spared by pOstmasterS or
any other postal officers 10 expedite the
mailing of matter bearing special delivery
stamps. The words secures immediate
delivery at a special delivery Office Will.
however, be changed to read secures i'm
mediate delivery at any postoihce' on the
special delivery stamp now In general use.
The use of stamps with the former words
will be continued until the present supply
is exhausted. Suitable supplies of the
special delivery stamps Will be sent 10 any
postoiiiCc in the country which may make
requisitiOn for them, and are 10 be sold by
pOstmasters in any required amount, and
10 any person who may apply for them,
but they can be used only for the purpose
OF securing the Immediate delivery OF mat
ter. Under no circumstances are they to
be used in the payment OF hostages OF any
description or 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 any article of hrst-class matter
not prepaid with at least one
full rate of postage, and any parcel Of any
other class Of matter, the postage on
which has not been fully prepaid, in &C
cordance with the law and regulations,
must be treated as held-for-postage, even
though bearing special delivery stamp.
POStmasters at fOurth-claSS offices are not
special delivery stamps on letters and
parcels mailed by them. No failure in any
instance where delivery is possible can be
considered excusable. Every complaint
of failure in such a delivery will be
promptly investigated, and the response
bility fixed with proper consequences. No
office, however small, Is exempt from this
obligation and the system and duties I'M
der II are 80 simple that no excuse can he
accepted for any failure 20 meet the OBJ
Shnnl1 IN N
special delivery stamps sold as one fifteenth
the number of ordinary stamps-and
larger sales may be fairly eXpected-the
gross allowances on this account Will
equal the total compensation now paid to
all fOUrth-Class pootmasters together.
Their interest comedies with duty. The
following special instructions are given
10 poStmasters ut free delivery offices:
An postotices which, on the first of Oc
tober, 1856, may be free delivery offices,
are hereby excepted from the operations
Of the above order, 50 far as the same pre-
scribes the methods Of immediate delivery
and at all such free delivery Offices the
special delivery system VIII be maintained
through the employment OF regular
force OF messengers, as at present and
postmaSters at such Offices will continue to
be governed 10y regulations in the Clrcu-
lars August II, $50, published In the post
al guide for January, lS-G, and by the in
structiOns issued in pursuance thereof, eX-
cept a. the same are herein modified
Postmasters are not required To make
delivery of special delivery matter on
Sunday, but viii be at liberty, however
to deliver special delivery letters and par
GELS arriving on Sunday>. The law pro-
vides that the postmaster general may
contract for the Immediate delivery OF all
articles from any postoiiice at any price
less than eight cents per piece as he shall
deem IL expedient.n Postmaoters at FREQ
delivery offices will, therefore, forward
rrnnnSlflnn4 from COMBINATIONS a
other reputable parties for performing the
immediate delivery Of mail matter at
their re~pcctive offices, with statement
Of all facts and such recommendations as
they may see proper TO make.
Eer Civil Service z 10.
The Civil Service Commissioner has d.