Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-04-13


Desavsnens - tke Unsxea
eeasea-
Ths 6fss isesslasiou upon fhs sub3ss<
was IN ooIons4i Massachusetts, - saxiy
~ lfszs. Ibis prsvidsd sbas sss houss
Of kscbard Rsirbanks in Bosson b ee-
siGnated ~ . sssspessie for ieftefs osH-
M from aefoss tns ssas o. dess1nsd 10
foreign couuffie9. Mr.. fstsbanks was
| 70 tAks charge Of such letters. sod Or
deliver aeeofdsng - dirscfiso, and for
BIZ ssFyices was allowed 4 posny fer
each lester.
In colonial Virginia 10 ieS7 10 vss made
ths duty Of . PLANTER 20 convey dis-
PATCHES 90 ths n<xf pisntakso1. and. on
faiisse 10 do -, be forfettsd hcg4nsad
Of tobaoeo.
Il was nos unsii ls7z that . psss vas
sen, which made twelve ts1ps year. o.
In he early days Of The Cousiseptai
posi- route from Falmouth. Me. 20
savsnnss, Ca The earliest Isw firing
graded rates Of postage vss pAansd In
1872, and, a. IL rsmained in force With
bat slight enanQs for lfsy years. we viii
snc0inssiy stAss TIE nine dIfsrent rates
Cents.
firss rate. 30 miles o. Iess. 6
seoond s<se. 30 10 50 miiss. ..-....... .
Third fats, 90 10 JC9 miles. 10
koerth rate. fCo 10 lho miles -..--...-i7
Fifth rate, $50 - 3C0 miiss. ..*..... Is
stxth rate. Go 10 80 mica. es.......... IA
Sesenth Fnts. 80 % SO miles ....... 20
Eighth rats. $50 10 $50 miles .... .2z
Ninth rata. 60 and over. Is
Darine shs sxistsnee Of this Law and
up 20 1885 the entire number Of istsess
asd pAeksees mailed in ths United States
Was only ioo,0C3,0O0; during The dxoal
OF ssasnps Of all kinds. stamped envci-
cafds issued Rmouutsd 20 the fairy like
aggregate Of 2.l42, 2,s7s.e $50, as shown bY
the last report Of tbs Postmaster Gen
srai, page 75i.
There are more than ten times as
many letters transported annually nor
than daring the entire fifty years prior
70 1856.
In 1886 Ne had II, ,O8i postoftsses; In
1885, 81. .z52. In 1896 the gross revenue
wss 3.4u5 ,S13; IN i5a5. az ,56o. .s43 50.
In 1886 the expenditurss we're t3y5fl ,76<,;
In lst5. 9<9. .601. 1851. In 1895. miles Of
post rontss. lis. .16l; In 1856, 365, Isl. Ia
1886. miles OF transportation. 2.su0 600:
in 1885, z58.47e, ,773.
In lsaG there wae no rsRistrs system,
no free delivery system, 40 money order
systsn, no postal note syssem, no special
delivery system.
Under the Law of l7g2 only letters and
newspapers we're ma1labie. In lS15
magazines were admitted; in 1876, all
printed matter except bound books; in
1851 books weighing not more than 30
ouncss were admitted; IN 1852, books
weighing NOT more than four pounds;
and IN icGi packages not exceeding -four
pounds.
Tho firsi classification Of mail IN stssr
was In 1868. Il was then divided iuto
drst. second and third cIass mail matter
Letters constituted the hfst class, pagers
and magazines the second and packages
the third.
In 1873 seeds and roots Of any weight
we're admitted, bat ib 1874 this eharAc
Ter Of mail matter vas hlaitsd 10 four
pounds.
In 1879 merchandise was admitted to
the mails, asd in this same year the
maiisbIe matter was divided into four
classes:
Written or sealed matter and
postal cards.
second-Newspapers and periodisai
publications.
Miscellanssns printed matter,
including books.
Fonrth-Merchandis embracing eli
maiiahie matter not included in the
firet, second ard third classes, not intn-
-. -. -
TO handle.
Prior 10 1861 the Postofiice Depart
ment was self sustaining. In 1881, iss2
and 1883 II was more than self sustain
ing. Since that time, by reason Of rad
isal reductions in postal rates, II has not
been quite self sustaining.
la iss5 there were nine States IN
which there was an excess of receipts
oser expsudifurea. These States are: