The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-05
Something OF the History of the Mail and
the Postal Service.

Conant, in his history of Vermont, re-
Gently adopted as text book for schools
in the State, has many items that do
not recollcct to have seen in any other
history, but which in my judgement are
valuable in history copy the following
from "Conant's Vermont" "The rates
of postage in the beginning of our gov
eminent were very much higher than
they are now. The postage on letter
was paid by the receiver and varied
according to the distance from which it
was brought. Here are the rates for
letters as established by law in 1916:
Each letter conveyed not more than
thirty miles, six ceuts; over thirty miles
and not more then eighty, ten cents 3;
over eighty miles and not over one hun
bred and fifty miles, eighteen and three
fourths cents; over four hundred miles
twenty-five cents.'
This law of 1916 was for many years
thereafter in force. can well remem-
Der that my father paid at several differ
ent times twenty-five cents for letter
from his brOthel-in-law in Buffalo, and
eighteen and three-fOnrths cents from
q brother in central New York. COnant
goes on to say: ''In 1915, by act of Con
gress the following rates were estab-
lished for letters weighing one-half ounce
or less: each letter conveyed not over
three hundred miles five cents over three
hundred miles ten cents. Five years
later the use of adhesive stamps was
authorized by government, and in 1856
their use was made compulsory.
Before the first railroad traiu came
to Vermont, laws had been enacted to
negotiate the construction of telegraph
lines in the State, so was the way pre-
pairing for new economical conditions
and a new social State" In this same
connection Mr.. Conant has something to
say of the mails: sin 170S the mail was
carried once week each way,
between Windsor and Burlington, pass
ing through Woodstock, Randolph and
Montpelier. The whole number of
letters received at the postoffice in
Woodstock during the year was 100; the
number sent out was 100; by mail that
year, there came to Woodstock from
Boston IS letters from New York, rs
letters. and from Windsor letters.
The above would show wonderful
change in tile amount of mail matter and
the postal service or rates of postage in
connection with the present, and the
change has come about within the rec
election of many now living. The rail
roads, telegraph and other inventions
were largely the cause of the great
change, and as COnant would say, have
produced new economical conditions
and a new social StOte."
In the year 1880 instead of going to the
district school / was under the instruc-
ton of Rev. Henry Bigelow, then pastor
of the Congregational church in Middle
town where | then resided. He was
postmaster, and then had class OF
scholars which occupied a room where
he kept the pOstofiice. In my recOllec.
ton we were not disturbed on an average
of more than once or twice during the
six hours Of our attendance in each day
by persons calling to mail or receive
letters, yet the population If that town
was then larger than it is now. The
change IN the mails and postal service in
their early history in comparison will
the present is really marvellous and
shows progress perhaps in as clear and
strong a light as can be gained in any
source of information.
Since the foregoing was written, the
annual report of the Postmaster Genera
has been put into my hands, in which
find history of the mail aud posta
service from the organization OF Oul
government. From this history i
appears "that when the postoffice de
partment began its career in 1850, Con
gress seemed hardly willing TO give 1t al