Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-16
REGISTRATION OF LETTERS.
A New Provision Relative to Carriers
in Carrier Towns.

In December last the postotlicc de-
partment determined, in the interest
Of public convenience, to provide for
the registration of valuable letters, or
first class matter, by carriers on their
delivery routes in free delivery cities.
The service has been put in operation
at the Barre postotfice. For the pres
enU it will be confined to the purely
residential districts, excluding places
of business from which mail must be
taken to the postoflice for registra-
ton.
All mail however, may be taken to
the pOstoffice for registration as here
tOfOre.
The expense of registration by let
ter carriers is the same as registration
at the Office. The requirements of
the new service, though easy of full
tillment, are nevertheless, imperative.
The carrier will accept letters for
registration only while making de-
livery of mail, and not while collect
ing mail from the street boxes. Only
letters or mail of the first class can be
registered in this manner; and they
must be ready in every respect when
the carrier calls, for he is strictly for
hidden to wait even a fraction of a
minute longer than is necessary to
write the receipt and promptly de-
liver it.
Particularly is he forbidden to en-
ter into any discussions or cxplana-
tions with patrons. In case your
mail is not in proper form it is the
carriers duty to reject. 1t; and at the
same time give you card provided
for the purpose, with all necessary in
structions printed thereon. If it is
properly prepared, he will register
your letter on his next trip. In offer
ing letter for registration, please re-
member it must be in an envelope
strong enough to safely carry con-
tents and be IN good condition. The
envelope must bear the name and adj
dress of the sender, as well as the
name and post office address of the
person to whom you desire it sent.
The writing on envelope must be plain
and legible. Have the registry fee
and postage prepaid, either in stamps
attached or in money, the exact
amount to be paid the carrier. The
registry fee for letters, foreign and do
nestle, is eight cents in addition to
full postage. The postage on domes-
tic letters is two cents for each ounce
or fraction thereof.
This rate applies to the United
States, Canada, Mexico, and Porto
Rico. The postage on foreign letters
| is five cents for each half ounce or
fraction thereof. The new service is
favorably spoken of in places VIII ere it
has been established, and fair trial
of it given.
All valuable mail ought to be regis
tered and an additional method is
offered to accommodate those patrons
whom it would inconvenience to
go to the postotfice for the purpose.
With proper compliance with the
regulations by the patrons it ought
not to in any way impair the service.
The law requires carriers to work
only eight hours day, actual time
at work, not including time some
times spent waiting for mails to ar
rive; and the department strictly en-
forces the provisions of the law,
whether the mail is all delivered or
not. Consequently any delay of a
carrier, while on duty, impairs the
service. If patrons have any direc-
tions to give concerning change of
address they ought to go to the post
office and they will there be provided
with card, furnished by the depart
ment for the purpose, on which to
write their directions; the mail is
sorted to the carriers by the clerks.
If patrons have any fault to find or
suggestions to make in regard to any
thing pertaining to the service they
ought to go to the postmaster; but
under no circumstances ought pat
ron to engage in conversation with a
carrier while he is on duty, or in any
manner delay him, even a fraction of
a minute, because there are only sixty
of those minutes in an hour, and only
eight of those hours in the carriers
day. He has many persons to meet
while on his routes, and everybody is
anxious to get their mail seasonably.
If a carrier declines to listen to talk
of patrons, by simply absenting him.
self, it implies no disrespect to the
patron or his story. The carrier is
simply doing his duty. A carrier who
permits himself to be delayed while on
duty, unless the delay is unavoidable
for cause, must not be regarded as ex-