CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1901-08-22
POINTS ON POSTAGE.
A Canon City Lady Fined Ten Dol
lars For Sending Writing In
Third Class Matter.

There are lots of things about deal
ing with postoffice that people do
not know-people who patronize the
Office every day of their lives.
The rate of postage is one thing
that is not well understood. Every
thing that is mailed should be weigh
ed and properly stamped before it is
sent. Many delays would be avoided.
Letters that bear a two-sent stamp
are forwarded without respect to
weight-though they are weighed up
and if over an ounce. the extra post
age is marked up and collected at
the other end.
But no papers or packages are
forwarded until the full amount of
postage has been paid. The rate of
postage for merchandise in general
is one cent an ounce. For books,
phamphlets, and miscellaneous printed
matter, it is two ounces for one cent.
For newspapers, magazines and per-
iodicals, it is four ounces for one
cent. Many people have an idea
they can send any newspaper, no
matter how large, for one cent. This
is very serious mistake, and causes
many delays and disappointments.
All newspapers and packages are
weighed up in every Office. If enough
postage has not been put On they are
not sent out. If the sender has been
hougtful enough to put his address
on the package, he is notified of the
amount due, which he pays, and the
matter goes on its way. But about
SO out of every 100 never put their
return address upon anything. In
this case the postmaster must notify
the party addressed, that a package
is here for him, on which so much
postage is due, and when he sends
the amount, the package is forwarded.
For instance, the other day, a party
mailed a paper weighing seven ounces,
addressed to a place in New Hamp-
shire, with but one cent on. This
office writes to the party in New
Hampshire telling him a bundle of
second class matter is here addressed
to him. which needs one cent more
postage. When that party sends the
Office here the one cent, the package
is forwarded after a week or ten
days delay. All this delay could
have been avoided if the sender had
weighed the package up and put the
proper stamps on, or even if he had
put his OWL name and address on the
package.
The example cited happens in the
Canon City postoffice every day in
the year, sometimes every hour.
A very common disregard of postal
laws is where people mail package
at a cheap rate, but put some form
of writing in it. Anything with
writing in must go at letter rates
two cents for each ounce. A news
paper weighing eight ounces will go
through for two cents. But with a
few lines of writing it will cost six
teen cents. To endeavor to send
written matter through with mer-
chandise or printed matter at the
lower rate is dishonest and punish
able by the government. The lowest
penalty is a fine Of $40.
Only short time ago postofIice
inspector was in the Cripple Creek
Office, where he picked up package
of photographs containing letter.
1t was mailed by Canon City lady.
He came Immediately to Canon City
and collected the ten dollars fine
from the lady who mailed the pack
age. While here he found bundle
of papers containing short note. It
cost the party sending the papers
ten dollars. He saved the two cents,
however.
So it doesn't pay to attempt de-