Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-25
AT THE posToFFlcE.
Information for the Public in Regard
to the Use of the Mails.

to the Use of the Mails.
Do not hold your mail until the clos
ing of business. but mail it at frequent
intervals during the day.
Postage stamps are neither redeem
able nor exchangeable for those of
other denominations.
Stamped envelops, which have been
spoiled by misdirection or other cause,
and which have not. been cancelled, if
in whole condition, will be redeemed
for the value of the postage on them,
payable in stamps.
Mail matter deposited on the top of
the letter boxes is not in the custody
of the poStoffice.
From ten to twenty minutes are re-
quired to transfer the mails from the
central Office to the depf2s; therefore,
mail should be in the central office not
less than one-half hour before the de-
parture of the trains, and as much
earlier as possible.
Letters for delivery in the United
States. Canada or Mexico will be for
warded if one full rate of postage e.
cents )is paid even if they be over
weight. Letters to all other foreign
countries will be forwarded without
postage, but upon their arrival at des-
tination will be charged with double
the unpaid postage, which must be
paid by addressee before delivery.
Precautions Before Mailing.
See that the proper postage is paid.
Have your letters and packages
properly addressed
Have your card with request to re-
turn upon the face of the envelope, so
that in case of non-delivery it will be
returned directly to you.
| All letters and packages with valu-
able contents should be registered, as
! it is almost impossible to trace Losses
of ordinary mail matter.
! More mail matter is improperly han
! died. delayed and missent because of
imperfectly or carelessly written alb
breviations of states than from all the
other causes combined.
: The Registry System.
The object of the registry system is
the unsafe transmission and accurate
delivery of all matter entrusted to it's
! care.
/ ANY article of the first. second,
third or fourth-class of mail matter
may be registered at any postoffice in
the United States.
Every letter presented for registra.
ton must first be fully and legibly adj
dressed and secured sealed by the
sender, and all letters and other arti-
cles must also have the name and ad,
dress of the sender Endorsed thereon
in writing or print before they can be
registered.
Postmasters and their employees are
! forbidden to address a registered let
ter or package for the sender, to place
contents therein, or to seal it, or to
affix the stamps thereto; this must in
all cases be done by the sender. Reg
istered mail matter can only be deliv.
cred to the addresses in person or on
their written order. All persons call
ing for registered matter should be
prepared to furnish reasonable proof
of their, identity, as it is impossible
/ otherwise, at large postoffices,to guard
against fraud 1a
L A return receipt. signed by the ad
l-dressee and showing delivery, is re
turned to the Sender of each domestic
registered letter or parcel, for which
there is no extra charge.
I Letters and all valuable matter MAY
be registered at the night window
from to II p. M
! The fee on registered matter, do
nestle. is eight cents for each letter o.
parcel, to be affixed in stamps, in ad
dition to the postage. Tull prepay
ment of postage and fee is required
Two or more letters or parcels ad
dressed to. or intended for, the same
person cannot be tied or otherwise
fastened together and registered as
one.
Foreign matter is subject to the
same regulations as for domestic mat
ter, except that the sender of any reg
istered article may obtain assuranc,
of its receipt by the person addressed
only by indorsng it with the word:
Return receipt requested
The placing of Scents in stamps, il
addition to the regular postage. on
package or letter. does not register it
All matter must be presented at tn.
registry office SO that it may be en-
tered and recent given therefor.
Owners of first-class registeret
matter shall be Unidentified for losse
thereof in the mails. the indemnity tt
be paid out of the postal revenues. blu
in no case to exceed ten dollars TO
! any one registered piece, or the actua
value thereof when that is less thai
I'LL