New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
THE POSTAL SERVICE,
Hoe 1t Has Grosgn Nth TIE Grozcth
of This Coanfry.

ne postal service of this country is the greatest
BUSINESS concern managed for the people by Uncle
cam Its history, which dates back nearly 80
years should prove OF especial interest at this time
e oStoiIce Department having been prominent
IN the public eye for the last year
Ihs eouHtry's postal history has four well de-
INV" PERIODS: Colonial. up to 1888 under tho Neale
parent 1853 to 1907 under the control OF the Cen
eTal Postofhce in London. 1907 to iT74; American
control in two divisions ia to the present-177i-
81 under Congress. and 1883 the present, the
Fcstofice Department of the United States In 1899
the postofiice first made its appearance in this
country. Massachusetts seems to have been fore
most In It's establishment The General Court of
mat colony issued the following in 1889 TT is
oeFed that notice be given that Richard Fairbanks.
his house in BOSTON, is the place appointed for all
letters which brought from beyond the Gas,
or are sent thither. to be left with him. and he
Is 10 take care that they are 10 be delivered
sent according TO direction; and he is allowed for
every letter penny, and he must all mes
sases through his neglect of this kind" In 1851
postal service YVES established In Virginia. The
colonial law required every planter to provide a
messenger to convey the dispatches they arrived.
10 the next plantation, and on on pain of for
felting a hosshead of tobacco for default. In
lS72 the government of New-York established a
mail Ito go monthly" between New-York and Bos-
ton. In 1914 the General Court at Hartford
enacted laws to regulate the postal service in the
colony In July. 1858. William Penn established
postoiHce in Philadelphia with weekly mails to
various places near the city, and about the same
time opened mail routes between Philadelphia and
the larger towns of Pennsylvania and Maryland
In 1885 postofice esta bIished by the colony,
but this aside cooperate with the service
under the Neae patent. These represent the sew
eral colonial enactments in relation TO postal
communication. OF a regular post outside these
efforts trace be found in the archives of
either the State the Postoffice Department AS
between residents in the different colonies private
correspondence carried mainly by coastwise
vessels occasional travellers.
The beginning of the American post dates with
the signing of a patent. February IT, 1881. vestng
in Thomas Neale the American Post On the 18th
OF April following Neae and the Royal Post
master General appointed Andrew Hamilton Post
master General OF America. Hamilton undertook
the arduous duty of establishing intercolonial
post proving himself successful He visited all the
colonies was trusted implicitly. and satisfied each
colony of his ability and resources in the
venture The cooperation o. all the colonies except
Virginia having been secured, service began on
May |. 1888 and consisted OF weekly post from
Portsmouth. y. II, 10 Boston, Saybrook, New
York, Philadelphia. Maryland and Virginia. Five
riders engaged 10 cover each of the five
stages twice a week. In winter service was per-
formed fortuightly Hamilton died In 1908, and his
son. John Hamilton. succeeded him. In 1907 the
Crown purchased the goodwill OF the American
Postofice for II 6F4 and continued John Hamilton
as Postmaster General with an annual salary or
| f2a
The acquisition OF the American post In lVi iounu
the Postmaster General of King William at the
head of an imperial post coextensIve with the
British Empire. The logical result was the great
act no From 1907 to the year before the Revo-
luton the General Postofice in London controlled
the service in America. Its growth was steady. and
improved each year. In III there weekly
! mail operation between Boston and Maine and a
fortnghtly exchange between Boston and New
York In III the mail ran weekly between New
York and Williamsburg. Va. and ten years later
there a fortnightly mail between Philadelphia
and Annapolis, Md. The period of activity in the
est bshment postal facilities began when Bena-
min Franklin was appointed postmaster at Phila-
delphia This in 1871. AT the request OF the
Deputy Postmaster General for the colonies he as
sisted him in the regulation and management or
the various postofflces then established and when
that official died. In 1I53 Franklin in company with
William Hunter. was appointed to succeed him In
consequence difficulty with Governor Hutch
| inson Of Massachusetts, Franklin was removed in
TIA
But Franklin not TO remain idle. for when
the Continental Congress it's second session.
in Philadelphia July 20. 1775, its members re-
solved to have postofice system Of their own. and
Franklin elected carry the work. A
salary Of 81 900 year voted him. and permits
sion given appoint secretary and controller.
with a salary of $40 each. However. Frankin's
great diplomatic talents secured him soon after
ward a transfer a wider field OF usefulness. and
in 1916 his son-n-aw Richard Bache. who had been
acting controller. was appointed TO succeed him
Mr. Bache was succeeded in 1872 by Ebenezer
Hazard. who had in 1775. been the constitutional
postmaster of New-York. termed to distinguish
him from the British deputy at that place. who en-
deavored TO keep up the postofice establishment on
this side OF the Atlantic during the Revolution The
Colonial Congress in 1872 passed act authorizing
the Postmaster General establish line of posts
other places as Congress might direct and to APP
point the necessary deputies for whose faithfulness
and honesty he to be held accountable. The
salary to be paid them was al his discretion but
The rate of postage at that time on letters not
Weighing over pennyweight. and going more
49P r Sshs and B
an passed on September :. 17s5. the Postmaster
carrying the mail ,4a in stage o coaches Tho fire,
law for the proper management of the postal ser
vice In 1923 the postal laws were revised and fog
t the mails This law. however. was repealed BY
term Of years made the penalty. In 1901 It occupied
forty DAYS TO get letter from Portland. Me. to
from for eDy to on
sm had been rsduced to ana thrty
days Now: it Is less than four days. The office
ated in Madison's administration and the scale Of
hsrsd eh to-
to m @ brne ee @ ysaye
circumstances from various religious bodies, and
the strife was kept Up in Congress and occupied
In 1918 the mails first conveyed in steamboats,
pagns one not three for each an
one cent FOR newspapers. The postal laws of 1915
s The , ettars
Of Of Ss g6t s9nS ten r ho
one hundred and nifty miles: twelve and 9 half
and three quarter cents and for greater distances
'E On March $ isss William T Barry Of Kentucky
6shn tbe rt to receive that
honor. Early in 1896 pony expresses. as they were
turnpike roads OF the Southern and Western