The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-07-01
OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO RURAL
CARRIERS.
What the New Law Permits When Salary
Is Increased.

What the New Law Permits When Salary
Is Increased
Order No. 500. An act of Congress
making appropriations for the service of
the Post Office Department, for the fis-
cal year beginning July l, 1904, in con-
nection with the appropriation for the
pay of rural carriers, provides that:
"On and after said date July l, 1904
said carriers shall not solicit business or
receive orders of any kind for any per-
son, firm or corporation, and shall not.
during their hours of employment, carry
any merchandise for hire; Provided, that
said carriers may carry merchandise for
hire for and upon the request of patrons
residing upon their respective routes,
whenever the same shall not interfere
with the proper discharge of their Off
cial duties, and under such regulations
as the Postmaster General may pre-
scribe"
In pursuance of the above provisions
of law, it is ordered:
That rural carriers are not permitted
to solicit business or receive orders of
any kind for any person, firm or corpora
ton.
No mailable matter may be handled
by rural carriers while serving their
routes, unless the proper postage has
been prepaid, with the single exception
of county newspapers, which, under the
law, are permitted to be carried free
throughout the county in which they
are published, to actual subscribers, and
such newspapers addressed to subscrib
ers, residents on rural routes, must be
deposited at the post-office the same as
papers for other subscribers.
The hire for merchandise carried on
request of the patron of rural free deliv
cry must be paid by the patron. Car
riers will not be permitted to receive any
compensation from seller of such mer-
chandise.
Articles or packages which are mail
able, which are handed to the carrier or
deposited in the post-office or in q rural
letter box or in collection box located
on rural route, with the request that
the rural carrier deliver same, are sub
ject to the rules regulating mail matter,
including the payment of postage thereon.
Articles or packages, that are not
mailable, which the patron desires the
rural carrier to carry must be delivered
to the carrier in person, and in carrying
merchandise for hire rural carriers are
not permitted to leave their routes as
officially laid out or to accept anything
that will in any way delay the delivery
of mall or in any way interfere with the
efficiency of the service.
Carriers, while on duty, are not per-
mitted TO carry spirituous liquors either
for themselves, for sale Or for the accom-
mediation of their patrons.
| postoffi inspectors, or other duly ac-
| credited agents OF the Post Office De-
partment, to accom- pany them on their
regular trips over their routes. They
| must not carry other passengers nor
permit any person, other than author
lied postal officials, to ride with them or
have access to the mails.
| Rural carriers must not engage in any
business during their prescribed hours
of service, or conduct any business after
hours which offers the temptation to So
licit patronage on their routes Or which
by reason of their position in the Gov
eminent service, gives them special ad-
vantage over competitors, such as book
canvassing, soliciting insurance, selling
sewing machines, or other kindred occu,
pations.
Carriers must not, either in person or
through others, directly or indirectly, by
any method whatever, solicit money
gifts or presents; nor issue for profit
souvenirs or postal handbooks; nor CO
operate with or assist the publishers OIL
same to secure the patronage of the pub
lie; nor compile directories for public
use or assist publishers to compile them
nor furnish the names and addresses Of
patrons of their routes, for pay or favor
to any business establishment or to any
individual, except to those departmental
officials who, under the regulations, ART
entitled to the same.
(Signed) II. G. PAYNE,
Postmaster General.
~H>
Excursion tickets will be sold July