Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1920-08-18
BIG GROWTH Of
SPECIAL MAIL
Increased From e96, - Pieces
the First Year to 5a544,337
HISTORY or INAUGURATION
oponesr ~ ofll Providing see Special
Delivery 81 Mall Tells 81 Hard
Time He Had Ge0ino
Il Throvnh

cal delivery g,Anp Was passed upon
By congress after . bitter AEht almost
thirsy-nve years ago after \ siu prov!d-
ing for its pke was introduced BY DR..
Charles r. Skinner, now legislative
Librarian and formerly Esste superin-
tendent Of instruction. was recently re-
lated by the former congres<unn- The
number Of these stamps has Increased
from s9a.344 during the frxs Asezi rear
Of nine months to 5S-544-3s7 In 1914
Between 1855, the year Of the adcp-
ton Of the stamp bill and last year.
Doctor SKINNER says. 45o.o.2. .o12 pieces
Of mail bearing the ten-cent stamp
were delivered
"ln his report Of 1888 as frst assist
ant postms$ $ser general Frank Hat.on
alluded to the success Of many com
panic. organized TO deliver letters BY
messenger, and suggested that the gov
esnment might with propnety adopt
plans for thu speedy delivery of let
tern. using the mails and clerical force
IN accomplish the results souKht."
writes Doctor Skinner In recent issue
OF State Service. Z magazine devoted
to the goyernmen. os New. York state
ton quickly came 10 my notice IS .
representative In congress. and WAS
the subject Of nany conferences be-
tween myself ard my friend, Edward
N. Gates. then postmaster. ~ sny hcsue
in WATERFOWL. TIE plan seemed to s<
feasible and was favershiy considered.
As q result of frequent conferences
bill providing for special delivery
stamp. enahodyine The features rrac-
,.caliy as they stand today, was pre-
pared BY me for !nt13ucsion at the frSs
session Of the Forty eighth congress In
December. lSSS.
uss at Firs Restricted.
The bin authorized the postmaster
general 10 provide special stamp Of
the value Of ten cents which when
placed upon a letter In addition to the
regular postage, should en,itle such
letter 70 immediate delivery st any
ffHt ae5Nt'y ~ ao tN"~ ~
1000 or more inhabitants, up to the
hour Of midnight each day. II pro
vtded that eight cents of the 'en-crns
fee Nigh. he used ny the government
10 cover the cos, of delivery by mes
scnser. leaving ihe government gross
prusis Of two cents on each stamp sesa.
II was urged that In cases OF sickness
emergency or quick service to newsisa-
pcrs the immediate delivery os let
ter would be Z convenience which .he
public would appreciate.
.'The service was nrss restricted 70
the delivery OF letters at any src~ de-
livery Office. or In any town at <nn
or more inhabitants, Rn; on August I.
lSS6 II was extended 10 provide for
the delivery of mat, matters specially
stamped a; any frs~ delivery once. or
within one mile Of every other ce!ice-"
From the introduction cf the h!ii.
when II was referred to the conamitie~
on post cflic~s and pest roads by
Sneaker yohn C. Carlisle until It's final
enactment. ,iesens Of pages IN the Cssn-
rrexsional Record were used to report
the arguments On the bill hesween
members Of the house, writes Doctor
Skinner. This committee. which had
ar,ous its members the late Senator
Money ef Mississippi. Harry Raxaan
cs Philadelphia and John Ccsxrose os
Missouri. reported favorshiy on the
measure January l6 1854. and . start
I'd its "ruus.. es,cer" before the eca-
erexsmen oue week later. the writer
continues
Fresh oppssieien 70 Il
n was made special order for Feb
ruary lS lSSS, Motor Skinner .>sa;in-
ura aud all wea, vel, until the para
graph relating to the special stamp
VAS reached when the orfcsi,soa
broke cu, afresh Mr.. McMsl.in whe.
accorsi!as 20 the prvscns librarian
seemed 10 have q particular psvtadie~
against the trn-ccnf stamp feature.
said the pr,s.ssitien changed ~xisssng
laxs and that I, wss also icgsssasssn
urSa an arercpx.asscc bill. whies MAS
arainss the rules ef tho house. snl~~s
h epsld he shown that the rrcsses,i~a
rs<iu~~d cxy.~edsiue~<L u ~ss easily
vnsss<i BY the hsas-. esrvytas ~4tA Il
eAe sg.ertai sssnp essas~.
nss sesssts'es ss the stamp was
sssa usrv vassrrss n the ss,aasv sAsn
h the Assss ~ ssps~s~ssssssss ~
myA onl Uosy oDgaAmsNas Usev