Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-29
BY ISAAC GREGG.

RT@HIS week will mark the anniver-
sarY of two of the most striking
events in the history of the
american Republic, celebrations
IN which every man. woman and
child in the United States will par
ticipate.
on Friday there will be the usual
gathering of patriotic organizations and
citizens with speeches. followed in the
evening by pyrotechnic displays through
the land in commemoration Of the sign
ing of the Declaration of Independence
But July / will be the sixty-seventh
anniversary of the establishment of the
free delivery of mail by the Govern
ment of the United States. There will
be no speeches or fireworks to proclaim
this celebration, but, nevertheless, it is
zone which deeply interests and affects
every citizen.
Idea Originated With Clerk.
Early in the history of the Republic
the appointment of letter carriers was
authorized by Congress. They were
permitted to be employed at such post
of1ces as the Postmaster General might
designate, and for the delivery of each
letter the carrier received cents. This
law was re-enacted, with minor modi-
fications. in 1910, 1925. 1896 and 1851.
The act of 1886 required carriers to
give bond and allowed them a fee of
2 cents each for every letter collected
and l cent for each newspaper deliv-
cred
Joseph William Briggs, a window de-
livery clerk in the post office in Cleve-
land, is given credit for having con-
ceived the idea and put into effect the
free delivery service now enjoyed in one
way or another by every citizen of the
United States. Briggs worked out a
plan Of mail delivery and collection,
and with the cooperation of the post
master in Cleveland he acted as the
first letter carrier in that city.
In recognition of his special interest
In the service and his success in the
undertaking, the Postmaster General
appointed him special agent for the
installation of city free delivery service
throughout the country, a work which
took him six years to complete. Briggs
also designed the first carrier uniform
He died in Cleveland in 1872, and the
Ohio Society of New York erected a
tablet to his memory in the Cleveland
post office in 1921.
Submitted to Congress in 1862.
! The plan which had been worked out
by Briggs was submitted to Congress in
recommendation of Postmaster Gen.
eral Montgomery Blair IN his report for
q.
IT recommend that the charge upon
local or drop letters be made uniform
at the prepaid rate Of 2 CENTS. and
that all prepaid mail and local letters
shall be delivered and collected without
charge by the carriers, they being paid
by salaries. This will prepay and trans
fer the carriers charge from mail to
local letters in effect, greatly accelerate
deliveries and promote the public con-
Venience"
The free delivery of mail began July
J., 1858. The act of Congress under
which it was put into effect fixed the
annual salary of a letter carrier at $500
IS the minimum with a maximum of
$4,000 q year. It permitted the estab-
1lshment OF the service at Offices where
the income from postage on local let
ters should yield sum more than
1umclent to pay all the expenses Of the
carrier system.
Tried Out in Nine Cities.
With the Inauguration of the service
nine cities were selected for the try
out-Boston, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Gin
cinnati, Cleveland. New York; Phila-
Later it was extended to embrace 66
cities, with the employment of 6s5 car
f1ers, and this service cost the Govern
ment total of $317,061.22.
From start of 685 carriers in Sc
cities, figures of the Post Once De-
partment show that on June l. 1880.
there were employed 53,793 letter car
Tlers IN $3.50 free delivery cities, and
tney were being paid in salaries, to-
gether with the substitutes employed,
the total of $126,425, 900.
Legislation enacted by Congress in
1873 restricted the free delivery serv-
ice to cities of not less than 10000
within the delivery of the post ONCE.
The next year the minimum popula-
Ton was placed at 10000. The act of
FEBRUARY 81, 1879, provided that letter
carriers should be employed in every
city containing a population of $4,000
and might be so employed in any place
OF not less than 10000 population within
the corporate limits of such cities or At
of1ces which produced a gross revenue
Tor the preceding fiscal year of not less
than $4,000.
Then the act of January 8, 1887, re-
CURED letter carriers to be EMPLOYED
In every Incorporated city, village or
borough containing a population of
10000 and permitted their employment
In places of 10000 or more population
or In towns having a gross post once
revenue Of not less than SIC. 900 during
the preceding fiscaY year. This law is
in effect today.
Must Pass Examination.
Letter carriers are appointed follow
ing an examination conducted bv the
Civil Service Commission. They must
not be under 1s years old nor more
than 45 when they stand for exanina-
Ton. Appointments are made by the
postmaster General after recommended
cities anected. Those who have passed
the required examination are first an
pointed substitute carriers. They serve
Wnen regular carriers are absent from
duty through any cause or when the
volume OF mail is such as to necessitate