First recommended in 1892. Law passed by Congress August 2, 1912. Became operative January 1, 1913. It is in operation on 45,000 rural routes and a billion parcels are carried annually. Parcels may be sent C. O. D., may be insured, 3 cents for parcels valued up to $5 or less and a low graduated scale up to $100. Indemnity is paid for partial loss or damage. Rate is charged by weight in pounds and by zones. Books are now admitted and all classes of proper merchandise accepted. Weight is limited to 50 pounds for first and second zones (150 miles) and to 20 pounds beyond. Postmasters will give all necessary information.
Interesting Facts about the Postmasters General
Excluding the border States, the South, properly speaking, has had but two men in the office of Postmaster General since the days of Benjamin Franklin—Joseph Habersham, of Georgia, and Albert Sidney Burleson, of Texas. The more populous States of the east, with their political power and material advantages, have had the greatest number of such appointments, 23 of the 48 men who have held that office having come from that section. The border States have had 15 and the west only 8. It was not until 1866 that the west was at all recognized in the appointment of such cabinet officer, when Alexander W. Randall, of Wisconsin, was chosen by President Johnson. Subsequently that State furnished three more Postmasters General, viz., Howe, Vilas and Payne. In 1829 the Postmaster General became a member of the cabinet by the action of President Jackson, his first appointee to that position, Hon. William T. Barry, of Kentucky, receiving that honor.
In considering the States of the Union which have been most fortunate in appointments to this office, it is found that Pennsylvania and New York have each had 6 to their credit; Connecticut, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, 4 each; Massachusetts, Maryland, and Ohio, 3 each, and the remainder scattered among the 18 States from which all the Postmasters General have been selected.
The term of service was, it seems, much longer in the olden days than at present. From 1775 to 1850—75 years—there were only 17 men in that position, Gideon Granger, of Connecticut, having served 13 years and 8 months, and Return J. Meigs, of Ohio, 9 years and 3 months. From 1850 to 1913—63 years—there have been 31 men in that office. Whether the shifting currents of political life and expediency, or other causes, have operated to make changes in this office, it appears that many occurred in the administrations of some of our chief executives. Roosevelt, for instance, had four Postmasters General; Grant, Arthur, and Cleveland (in the latter’s two terms) also had 4 each; Washington and Buchanan, 3; Jackson, Fillmore, Lincoln, Hayes, and McKinley, 2 each. The remainder of the Presidents evidently retained the men they had originally appointed.
Withdrawal of Letters from the Mail
It may not be generally known that a letter once mailed can be withdrawn. Such is, however, the case. Letters may be withdrawn from the mails at the office of mailing by satisfactory identification, a written address in the same handwriting, if address was written, or such other evidence as will satisfy the postmaster of the applicant’s right to withdrawal. If letter has already been dispatched the postmaster may telegraph to the point of destination for withholding such letter from delivery, or to a railway postal clerk in whose custody the letter is known to be, carefully describing the same and requesting its return. A sum must be deposited with the postmaster sufficient to defray all expenses incurred.
Handling of the Mail
Official mail comes to the Department addressed to the several Bureaus. It is then opened, assorted to the various divisions and redistributed to the clerks according to the subjects named or special duties assigned to each. The divisions are supervised by the official in charge, under whose direction the work is done and by whom the responsibility is assumed. He advises with and suggests methods of operation, and in important matters involving special correspondence, assumes direct charge himself. Letters written by clerks are submitted to the chief for examination before being initialed for mailing, or for the signature of the Bureau heads where such signature is required. Letters are answered according to date of receipt all reasonable promptness being enjoined. Filing is done according to the nature and duties of the various bureaus and the character of correspondence and papers in use. Approved systems are followed and metal filing cases generally employed. In the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant where monthly reports are received in connection with the regular mail, during the month of January, 1917, the amount so received aggregated 72,000 pieces, and 46,000 pieces of mail were dispatched. Ordinary hand work could not dispose of such amounts with the force assigned, therefore mechanical devices for opening and sealing mail are employed for the purpose. Messengers gather the outgoing mail by regular rounds and it is dispatched as soon as brought to the mailing room. A work of considerable magnitude in this Bureau is now being conducted, viz., the purging of the accumulated rural and star route files and correspondence which had so grown in bulk as to make both search and handling difficult. It was a much needed reform and will be found of especial value in filing operations.