Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/365

 HISTORY OE GOODHUE COUNTY 301 "A printed business card or the name of the sender placed upon the outside of a circular subjects it to letter postage. "Letters can be registered on the payment of the registry fee of live cents for each letter, but if lost, congress has made no provision for restitution, if the letter contains valuables. "The address of letters intended for delivery in cities espe- cially, should include, if possible, the occupation, street and num- ber of the party addressed. "A singular notion seems long to have prevailed that it is no violation of laAV to send an unsealed letter outside of the mail. This makes no difference whatever. Even if the paper written upon is not folded, it is a letter. "If the writer of a letter wishes his letter to reach its destina- tion without being subject to the rules of distribution requiring it to be remailed at a distributing office, he has only to write 'Mail Direct,' and the wrapper will not be removed until it reaches the office for which the letter is designed. "For forging or counterfeiting U. S. or, foreign postage stamps not less than two or more than ten years imprisonment. "Using a postage stamp after it has once been used, fifty dol- lars fine." Mr. Hoffman, who was an appointee of President Buchanan, retired in 1861, and was succeeded by Mr. Sorin, who was ap- pointed by President Lincoln. Early in his administration, con- sequent upon the breaking out of the Civil "War, a new series of postage stamps was necessary, and we find in this connection the following notice published : • To the Public : We are now furnished with the new stamps of the denomina- tions of 10, 20 and 30 cents and are directed to exchange for "an equivalent amount of the old issue ' ' for six days only. M. Sorin, Red Wing, Nov. 4, 1861. Postmaster. About this time newspaper wrappers were first brought into use. They must have attracted general attention, for a notice published in the "Republican" at the time states: "Mr. Lowater, at the post-office, has shown us a new style of wrapper. It is intended for wrapping newspapers, has the stamp affixed, and is self-sealing. It is a great convenience and the price is hut little more than the stamp itself. Try them." The rapid development of the state at this time led to the continual changing of mail supplies and in 1862 we find a mate- rial change in the published announcement of the Red Wing post- office. Under date of May 16, that year, the following appears: Post-Office— Office hours on week days from 7 a. in. to 8 p. m. On Sundays from 9 to 10. a. m., and from 12:00 m. to 1:00 p. m. Up mail closes at 10:30 a. m. Down mail closes a1 12:00 m.