Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/772

 752 POST salaries are $3,500 a year each. There is a su- perintendent of foreign mails, and one of the money order system, each of whom receives an annual salary of $3,000. Including the offi- cers above named, the total force of the depart- ment in Washington comprises 364 persons. The other officers and agents employed in the postal service consist of 34,294 postmasters, 6,232 contractors, 4,228 clerks in post offices, 2,049 letter carriers, 936 route agents, 850 rail- road post office clerks, 211 mail route messen- gers, 124 local agents, and 76 special agents, making a total of 49,374 persons. Postmasters whose salaries exceed $1,000 are appointed for four years, and may be removed by the presi- dent with the consent of the senate. The num- ber of this class in 1874 was 1,408 ; their sala- ries are limited to $4,000, except in the city of New York, where the postmaster receives $6,000. Postmasters whose salaries do not exceed $1,000, numbering 32,886 in 1874, re- ceive their appointments from the postmaster general. The transportation of the mails is let under contract by the postmaster general. Post roads must be established by congress. The extent of public mail routes has been rapidly increasing. In 1874 the total number was 9,761 (of which 824 were railroad), aggre- gating in length 269,097 m. ; in .annual trans- portation, 128,627,476 m. ; in annual cost, in- cluding that for clerks, agents, messengers, &c., $18,707,486. The total mileage comprised 67,- 734 m. on railroads ; annual railroad transpor- tation, 72,460,545 m., at a cost of about 12'58 cts. a mile; 18,369 m. by steamboats; annual transportation by steamboat, 4,078,725 m., at a cost of about 20'57 cts. a mile. The other routes upon which the mails are required to be conveyed with "celerity, certainty, and secu- rity " comprise 182,994 m., on which the an- nual transportation is 52,088,206 m., at a cost of about 11-47 cts. a mile. The present rates of postage (1875) are regulated by the laws of June 8, 1872, June 23, 1874, and March 3, 1875. Domestic mail matter is divided into three classes, on all of which prepayment of postage is required. The first class embraces all correspondence wholly or partly in writing (except book manuscript and corrected proof sheets passing between authors and publishers), local or drop letters, and postal cards. The rate of postage on matter of this description, including letters, except local sealed packages, and manuscript for publication in newspapers, magazines, or periodicals, is 3 cts. for each oz. or fraction thereof ; on local or drop let- ers, at offices where free delivery by carriers is established, 2 cts. for every ^ oz. or fraction thereof, and 1 ct. for every oz. at offices not having a free delivery. The second class re- lates to newspapers and periodicals, on which the schedule of charges is somewhat compli- cated. Publications of this kind may be ar- ranged in four general divisions : 1. All news- papers and periodicals, mailed from the office of publication or a news agency to regular subscribers or news agents, are charged at the rate of 2 cts. a pound or fraction thereof for those issued weekly or oftener, and 3 cts. a pound or fraction thereof for those issued less frequently than once a week. 2. Newspapers (excepting weeklies), periodicals, and unsealed circulars, which are deposited in a letter car- rier office for local delivery by the office, whether through the box or general delivery or by carrier. The rate of postage on all such newspapers (excepting weeklies), periodicals not exceeding 2 oz., and circulars, is 1 ct. each. If the periodical exceed 2 oz. ? the postage is 2 cts. These rates are applicable whether the publication is sent directly to a subscriber, or is mailed as transient matter. Weekly news- papers coming under this classification are ex- cepted from these rates. Those sent to regu- lar subscribers are charged 2 cts. a pound; others, 1 ct. for each 2 oz. or fraction there- of. 3. Newspapers which are allowed to be transmitted free of postage to subscribers .re- siding in the county where such papers are published. This exemption applies only when the newspaper is received at an office not hav- ing carriers. If the office have carriers, reg- ular ' postage will be charged. 4. Transient newspapers and magazines (not for local trans- mission), on which the postage is 1 ct. for every ounce or fraction thereof. By the law of 1872 the postage on newspapers and period- icals, not exceeding 4 oz., sent to regular sub- scribers, was fixed at the following quarter- ly rates : on those issued less frequently than once a week, 1 ct. for each issue; weekly, 5 cts. ; and 5 cts. additional for each issue more frequent than once a week. The postage was required to be paid in advance either at the mailing or delivery office. These rates were repealed by the act of June, 1874, which went into force Jan. 1, 1875. The third general class of mailable matter embraces, besides transient newspapers and magazines, all pam- phlets, occasional publications, unsealed circu- lars, books, book manuscript, proof sheets, maps, prints, engravings, articles of merchan- dise, seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions, and generally all articles not enumerated in other classes which are lawful matter of transmis- sion by mail. The rate of postage in these cases, which was fixed at 1 ct. for every 2 oz. or fraction thereof by the law of 1872, and continued by that of 1 874, was made 1 ct. for every ounce or fraction by the act of March 3, 1875. All articles not liable to destroy or injure the contents of a mail bag, or the per- son of any one in the postal service, may transmitted by mail, if the package does not weigh more than 4 Ibs. ; but this limitation was abolished by the law of June, 1874, in the case of newspapers and periodicals mailed from the office of publication or a news agency to subscribers or news agents. There is no re- striction as to weight in the case of documents printed by order of congress or emanating from any of the executive departments. It