Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 5.djvu/125



. And be it further enacted, That in case of the death, resignation, or absence of the Postmaster General, all his powers and duties shall devolve, for the time being, on the First Assistant Postmaster General.

. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General shall be authorized, whenever the same may be proper for the accommodation of the public in any city, to employ letter carriers for the delivery of letters received at the post office in said city; except such as the persons to whom they are addressed may have requested, in writing, addressed to the postmaster, to be retained in the post office; and for the receipt of letters at such places in the said city as the Postmaster General may direct, and for the deposite of the same in the post office; and for the delivery by a carrier of each letter received from the post office, the person to whom the same may be delivered shall pay not exceeding two cents; and for the delivery of each newspaper and pamphlet, one half cent; and for every letter received by a carrier to be deposited in the post office, there shall be paid to him, at the time of the receipt, not exceeding two cents; all of which receipts, by the carriers in any city, shall, if the Postmaster General so direct, be accounted for to the postmaster of said city, to constitute a fund for the compensation of the said carriers, and be paid to them in such proportions and manner as the Postmaster General may direct. Each of the said carriers shall give bond with sureties, to be approved by the Postmaster General, for the safe custody and delivery of letters, and for the due account and payment of all moneys received by him.

. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General shall be authorized, in his discretion, to contract for carrying the mail on the navigable canals of the several States, in all cases where, in his opinion, the public interests and convenience shall require it, and for the time during which mails may be carried on such canals, or any parts thereof, the same are hereby declared to be post roads.

. And be it further enacted, That the following annual salaries shall be allowed to the Assistant Postmaster General, and to the clerks, messengers, and watchmen provided for the service of the Post Office Department, viz:

To the three Assistant Postmasters General, each twenty-five hundred dollars.

To the chief clerk, two thousand dollars.

To the three principal clerks, each one thousand six hundred dollars.

To ten clerks, each one thousand four hundred dollars.

To fifteen clerks, each one thousand two hundred dollars.

To eight clerks, each one thousand dollars.

To the messenger, seven hundred and fifty dollars.

To the three assistant messengers, each three hundred and fifty dollars.

To the two watchmen, each three hundred dollars.

. And be it further enacted, That the following annual salaries shall be allowed to the Auditor of the Post Office Department, and to the clerks and messengers herein provided for the service of his office, viz:

To the auditor, three thousand dollars.

To the chief clerk, two thousand dollars.

To the four principal clerks, each one thousand six hundred dollars.

To ten clerks, each one thousand four hundred dollars.

To twenty clerks, each one thousand two hundred dollars.

To eight clerks, each one thousand dollars.

To the messenger, seven hundred and fifty dollars, and to the assistant messenger, three hundred and fifty dollars.