The Post Office 1914 Style

Hello, here is another article from my 1914 almanac. I hope you enjoy reading about the way it was many years ago.

POST OFFICE REGULATIONS

Domestic

First-Class Matter-Letters and Post Cards
Letters. and anything sealed or otherwise closed against in­spection—except original packages of proprietary articles in simplest mercantile form, and seeds and like articles in transparent envelopes which come under fourth-class matter—two cents an ounce or fraction thereof, the mat­ter not to exceed four pounds.
Drop or Local Letters deposited in other than a letter-carrier office or rural delivery, one cent an ounce or fraction thereof.
Registered Letters, ten cents in addition to the regular post­age, which must be fully prepaid.
Special (or Immediate) Delivery Letters, in addition to regu­lar postage, a special stamp or ten cents in ordinary stamps and marked "Special delivery."
Postal Cards, one cent.
Postal Cards, with prepaid reply, two cents.
Post Cards, conforming to prescribed conditions, one cent.

Second-Class Matter—Newspapers and Periodicals
(No limit to weight, except Canada, 4 lbs. 6 oz.)
All Newspapers and other Periodicals, one copy to each actual subscriber residing within the county where they are printed, wholly or in part, and published, except those deliverable at letter-carrier offices or on the rural delivery routes thereof, free.
Newspapers and Periodicals to regular subscribers, and sample copies, one cent a pound or fraction thereof.
Newspapers (except weeklies) and Periodicals not exceeding two ounces in weight, when deposited in a letter-carrier office for local delivery by city carrier, each payable by stamps affixed, one cent.
Periodicals over two ounces in weight, deposited as above, prepaid by postage stamps affixed, each two cents.
Weeklies, deliverable by carriers, at letter-carrier offices or rural delivery, one ,cent a pound or fraction thereof.
The rates stated above apply only to second-class publications mailed by the publishers thereof or by registered news­agents.
Second-class Matter, when posted by persons other than the publisher or news-agent, one cent for each four ounces or fraction prepaid by stamps.

Third-Class Matter—Miscellaneous Printed Matter, etc.
Pamphlets, circulars, occasional publications, photographs, proof-sheets or corrected proofs, and manuscript copy accompanying the same, and all matter on paper or card­board wholly in print, in which the printing forms the principal use, and not exceeding four pounds in weight, one cent for each two ounces or fraction.
Books (printed), not over four pounds in weight (single vol­umes may be over), one cent for each two ounces or fraction.

Post Office Money Orders
fees for money orders drawn on domestic form Payable in the United States (which includes Hawaii and Porto Rico) and its possessions, comprising the Canal Zone (Isthmus of Panama), Guam, the Philippines and Tutuila, Samoa; also for Orders payable in Bermuda, British Guiana, British Honduras, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Newfoundland, the United States Postal Agency at Shanghai (China), the Bahama Islands, and certain other islands in the West Indies mentioned in Register or Money 'Order Post Offices.
For Orders
From $ 0.01 to $ 2.50 .......... 3 cents
From $ 2.51 to $ 5.00 .......... 5 cents
From $ 5.01 to $ 10.00 .......... 8 cents
From $10.01 to $ 20.00 .......... 10 cents
From $20.01 to $ 30.00 .......... 12 cents
From $30.01 to $ 40.00 .......... 15 cents
From $40.01 to $ 50.00 .......... 18 cents
From $50.01 to $ 60.00 .......... 20 cents
From $60.01 to $ 75.00 .......... 25 cents
From $75.01 to $100.00 .......... 30 cents

Post Office Regulations—Foreign
Rates to all foreign countries except Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Panama and Shanghai, and to which all matter may be registered except as stated under "Parcel Post," are as follows:
Prepayment optional, except for registered articles, but on printed matter, commercial papers and samples postage must be at least partially prepaid.
Letters, S cents for the first ounce or fraction of an ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce or fraction thereof, except for Great Britain, Newfoundland, and Ireland, or for Germany by steamers sailing for Germany direct— 2 cents each ounce. No limit of weight.
Postal Cards, 2 cents. Postal Cards with paid reply, 4 cents. Post cards (Private Mailing Cards), with written com­munication thereon, conforming to prescribed conditions, S cents.
Printed Matter, 1 cent for each two ounces or fraction. Limit of weight, 4 lbs. 6 oz.
Commercial Papers (Insurance Documents, Way Bill'!, In­voices, Papers of Legal Procedure, Manuscripts of Works, etc.), the same as for printed matter, but, the lowest charge is 5 cents. Limit of weight, 4 lbs. 6 oz.
Samples of Merchandise, the same as for printed matter, but the lowest charge is it cents. Limit of weight, 12 ounces.

Domestic Parcel Post
Fourth-class mail matter embraces all other matter, includ­ing farm and factory products, not now embraced by law in either the first, second, or third class, which is not greater in size than seventy-two inches in length and girth combined, nor in form or kind likely to injure the person of any postal employee or damage the mail equipment or other mail matter, and not of a character perishable within a period reasonably required for transportation and delivery. The law provides that the United States and its several territories and posses­sions, excepting the Philippine Islands, shall be divided into a series of zones. Each post office may be taken as the center of its special series of zones. Zone One includes all territory within a radius of fifty miles from the post office at which the parcel is mailed. Zone Two includes all that area outside Zone One, but within a radius of 150 miles from the central point. The limit of Zone Three is 300 miles away from the central point; Zone Four, 600 miles; Zone Five, 1,000 miles; Zone Six, 1,400 miles; Zone Seven, 1,800 miles; Zone Eight, all dis­tances beyond Zone Seven.
The limit of weight for parcels of fourth-class matter for delivery within the first and second zones is twenty pounds. The limit of weight for parcels intended for delivery in other than the first and second zones is eleven pounds.


Postage Stamps
Ordinary or parcel post stamps are valid for postage and for insurance and collect-on-delivery fees on fourth-class mail.

Regulations Governing Parcel Post Matter
Parcels weighing over four ounces must be mailed at the General Post Office or at a lettered or local named station or branch post office, or such numbered stations as have been designated to receive parcel post matter.
Uninsured parcels weighing four ounces or less may be mailed at the most convenient point. They may be mailed in street package boxes and at all numbered stations as well as the General Post Office and carrier stations.
Parcels must bear the name and address of the sender, pre­ceded by the word "From."
Parcels must be prepared for mailing in such manner that the contents can be easily examined. Parcels which are sealed or otherwise closed against inspection, or which contain or bear writing which is not permissible, are subject to postage at the first-class (letter) rate and will be treated as first-class matter. If such a parcel exceeds four pounds in weight it is unmailable.
Boxes to which the lids are nailed or screwed may be ac­cepted for mailing at the fourth-class rates of postage if, with reasonable effort, the lids can be removed for the purpose of permitting examination of the contents.

Rates of Portage
Parcels weighing four ounces ~or less are mailable at the/rate of one cent for each ounce or fraction of an ounce, regardless of distance. Parcels weighing more than four ounces are mailable at the pound rates shown in the following tables, a fraction of a pound being considered a full pound.
The pound rates of postage in the first and second zones are as follows:

First and second
Zone rate up to
Weight Local rate 150 miles
1 pound ............................$0.05 $0.05
2 pounds ........................... .06 .06
3 pounds ........................... .06 .07
4 pounds ........................... .07 .08
E pounds ........................... .07 .09
6 pounds ........................... .08 .10
7 pounds ........................... .08 .11
8 pounds ........................... .09 .12
9 pounds ........................... .09 .13
10 pounds ........................... .10 .14
11 pounds ........................... .10 .15
12 pounds ........................... .11 .16
13 pounds ........................... .11 .17
14 pounds ........................... .12 .18
15 pounds ............................ .12 .19
16 pounds ........................... .13 .20
17 pounds ........................... .13 .21
18 pounds ........................... .14 .22
19 pounds ........................... .14 .23
20 pounds ........................... .15 .24

note — The rate for local delivery applies to all matter mailed at' a city carrier office, or at any point within its de­livery limits, for delivery by carriers from that office. The rate for local delivery applies also to all parcels mailed at a post office from which a rural route starts, for delivery on such route, or mailed at any point on such route for delivery at any other point thereon, or at the office from which the route starts, or on any rural route starting there from, and on all matter mailed at any office for local delivery.

The pound rates of postage for the third, fourth, fifth. sixth, seventh and eighth zones are as
follow
3d 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Zone Zone Zone Zone Zone Zone

1 pound . . .... $0.07 $0.08 $0.09 $0.10 $0.11 $0.12
2 pounds . . .. 12 .14 .16 .19 .21 .24
3 pounds . . .. .17 .20 .23 .28 .31 .36
4 pounds . . . . .22 .26 .30 .37 .41 .48
5 pounds . . . .27 .32 .37 .46 .51 .60
6 pounds . . . .32 .38 .44 .55 .61 .72
7 pounds . . . .37 .44 .51 .64 .71 .84
8 pounds . . . .42 .50 .58 .73 .81 .96
9 pounds . . . .47 .56 .65 .82 .91 1.08
10 pounds . . . .52 .62 .72 .91 1.01 1.20
11 pounds . . . .57 .68 .79 1.00 1.11 1.32

Rates to Alaska, Etc.
The rate on parcels for Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippine Islands, Guam, the United States Postal Agency at Shanghai (China), Tutuila (Samoa), and the Canal Zone (except for parcels weighing four ounces or less, on which the rate is one cent for each ounce or fraction thereof) is twelve cents for the first pound and twelve cents for each additional pound or fraction thereof.
note — Parcels for the Canal Zone must be accompanied with a customs declaration.


Special Rate lot Seeds, Cuttings, Bulbs, Etc..
Seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions and plants are matter of fourth class, but are chargeable with the special rate of postage of one cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof, regardless of distance.
Samples of wheat or other grain in its natural condition, potatoes, beans, peas, chestnuts, acorns, etc., when intended for planting must be prepaid at the special rate of postage prescribed in the preceding paragraph, but when sent for purposes other than planting the parcel post rates apply.

Limit of Weight and Size
If a parcel exceeds the limit of weight stated on preceding page, or is greater in size than seventy-two inches in length and girth combined, it must be refused, no matter how small the excess may be in either case.
The law prescribes that a package to be admitted to the parcel post shall not exceed seventy-two inches in combined length and girth. In measuring the length the greatest dis­tance in a straight line between the two ends of the parcel shall be taken, while the girth is the actual measurement by a tape encircling the parcel at its thickest part.
A parcel not more than 3 feet 6 inches in length may measure as much as 2 feet 6 inches in girth, or around its thickest part. A shorter parcel may be thicker; thus, if it measures no more than 3 feet in length it may measure as much as 3 feet in girth, or around its thickest part. Meas­urements can be made by means of a six-foot tape line. So much of the tape as is not used in measuring the length is the measure of the maximum girth permissible.
In addition to the name and address of the sender, which is required, it is permissible to write or print on the covering of a parcel, or on a tag or label attached to it, the occupation of the sender, and to indicate in a small space by means of marks, letters, numbers, names or other brief description, the character of the parcel, but ample space must be left on the address side for the full address in legible characters and for the necessary postage stamps. Inscriptions such as "Merry Christmas," "Please do not open until Christmas," "Happy New Year," "With best wishes," and the like, may be placed on the covering of the parcel in such manner as not to inter­fere with the address.
When it, is desired to send merchandise as first-class matter, the packages should be sealed or otherwise closed against in­spection, in order to avoid any confusion in the mails as to their proper classification.
In view, of the provision for the insurance of fourth-class mail and the furnishing of receipts for such mail when in­sured, the necessity for registration is removed and therefore fourth-class matter for domestic destinations is not admitted to the registered mail.
A mailable parcel will be accorded the usual special delivery service when a special delivery stamp or ten cents in ordinarystamps are affixed thereto in addition to the parcel-post pos­tage. When ordinary stamps are used the words "SpecialDelivery" must be placed on the wrapper.


Canada, Cuba, Mexico and the Republic of Panama
Packages of fourth class matter for Canada, Cuba, Mexico and Panama, not exceeding four ounces in weight, are subject to the rate of one cent for each ounce or fraction of an ounce. Those weighing over four ounces are subject to the rate of twelve cents a pound or fraction thereof. Packages for Can­ada and Cuba must not exceed four (4) pounds six (6) ounces in weight. To Mexico and Panama parcels weighing up to eleven (11) pounds may be sent under the terms of the (foreign) parcel post conventions between those countries and the United States. Customs declarations must be sent with all parcels for Mexico and Panama.
Parcels for these or other foreign countries can not be insured, but may be registered.

Packing of Liquids, Fragile and Perishable Articles
For information regarding unmailable matter and regula­tions as to packing of liquids, fragile and perishable articles, also those which, unless properly protected, are liable to in­jure another or damage the mails, and for information rela­tive to insurance on parcels and collect on delivery service apply to any local postmaster for Postal Department circulars.

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it informative. This article is 94 years old, makes me feel alot younger.

Sleep safe, sleep sound my friend.

For all is well down on the farm.

The Old Farmer