United States Postal Service

1876 - 1878

I. A. Amerman, Superintendent Railway Mail Service, Eighth Division San Francisco.
E. L. Alexander, Special Agent San Francisco, California.
James B. Underwood, Special Agent Eugene City, Oregon.
John H. Wickizer, Special Agent Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rates of Postage on Domestic Mail Matter.

On letters, sealed packages, mail matter wholly or partly in writing, except book manuscript and corrected proofs passing between authors and publishers, and except local or drop letters, or United States postal cards; also all matter to which no specific rate of postage is assigned, and manuscript for publication in newspapers, magazines, or periodicals, three cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof. On local or drop letters at offices where free delivery by carriers is established, two cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof.

On newspapers, magazines and periodicals, exclusively in print and regularly issued at stated periods from a known office of publication, without addition by writing, mark or sign, and addressed to regular subscribers, two cents for each pound or fraction thereof, on publications issued weekly and oftener; less frequently, three cents for each pound or fraction thereof.

On miscellaneous mailable matter, embracing pamphlets, occasional publications, transient newspapers, magazines, handbills, posters, unsealed circulars, prospectuses, books, book manuscript, proof-sheets, corrected proof-sheets, maps, prints, engravings, blanks, flexible patterns, articles of merchandise, sample cards, phonographic paper, letter envelopes, postal envelopes and wrappers, cards, plain and ornamental paper, photographic representations of different types, seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions, and all other matter which may be declared mailable by law, and all other articles not above the weight prescribed by law, which are not from their form or nature liable to destroy, deface or otherwise injure the contents of the mail bag, or the person of any one engaged in the postal service, one cent for each ounce or fraction thereof.

Registration of Domestic Letters

Letters may be registered on payment of a fee of eight cents in addition to the regular letter rate of postage, but the Government takes no responsibility for safe carriage, or compensation in case of loss. Postmasters are required to register all letters properly presented for that purpose, but no letters are to be registered on Sunday.

Postal Cards

The object of the postal card is to facilitate letter correspondence, and provide for the transmission, through the mails, at a reduced rate of postage, of short communications, either printed or written in pencil or ink. They may therefore be used for orders, invitations, notices, receipts, acknowledgments, price lists, and other requirements of business and social life ; and the matter desired to be conveyed may be either in writing or in print, or partially in both. The postage of one cent each is paid by the stamp impressed on these cards, and no further payment is required. No card is a "postal card" except such as are issued by the Post Office Department.

Postal Money Order System

The money order system is intended to promote public convenience, and to secure safety in the transfer, through the mail, of small sums of money. All principal Post Offices receive money and issue drafts for the same upon other Post Offices, subject to the following charges and regulations:

Domestic Rates, On orders net exceeding $15, 10 cents; over $15 and not exceeding $30, 15 cents; over $30 and not exceeding $40, 20 cents; over $40 and not exceeding $50, 25 cents.

British and Swiss Rates. On orders not exceeding $10, 25 cents; over $10 and not exceeding $20, 50 cents; over $20 and not exceeding $30, 75 cents; over §30 and not exceeding $40, $1; over $40 and not exceeding $50. $1.25.

German Rates. On orders not exceeding $5, 15 cents; over $5 and not exceeding $10, 25 cents; over $10 and not exceeding $20, 50 cents; over $20 and not exceeding $30,75 cents; over $30 and not exceeding $40, $1.00; over $40 and not exceeding $50, $1.25.

A money order may be issued for any amount, from one cent up to fifty dollars inclusive, but fractional parts of a cent must not be introduced into any money order or account. United States Treasury Notes, or National Bank Notes only received or paid. When a larger sum than fifty dollars is required, additional orders to make it up must be obtained.

An order is only payable at the office upon which it is drawn. The order should be collected within one year from its date. After once paying an order by whom so ever presented, provided the required information has been given by the party who presented it, the Department will not hold itself liable to any further claim, but in case of improper payment of an order, will endeavor to recover the amount for the owner.

* United States Money Order Offices
B. British
G. German
S. Swiss

Pacific Coast Business Directory | Montana Territory Index

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875.