to said act and regulations of the Post Office Department during the quarter; and such allowance shall be in full of all the expenses of such delivery: * * 2. The compensation of postmasters for the delivery of Compensation when ordinary special-delivery mail with ordinary stamps affixed shall stamps are used. be the same as that provided for the delivery of mail matter with regular special-delivery stamps attached. Special delivery at other than citydelivery offices. payment of persons employed. 1009; 32 Stat., 3. To provide for the payment of such persons as may be employed for this service, the postmaster at any office designated by section three of this act (23 Stat., 388) shall keep a record of the number of letters received at such office bearing such special-(delivery) stamp, which, 1903, Mar. 3, ch. number shall correspond with the number entered in the receipt books 1175. heretofore specified, and at the end of each month he may pay to such person or persons employed a sum not exceeding eighty per centum of the face value of all such stamps received and recorded during that month: Provided, That nothing in this act shall interfere with the prompt delivery of letters as now provided by law or regulations of the Post Office Department. Sec. 849. (The Postmaster General) may contract for the immediate delivery of all articles (bearing special-delivery stamps) from any post office at any price less than eight cents per piece, when he shall deem it expedient. Contract for special delivery. 1886, Aug. 4, ch. 901, § 1; 24 Stat., 220. -may be made. service. Sec. 850. The expenses of the special-delivery serv- Expenses of ice shall be paid out of receipts of said service and charged against the appropriations for said service. special delivery -to be paid out of receipts. Rate on spe matter. Sec. 851. The charge for special delivery of mail matter clal-delivery shall be 10 cents for each piece, to be prepaid by a special-delivery stamp, or by 10 cents in ordinary stamps, use of ordinary affixed thereto in addition to the lawful postage. 2. If ordinary stamps are used, the words "Special delivery" should be plainly written directly under, but never on, the stamps. stamps. Postage on special delivery matter. Sec. 852. * * * The omission by the sender to place the lawful postage upon a letter bearing such special-delivery stamp and -omission to pay otherwise entitled to immediate delivery under the provisions of on letters, not to this section (sec. 845) shall not hinder or delay the transmission and delay transmisdelivery thereof as provided herein, but such lawful postage shall be 1889, Jan. 16, ch. collected upon its delivery, in the manner now provided by law for 50; 25 Stat., 650. the collection of deficient postage resulting from the overweight of letters. (See sec. 590.) sion. paid except on 2. The foregoing provision permitting the dispatch of must be premail matter bearing a special-delivery stamp without letters. prepayment of postage applies to letters only. other than letters, 3. Mail matter of the first class other than letters, of first class when prepaid one full rate (2 cents) by stamps affixed part paid or in addition to the special-delivery stamp, shall be dis wholly unpaid. of other classes unpaid. Postage due, how rated. delivery. patched with the deficient postage rated thereon; but such matter with postage wholly unpaid, although bearing a special-delivery stamp, shall be held for postage. 4. Wholly unpaid and insufficiently prepaid matter of the second, third, or fourth class, although bearing a special-delivery stamp, shall be held for postage. 5. Due postage at the single rate only shall be required of the addressee on special-delivery letters transmitted without any prepayment of postage; but all other special-delivery matter which through inadvertence reaches its destination with no prepayment of postage shall be charged with postage due at double rates. (See secs. 397, 589, and 590.) -collection of, on 6. On partially prepaid special-delivery matter the deficient postage shall be collected on delivery, the same as on other short-paid matter. Making up and dispatch of spe Sec. 853. Special-delivery letters should be made up clal-delivery in separate packages when there are five or more for matter. the same place or route; if less than five they should be Facing slips, placed at the top of the package. When the package is for a route or "dis." the slip should be placed across the package so as to expose the stamps, the lower third of the slip being turned in to inclose the special-delivery matter. how placed on packages. Second, third, and fourth class patched with first. 2. Matter of the second, third, and fourth classes, matter to be dis- bearing special-delivery stamps, shall be dispatched with first-class matter. If possible, it should be tied in a bundle in such a manner as to disclose its nature immediately on the pouch being opened. not allowed for See sec. 896, as to dispatch of registered special-delivery articles. Commissions Sec. 854. No commissions shall be allowed on cancancellations of cellations of special-delivery stamps or on the cancellation of ordinary stamps when they are used for the purpose of effecting the special delivery of mail. stamps. Stamps attached to articles mailed abroad. 2. United States special-delivery stamps attached to articles mailed abroad and contained in mails for the United States shall be canceled in the sea post office or the United States exchange post office which opens the mails and distributes the articles therein contained. In case said stamps were canceled in the foreign mailing office, the articles shall nevertheless be delivered by special messenger. II. RECORD AND DELIVERY. -not to be de Sec. 855. Postmasters shall, immediately after opening Delivery of special delivery the mails and upon the receipt of local or drop matter matter. in the post office, separate the matter bearing special- layed. delivery stamps, and impress with the receiving stamp of the office, or write on the envelope or wrapper, the name of the office and the date and hour when the matter arrives. The matter shall be numbered and entered numerically in a record provided for that purpose, with full to be recorded. particulars contemplated by that record. Sec. 856. The postmaster * * * (at every special-delivery Record of special delivery * (articles) matter. * post office) shall keep a record of the number of * 1885, Mar. 3, ch. 342, §6; 23 Stat., 388. how kept. 2. Postmasters must enter on the record, under the head of "Remarks," the reason for its nondelivery, or for any delay in its delivery, if either occurs, and a statement in each case of the subsequent action taken. When an-when registered. article is registered, that fact should be noted and a proper entry also made in the regular record of registered matter. See sec. 869, as to receipts for matter delivered. Sec. 857. Special-delivery matter shall be delivered at city-delivery offices from 7 a. m. to 11 p. m., and at all other post offices from 7 a. m. till 7 p. m., and after the arrival of the last mail, provided this is not later than 9 p. m. Special orders may be made fixing later hours for delivery in particular cases. Hours of spe cial delivery. at city-delivery offices. on holidays. When no delivSunday, how ery is made on matter is treated. 2. Special-delivery matter shall be delivered at post-on Sundays. offices of the first and second classes on Sunday, and at other offices if open on Sunday. Special delivery shall be made at all offices on holidays. (See secs. 283 and 284.) 3. When special-delivery matter arrives on Saturday night too late for delivery, or on Sunday morning, except where deliveries are made on Sunday, the postmaster should put a notice thereof in the addressee's box, or in the general delivery, if he have no box, and deliver the matter on call; and if such matter is not called for, prompt delivery should be made on Monday. Sec. 858. All reasonable efforts shall be made to de- All reasonable liver special-delivery matter before it is placed in the made to effect regular mail for delivery in the usual way. If it is in- cial delivery correctly addressed to street or number, it should be efforts to be delivery of spe matter. Registered special delivery matter. -how treated. special delivery matter. promptly delivered, if the correct address is known or can be ascertained. Matter addressed to a person at his place of business should be delivered at his residence, if delivery at place of business be impossible, and vice versa. See sec. 869, as to receipts. Sec. 859. Where special-delivery matter is registered the usual registry receipts, in addition to the specialdelivery receipts, shall be taken, and all other requirements of the registry system shall be observed. Forwarding of Sec. 860. After special-delivery matter has been taken out for delivery and returned with the information that the person addressed has removed to the delivery of another office, and such matter is then forwarded, it is not entitled to special delivery at the office of second address. Such matter should be indorsed by the forwarding postmaster, "Forwarded, delivery fee paid by -with indorse- office of first address." But where a forwarding order ment. -without dorsement. has been given by the addressee in advance of the arrival of the matter, so that no attempt to deliver is necessary, it should be forwarded with the indorsement, "Forwarded, fee not claimed," and the postmaster at the office of final destination shall make special delivery and in-be entitled to the regular fee therefor. Special-delivery matter forwarded from one post office to another without any indorsement shall be taken out for immediate delivery the same as if indorsed, "Forwarded, fee not claimed," and the facts, with particulars, reported to the First Assistant Postmaster General, Division of City Delivery. The failure of postmasters to properly indorse special-delivery matter may deprive them of the fee to which they would otherwise be entitled. (See sec. 595.) Undelivered special delivery matter. --disposal of. Special delivery at other than fices. Sec. 861. Special-delivery matter which can not be delivered shall be treated in accordance with the regulations governing the return of other undelivered matter. (See secs. 632 to 639.) Sec. 862. Special-delivery matter may be delivered, free-delivery of at other than city-delivery offices, by the postmaster or by whom made. any assistant or employee, or other competent person whom the postmaster may employ as messenger. Postmasters shall provide the means and pay the expenses of compensation such delivery, and shall be allowed the full compensation for. of 80 per cent of the face value of all special-delivery stamps on matter recorded and delivered, or attempted to be delivered. See sec. 845, as to limits of delivery at other than free-delivery offices; sec. 848, as to responsibility for delivery of special-delivery matter. III. SPECIAL-DELIVERY MESSENGER SERVICE. Special - deliv. ery messengers. 1886, Aug. 4, ch. 220. Sec. 863. The Postmaster General may, in his discretion, direct any free-delivery office to be excepted from the foregoing provision (concerning the delivery of special-delivery matter by postmasters' 901, § 1; 24 Stat., clerks or other persons, see sec. 848), and require the delivery to beat free-delivery made entirely by special messengers, according to the provisions of the act to which this is amendatory. See sec. 845, as to limits of delivery at free-delivery offices; sec. 868, as to compensation of messengers. offices. riers and clerks. Sec. 864. At city-delivery offices postmasters should, Substitute caremploy substitute carriers and clerks, preferably the-employment of. former, instead of boys, as special-delivery messengers where the volume of such business is sufficient to warrant these employees in taking up the work and the conditions are otherwise favorable; but boys 16 years of age-minimum age or over may be so employed when, in the judgment of the postmaster, circumstances require it or he is of the opinion that the efficiency of the service will be promoted thereby. of. ber to be on duty hours. 2. The force of special-delivery messengers in each suitable numoffice shall be so arranged that a suitable number may during prescribed always be on hand to secure immediate delivery of all special-delivery matter at any time within the prescribed hours of the day. when service ed by. 3. When delivery of special-delivery matter can not clerks, etc., be made promptly by regular special-delivery messen- may be perform-. gers, postmasters may cause such delivery to be made. by any regular clerk or employee, who shall be allowed the same compensation and be paid and give receipt therefor in the same manner as regular messengers. See sec. 848, as to liability of persons employed to deliver specialdelivery matter. messengers. Sec. 865. Postmasters should not employ a greater Number of number of messengers than actually necessary. among messen 2. Special-delivery messengers shall not make combi- Combinations nations or arrangements with a view to securing a divi-gers. sion of the total permissible compensation of the month, and postmasters should, by distribution of work and assignment of hours of duty, equalize as far as practicable the compensation of messengers. |