thereof, shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for a term of not less than thirty days nor more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court; and whenever, upon evidence deemed satisfactory to him, the Postmaster-General shall determine that any such false return has been made, he may, by order, fix absolutely the compensation of the postmaster for such special delivery during any quarter or quarters which he shall deem affected by such false return, and the Auditor shall adjust the postmaster's account accordingly. (24 Stat. 221.)

See notes to section 1 of this act, ante, § 7287.

The making of false returns by postmasters for the purpose of increasing their compensation generally, was made punishable by Act June 17, 1878, c. 259, § 1, ante, § 7207.

§ 7290. (Act Aug. 4, 1886, c. 901, § 4.) Persons making immediate delivery deemed employés in postal service.

Any person employed to make immediate delivery of letters or other mail-matter under the provisions of this act, or the act of which the same is amendatory, shall be deemed an employee of the postal service, whether he may have been sworn or not, or temporarily or permanently employed, and as such employee shall be liable to any penalties or punishments provided by law for the improper detention, delay, secretion, rifling, embezzlement, purloining, or destruction of any letter or other article of mail-matter, or the contents thereof, intrusted to him for delivery or placed in his custody. (24 Stat. 221.)

See notes to section 1 of this act, ante, § 7287.

The embezzlement, purloining, detention, destruction, etc., of letters by employés of the mail service were made punishable by R. S. §§ 5467-5471, 5474, which were incorporated into the Criminal Code, in sections 194–196, 199 thereof, post, §§ 10364-10366, 10369, and were repealed by section 341 thereof, post, § 10515.

§ 7291. (Act March 3, 1903, c. 1009, § 4.) Special delivery messengers deemed carriers.

Every special-delivery messenger, when actually engaged in carrying or delivering letters or other mail matter under contract, directly or indirectly, with the Post-Office Department, or employed by the Post-Office Department, shall be deemed a carrier or person intrusted with the mail and having custody thereof within the meaning of sections thirty-eight hundred and sixty-nine, thirty-nine hundred and ninety-five, fifty-four hundred and seventy-two, and fiftyfour hundred and seventy-three of the Revised Statutes of the United States. (32 Stat. 1176.)

This section was part of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1904, cited above.

R. S. §§ 3869, 3995, 5472, and 5473, mentioned in this section, related to postal crimes. They were incorporated in the Criminal Code, in sections 198, 201, and 197 thereof, post, §§ 10367, 10368, 10371, and were repealed by section 341 thereof, post, § 10515.

§ 7292. (Act June 2, 1900, c. 613, § 1.) Allowance for car fare for special delivery messengers in first-class offices; delivery by clerks, etc., in first and second class offices.

Out of the revenue arising from special-delivery business the Postmaster-General may allow expenditures by postmasters at first-class post-offices, under regulations to be established by him, for car fare for special-delivery messengers in emergent cases where immediate delivery in the usual way is impracticable, not to exceed in the aggregate, for all offices, ten thousand dollars a year: And provided further, That at first and second class post-offices the Postmaster-General may establish rules under which special delivery may be effected by any salaried clerk or employee thereof, and the lawful special-delivery fees allowed therefor, the same as is now done at third-class offices, in cases where such delivery can not be made by regular messengers. (31 Stat. 260.)

These were provisions following an appropriation for the manufacture of adhesive postage and special delivery stamps in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1901, cited above.

Provisions in the same language, were made by the similar appropriation act for the preceding fiscal year, Act March 1, 1899, c. 327, § 1, 30 Stat. 965.

Provisions for the employment of clerks in third and fourth class post-offices as special-delivery messengers were made by Act Aug. 4, 1896, c. 901, § 1, ante, § 7287.

§ 7293. (Act March 2, 1907, c. 2561.) Special delivery of letters; use of ordinary stamps instead of special delivery stamp. From and after July first, nineteen hundred and seven, when in addition to the stamps required to transmit any letter or package of mail matter through the mails there shall be attached to the envelope or covering ten cents' worth of ordinary stamps of any denomination, with the words "special delivery" or their equivalent written or printed on the envelope or covering, under such regulations as the Postmaster-General may prescribe, the said package shall be handled, transmitted, and delivered in all respects as though it bore a regulation "special delivery" stamp. (34 Stat. 1244.)

This was an act entitled "An act making certain changes in the postal laws."

§ 7294. (Act April 21, 1902, c. 563, § 1.) Rural free-delivery service; special agents; route inspectors; clerks; carriers; substitute carriers; classification; compensation.

That on and after July first, nineteen hundred and two, the Postmaster-General be, and is hereby, authorized to classify the rural free-delivery service and fix the compensation to employees in such service as follows:

[Special agents in charge of divisions] at not exceeding two thousand four hundred dollars per annum.

[Special agents,] four classes, graded in even hundreds of dollars, at one thousand three hundred, one thousand four hundred, one thousand five hundred, and not exceeding one thousand six hundred dollars per annum.

[Route inspectors,] four classes, graded in even hundreds of dollars, at nine hundred, one thousand, one thousand one hundred, and not exceeding one thousand two hundred dollars per annum.

Clerks, four classes, graded in even hundreds of dollars, at nine hundred, one thousand, one thousand one hundred, and not exceeding one thousand two hundred dollars per annum.

Carriers at salary not exceeding [six hundred] dollars per annum and no other or further allowance or salary shall be made to said carriers. But the carriers shall not be prohibited from doing an express-package business provided it does not interfere with the discharge of their official duties.

Under such regulations as the Postmaster-General may prescribe, a substitute carrier may be employed, at the expense of the regular carrier, to temporarily perform the service on any rural free-delivery mail route.

The Postmaster-General may allow such per diem and other incidental expenses in connection with the rural free-delivery service as Congress may from time to time provide. (32 Stat. 112.)

These were provisions following an appropriation for the employés in the rural free-delivery service in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1903, cited above.

The words of the second paragraph, “Special agents in charge of divisions," inclosed in brackets, were superseded by the provision that after July 1, 1904, such officers should be designated as division superintendents of rural free. delivery service, of Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1, post, § 7295; and the words of the third paragraph, "Special agents," and of the fourth paragraph, "Route inspectors," also inclosed in brackets, were superseded by the provision that after July 1, 1904, all of such officers should be designated as rural agents, also made by said Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1, post, § 7295.

The words of the sixth paragraph, "six hundred" also inclosed in brackets, were superseded by the increase in the maximum pay of rural carriers to $720 per annum by said Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1, post, § 7296. The maximum pay thereby fixed was increased to $900 per annum by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, post, § 7298, again increased to $1,000 per annum by a provision of Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 1, 36 Stat. 1339, which was superseded by the provision fixing the maximum compensation at $1,100 per annum, of Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 1, post, § 7300.

Subsequent provisions relating to the carriage of merchandise by rural carriers were made by Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1, post, § 7296.

The Postmaster-General was authorized to fix the compensation of a rural carrier on a water route who furnishes his own power boat and is employed during the summer months at not exceeding $900 in any one calendar year, by Act March 1, 1909, c. 232, post, § 7299. The compensation of such carrier on Lake Winnepesaukee may be fixed at an amount not exceeding the maximum salary allowed rural carriers by law in any one calendar year, by Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 1, post, § 7300.

Rural letter carriers were granted not to exceed fifteen days annual leave, with pay, after twelve months' service, by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, post, § 7298.

A superintendent and assistant superintendent in the Division of Rural Mails in the Post Office Department were provided for in the appropriations in the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation act for the fiscal year 1914, Act March 4, 1913, c. 142, § 1, 37 Stat. 780. And carriers and clerks in charge of substations were provided for by the postal service appropriation act for the same year, Act March 4, 1913, c. 143, § 1, 37 Stat. 800.

§ 7295. (Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1.) Special agents in charge of divisions of rural free-delivery service designated division superintendents; special agents and route inspectors designated rural agents.

On and after July first, nineteen hundred and four, special agents in charge of divisions of the rural free-delivery service shall be known and designated as division superintendents of rural free-delivery service; and special agents and route inspectors of such service shall be known and designated as rural agents. (33 Stat. 439.)

This was a provision of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1905, cited above.

Previous provisions as to the classification of the rural free-delivery service were made by Act April 21, 1902, c. 563, § 1, ante, § 7294.

Subsequent provisions for the appointment, on July 1, 1906, of superintendents of division and rural agents as post-office inspectors, were made by Act June 26, 1906, c. 3546, post, § 7297.

§ 7296. (Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1.) Carriers of rural freedelivery service; salaries; restrictions; carrying merchandise. On and after July first, nineteen hundred and four, letter carriers of the rural free-delivery service shall receive a salary not exceeding [seven hundred and twenty] dollars per annum, and no other or further allowance or salary shall be made to said carriers; and on and after said date said carriers shall not solicit business or receive orders of any kind for any person, firm, or corporation, and shall not, during their hours of employment, carry any merchandise for hire: Provided, That said carriers may carry merchandise for hire for and upon the request of patrons residing upon their respective routes, whenever the same shall not interfere with the proper discharge of their official duties, and under such regulations as the Postmaster-General may prescribe. (33 Stat. 439.)

These were further provisions accompanying appropriations for pay of letter carriers, etc., in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1906, cited above.

The words in the first sentence, "seven hundred and twenty" inclosed in brackets, were superseded by the provision fixing the maximum pay of rural letter carriers at $900 per annum, of Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, post, § 7298. The maximum pay thereby fixed was increased to $1,000 per annum by a provision of Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 1, 36 Stat. 1339, which was superseded by the provision fixing the maximum compensation at $1,100 per annum, of Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 1, post, § 7300.

Previous provisions relating to such carriers were made by Act April 21, 1902, c. 563, § 1, ante, § 7294.

Subsequent provisions relating to letter carriers of the rural delivery service, were made by Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, post, § 7298, Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 1, 36 Stat. 1339, and Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 1, post, § 7300.

§ 7297. (Act June 26, 1906, c. 3546.) Superintendents of division, rural delivery, and rural agents, to be appointed post-office inspectors.

That all persons employed on the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred and six, as superintendents of division, rural delivery, shall, on July first, nineteen hundred and six, be appointed as post-office inspectors of the grade of one thousand eight hundred dollars per year: And provided further, That all persons employed on June thir

tieth, nineteen hundred and six, as rural agents shall, on July first, nineteen hundred and six, be appointed as post-office inspectors, except not to exceed one hundred and forty-seven of such agents shall be so appointed as post-office inspectors. (34 Stat. 467.)

These were provisos annexed to an appropriation for salaries of post-office inspectors in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1907, cited above.

Previous provisions relating to the appointment and designation of the superintendents of division and rural agents who were appointed as post-office inspectors by this act were made by Act April 21, 1902, c. 563, § 1, and Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1, ante, §§ 7294, 7295.

§ 7298. (Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513.) Carriers of rural delivery service; salaries; leave of absence; substitutes; clerks in charge of substations.

On and after July first, nineteen hundred and seven, letter carriers of the rural-delivery service shall receive a salary not exceeding [nine hundred] dollars per annum: Provided, That rural letter carriers after twelve months' service shall be allowed annual leave with pay not to exceed fifteen days; the substitutes for carriers on vacation to be paid during said service at the rate paid the carrier. (34 Stat. 1215.)

These were provisions of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1908, cited above.

Provisions similar to some extent, contained in the similar act for the preceding fiscal year, Act June 26, 1906, c. 3546, 34 Stat. 477, even if intended to be applicable after that fiscal year, were superseded by the provisions of this act.

Previous provisions fixing the salaries of carriers of the rural delivery serv ice, of Act April 21, 1904, c. 563, § 1, and Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 1, ante, §§ 7294, 7296, set forth above, were also superseded by those of this act. § 7299. (Act March 1, 1909, c. 232.) Compensation of carriers on water routes furnishing power boats.

In the discretion of the Postmaster-General the pay of any rural carrier on a water route who furnishes his own power boat and is employed during the summer months may be fixed at an amount not exceeding nine hundred dollars in any one calendar year. (35 Stat. 669.)

This was a provision of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1910, cited above.

It superseded similar provisions in preceding appropriation acts beginning with that for the fiscal year 1908, Act March 2, 1907, c. 2513, 34 Stat. 1215. A similar provision, but applying only to the carrier on the water route on Lake Winnepesaukee was made by Act March 4, 1911, c. 241, § 1, 36 Stat. 1339, which was superseded by the provision increasing the maximum compensation for that carrier to the maximum salary allowed rural carriers in any one calendar year, made by Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 1, post, § 7300. § 7300. (Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 1.) Carriers, clerks, etc., rural delivery service; salaries; carrier on Lake Winnepesaukee furnishing power boat.

On and after September thirtieth, nineteen hundred and twelve, letter carriers of the Rural Delivery Service shall receive a salary not exceeding one thousand one hundred dollars per annum: Pro