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
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Montana Territory Index

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