by directory or otherwise, is being made, the letter shall be subject to inquiry and delivery through the general delivery, and should not be delayed by taking it from the post-office. Sec. 346. City Directory to be Used to Ascertain Addresses, when.-In cities where a directory is published it must be used when necessary to ascertain the address of persons to whom letters are directed (and it should also be used in the case of transient newspapers and other matter of the third and fourth classes, where the error in or omission of street address is evidently the result of inadvertence or ignorance); but when circulars, printed postal cards, or other matter (except letters) shall arrive at any post-office in large quantities, which have apparently all been sent by the same person or firm, and from which the street addresses have been purposely omitted, the directory need not be used to supply such omission, and all of such circulars, etc., which cannot be readily delivered through boxes or by carriers shall be sent to general delivery to await call. Sec. 347. Carriers to Receive Letters for Mailing.-Carriers are required, while on their rounds, to receive all letters prepaid by postage-stamps that may be handed to them for mailing, but are strictly forbidden to delay their deliveries by waiting for such letters, or to receive money to pay postage on letters handed them for mailing. Sec. 348. What Carriers may not do.-Carriers are forbidden to deliver any mailable matter which has not passed through the post-office or station with which they are connected, or to exhibit any mail-matter intrusted to them (except on the order of the postmaster or some one authorized to act for him) to persons other than those addressed, or to deviate from their respective routes, or to carry letters in their pockets, or to engage in any business not connected with this service during their hours of business. Sec. 349. Return of Undelivered Matter.-Every letter or package that cannot be delivered shall be returned to the post-office or station by the carrier, who shall write upon it the reason for its non-delivery, the initials of his name, and the number of his district. Sec. 350. Holiday and Evening Delivery.-The windows in connection with the carriers' department must be opened for the delivery of mail-matter during office-hours on Sundays, holidays, and in the evening after the last street delivery. Sec. 351. Tests of Carriers' Efficiency.-The delivery and collection of mail-matter must be tested at frequent and irregular intervals, and carriers must be held to a strict accountability for any omission or neglect in these particulars. Sec. 352. Prompt and Frequent Deliveries Required. The number of daily delivery and collection trips by carriers must not be reduced without the authorization of the Department. Letters must be frequently and promptly delivered by the carriers, so that citizens may have no inducement to call at the post-office. Citizens supplied by carriers should be induced to provide receiving-boxes at their houses and places of business. Sec. 353. Limited Sale of Stamps by Carriers.-Postmasters must not require nor permit carriers to sell postage-stamps or stamped-envelopes, except in limited quantities; but under no circumstances must they delay their deliveries or collections to make change. Sec. 354. Branch Post-offices or Postal Stations.-Application for the establishment of branch post-offices or postal stations must be made to the First Assistant Postmaster-General, setting forth in full the necessity and expense thereof. Sec. 355. Mails between Stations and the General Post-Office.-The mails from the post-office to the stations, and return, must be conveyed with the greatest practicable dispatch, and by the most expeditious routes. Sec. 356. Advertised Letters.-The advertised list of letters must designate those remaining at the post-office, and those remaining at each station. Such letters must be delivered when called for, and the addressees informed that, if they will leave their address, their letters will in future be promptly sent to them by carriers, free of charge. Sec. 357. Care of Street Mailing-Boxes.-Street mailing-boxes must be kept in repair, and in a neat condition, and firmly fastened to the post. A list must be kept in the post-office of their number and location. Sec. 358. Postmasters to inspect Stations.-The stations must be frequently visited by the postmaster, or by some one designated by him, who shall see that these regulations are enforced, and that proper order and discipline are maintained. Sec. 359. Carriers' Daily Return of Property and Mail.-After the last daily delivery, the carriers must return their satchels, keys, and all the mail-matter they cannot deliver to the post-office or station with which they are connected. Carriers must be held to the strictest accountability for the keys to the street mailing-boxes intrusted to them, the loss of which will be regarded as a grave offense, and render them liable to removal. Sec. 360. Carriers must not return Deposited Letters.-Carriers are forbidden, under any circumstances, to return to any person whatever letters deposited in the street mailing-boxes. Sec. 361. Delivery of Registered Letters by Carriers.-Postmasters will hand to the letter-carriers, for delivery, all registered letters (excepting those addressed to box-holders), requiring them first to sign their names in the last column of the record-of-registered-matter-received-and-delivered. The carriers will, on the delivery of every such letter, require the person receiving it to sign the registry-return receipt, and also a receipt for the same in the carriers'-registry-delivery-book. Carriers must exercise the utmost caution in the delivery of these letters to the party addressed, or to some responsible person whom they know to be authorized to receive them. See also sections 866-870. Sec. 362. Postmasters to supervise Carrier Service.-Postmasters will see that the superintendents of carriers' stations, and the carriers and clerks connected with this service, are informed of the highly responsible character of the duties required of them. They will issue, from time to time, such orders and instructions as may be found necessary to carry out these regulations and to maintain proper order. The carrier disobeying such orders will be reprimanded by the postmaster, or reported for removal to the First Assistant Postmaster-General, as the case may require. Sec. 363. Arrest of Persons found Tampering with Boxes.-Postmasters will arrange with the police authorities of their several cities for the arrest of all persons in citizens' dress found tampering with or collecting from the street mailingboxes; also, of all persons wearing the carriers' uniform (including the carriers), found tampering with or collecting from the boxes at other than the usual and regular collection rounds, of which the police authorities must be kept informed. Sec. 364. "Cave Canem "-"Beware of the Dog."-Carriers are not required to run the risk of being bitten by dangerous dogs in delivering mail-matter. Persons keeping such dogs must call at the post-office for their mail, or if they wish it delivered at their houses, must satisfy the postmaster that it is safe for the carrier to so deliver it. Sec. 365. Supplies for Carrier Post-Offices.-Street mailing-boxes, blankbooks, blank-forms, and carriers' satchels will be furnished on application to the First Assistant Postmaster-General; and locks and keys for street mailing-boxes on application to the Second Assistant Postmaster-General. All other letters relating to this branch of the service must be addressed to the First Assistant Postmaster-General. Sec. 366. Manner of Keeping Books.-Blank books furnished for this branch of the service must be correctly and neatly kept according to their design, and be at all times subject to examination by the Special Agents of this Department. 368. Time of closing the mail. 369. Preference given to letters over other mailmatter, when. 370. Penalty for unlawfully detaining mail-matter. 371. Prepaid matter to be forwarded, if requested. 372. Erroneously delivered redirected matter to be forwarded. 373. Letters mailed under cover to postmasters, how treated. 374. Postmasters to receipt for copyright matter. 375. Postage-stamps to be canceled. 376. Return-stamps on return-postal-cards and letter-envelopes. 377. Manner of canceling stamps. 378. Treatment of matter bearing canceled or improper stamps. 379. All mail-matter other than second class to be postmarked. 380. Impressions to be taken of the dated stamps. 381. How to secure legible stamping. 382. Treatment of first-class matter received in bad order. 383. Distribution and dispatch of mails. 384. No changes except in cases of emergency. 388. Local mail for railroad and steamboat lines. Sec. 390. Making up local mail for railway lines. 393. Letters for delivery and distribution in sepa- 394. Direct packages. 395. Letters must not be placed in pouch loose. 396. Facing slips to be used. 397. Checking errors. 398. Disposition of slips received. 399. Absence of slips on packages or in sacks. 405. Hooks prohibited in handling mail-bags. 407. Letters not to be placed under straps of 408. Printed labels furnished to be returned. 410. Time of closing mails. 411 Pouches to be examined. For instructions as to the distribution and Sec. 367. Postmasters to Receive and Dispatch Mail-matter.-Every postmaster shall keep an [post] office in which one or more persons shall be on duty during such hours of each day as the Postmaster-General may direct, for the purpose of receiving, delivering, making up, and forwarding all mail-matter received thereat. (R. S., § 3839.) Sec. 368. Time of Closing the Mails.-All letters brought to any postoffice half an hour before the time for the departure of the mail shall be forwarded therein; but at [post] offices where, in the opinion of the Postmaster-General, more time for making up the mail is required, he may prescribe accordingly, not exceeding one hour. (R. S., § 3840.) Sec. 369. Preference given to Letters over other Mail-matter. When the amount of mail-matter to be carried on any mail-route is so great as to seriously retard the progress or endanger the security of the letter-mail, or materially increase the cost of carriage at the ordinary rate of speed, the Postmaster-General may provide for the separate carriage of the letter-mail at the usual rate of speed; but the other mail-matter shall not be delayed any more than is absolutely necessary, having due regard to the cost of expedition and the means at his disposal for [affecting] [effecting] the same. (R. S., § 3994.) Sec. 370. Penalty for Unlawfully Detaining Mail-matter.-Any postmaster who shall unlawfully detain in his [post] office any letter or other mailmatter, the posting of which is not prohibited by law, with intent to prevent the arrival and delivery of the same to the person to whom it is addressed, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hun dred dollars, and by imprisonment for not more than six months, and he shall be forever thereafter incapable of holding the office of postmaster. (R. S., § 3890.) Sec. 371. Prepaid Matter to be Forwarded if Requested.-Prepaid letters shall be forwarded from one post-office to another, at the request of the party addressed, without additional charge for postage. (R. S., § 3940.) All letters upon which one full rate of postage has been prepaid shall, and all other fully prepaid matter may be forwarded at the request of the party addressed, without additional charge for postage. Sec. 372. Erroneously Delivered, Redirected Matter to be Forwarded.-When any article of mail-matter is taken from the post-office, or delivered by a carrier, the connection of the post-office has presumptively terminated. If, however, such matter shall have been erroneously delivered, or being addressed to the care of another person shall be immediately returned by him redirected, it shall be the duty of the postmaster to forward or redeliver such matter without extra charge. Sec. 373 Letters mailed under cover to Postmaster-how treated.-Inasmuch as by law all first-class matter on which one full rate of postage is prepaid must be forwarded, it is the duty of a postmaster to forward such mail-matter which may reach him under cover from any other post-office with or without request to mail the same. Before forwarding such matter he should cancel the stamps and indorse in writing on the reverse side of such matter the following: "RECEIVED AT TO BE FORWARDED IN THE MAIL." " COVER FROM THE POST-OFFICE AT UNDER Sec. 374. Postmasters to Receipt for Copyright Matter.-The postmaster to whom any [such] copyright book, title, or other article is delivered, shall, if requested, give a receipt therefor; and when so delivered he shall mail it to its destination. (R. S., § 4961.) Sec. 375. Postage-stamps to be Canceled.-Postage-stamps affixed to all mail-matter or the stamped envelopes in which the same is inclosed shall, when deposited for mailing or delivery, be defaced by the postmaster at the mailing [post] office, in such manner as the PostmasterGeneral may direct; and if any mail-matter shall be forwarded without the stamps or envelopes being so defaced, the postmaster at the office of delivery shall deface them, and report the delinquent postmaster to the Postmaster-General. (R. S., § 3921.) Sec. 376. Return Stamps on Postal-cards and Letter-envelopes.-Should return postal cards and return letter envelopes be issued by the Department, the return stamps must not be canceled until the matter is deposited in some post-office for return to the sender. See section 143. Sec. 377. Manner of Canceling Stamps.-The cancellation or defacing required by section 375 must be effected by the use of black printing-ink, wherever that material can be obtained; and where it cannot, the operation should be performed by making several heavy crosses or parallel lines upon each stamp, with a pen dippe in good black writing-ink. The use of the office rating or postmarking stamp as a canceling instrument is positively prohibited, inasmuch as the postmark, when impressed on the postage-stamp, is usually indistinct, and the cancellation effected thereby is imperfect. Sec. 378. Treatment of Matter Bearing Canceled or Improper Stamps.When matter bearing previously-used stamps is deposited for mailing, and the postmaster can identify the mailing party without violating the seal of such matter, it is his duty to bring the case to the notice of the United States district attorney, that the offender may be prosecuted. If the person mailing such matter cannot be identified as above, then it should be treated as held for postage. Mail-matter bearing stamps other than postage-stamps, or stamps cut from stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, or from postal cards, should be treated as held for postage. Mutilated stamps and fractional parts of postage-stamps and postage-due stamps cannot be recognized in prepayment of postage. For example, a letter or package to which one two-cent stamp and the half of another two-cent stamp are affixed cannot be considered as having been prepaid three cents, but only two cents; and a letter or package on which eighteen cents postage is chargeable cannot be prepaid in full by affixing a six-cent stamp and the half of a twenty-four-cent stamp. Sec. 379. All Mail-matter other than Second Class to be Postmarked.—All mailable matter (except that of the second class) deposited in any post-office for mailing or delivery must bear a postmark giving the name of the post-office and an abbreviation of the name of the State (and on first-class matter the date of deposit); and all letters received from other offices or post-offices for delivery or for redistribution to other offices or post-offices must be postmarked on the reverse side, with the date and, when possible, the hour on which they are received. But in the case of packages of letters from other offices or post-offices, received to be forwarded intact to the postoffices of final destination, the facing-slips only will be postmarked at the post-offices through which they pass. Missent matter of any class, received at any post-office, must be postmarked with the date of receipt before the same is forwarded to its proper destination. First-class post-offices may be exempted from the operations of this section if upon evidence satisfactory to the Postmaster-General they shall show it to be impracticable to comply with its provisions. Sec. 380. Impressions to be taken of the Dated Stamp.-The figures of the dated stamp must be carefully adjusted at the beginning of each day; and as soon as this has been done, a clear impression must be made in a book specially provided for the purpose, so as to afford evidence of the correct discharge of this duty; special care must be taken not to omit the Sunday impression of the stamp. If the stamp is fitted with letters and figures indicating the hour at which any letter arrives or is dispatched, care must be taken to change them punctually at the appointed periods. If this is not done, the postmaster may often be blamed for a delay which has not occurred at his post-office. An impression must be made in the book provided of every dated stamp used by the postmaster throughout the day, and each impression should be taken immediately a change is made either in the date or hour. Sec. 381. How to secure Legible Stamping. It is necessary, not only that the impression of every official stamp should be legible, but that it should be perfect in every particular; so that each letter and figure of the stamp may be quite clear. To effect this, attention must be paid to the following points: The stamp must be kept perfectly clean, which may be done most effectually by brushing it with a brush slightly wetted and dipped in powdered potash or soda. Type which has been used must be cleaned before it is replaced in the box. The stamp should be held firmly in the hand and struck upon the letter with a light sharp blow; care being taken not to let the stamp fall upon the impression made at another post-office. It is in the power of any person, by attention and practice, to become a good and rapid stamper. Sec. 382. Treatment of First-class Matter received in bad order.-All mail |