Sec. 274. Postage-due Stamps on Forwarded Letters, how Refunded.—When a returned or forwarded letter, with postage-due stamps affixed and bill attached, is received at any post-office from a free-delivery post-office, the receiving postmaster must detach the bill and return it by next mail, with required amount of uncanceled stamps inclosed, to the issuing postmaster. In case of failure to get a return of a bill or stamps after a reasonable delay, postmasters at free-delivery post-offices may obtain the proper credit and expose the delinquent receiving postmaster by making a duplicate bill (from the stub of the original), which they will attach to and incorporate in their regular dead-letter bill. This duplicate must be indorsed, in the blank space at the end, DUPLICATE, ORIGINAL NOT RETURNED, or ORIGINAL RETURNED WITHOUT In forwarding to foreign countries mail-matter on which postage-due stamps have been canceled, the original bill, indorsed FOREIGN LETTER FORWARDED, must be attached to and incorporated in the regular dead-letter bill.

STAMPS.

Sec. 275. What Persons are entitled to receive Mail-matter. The persons entitled to articles of mail-matter received by mail are those whose names are in the address, and the delivery should be either to the person addressed, or according to his or her order. The order is in some cases implied, as where a person is in the habit of receiving his mail through his son, clerk, or servant, and of recognizing the delivery to him. Mail-matter addressed to a firm may be delivered to any member of the firm, and, if addressed to several persons, may be handed to any one of them.

Sec. 276. Letters addressed to Fictitious Persons, etc.-Letters and packages addressed to fictitious persons or firms, to initials, or to no particular person or firm, unless directed to be delivered at a designated place, as a post-office box, street and number, or to the care of a certain person or firm, or other certain place of delivery, within the delivery of the post-office to which they are addressed, must be returned at the end of each month to the Dead-Letter Office.

Sec. 277. Proof of Identity required in Doubtful Cases.-A postmaster should, in all cases of doubt, require satisfactory proof of the identity of persons claiming mail-matter addressed for delivery at the post-office. Great care must be especially taken where such matter appears to be of value, and if the person calling for it be not the person addressed, or a member of his immediate family, it is safest to require a written order for its delivery.

Sec. 278. Letters "Opened through Mistake."-If there be two or more persons of the same name, and a letter intended for one is delivered to another, and returned by him, the postmaster will reseal the letter in the presence of the person who opened it, and request him to write upon it the words, OPENED BY ME THROUGH MISTAKE, and sign his name; he will then replace the letter in the post-office.

Sec. 279. Mail-matter addressed to other Post-Offices not Deliverable.-Postmasters cannot deliver mail-matter which may be addressed to and deliverable from other post-offices, except in cases of matter addressed to a discontinued post-office nearest the post-office where such matter is held for delivery. Exception to this rule may be made in special cases, as when a letter arrives from a foreign country directed to a post-office other than that at the port of arrival, and the person addressed is about to leave the country, or desires to answer at once by mail from that port. In such cases the postmaster, on being satisfied of the identity of the applicant, may deliver the letter. Exceptions may also be made in the case of ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives of foreign governments who may be temporarily residing elsewhere than within the delivery of the post-office to which their correspondence is directed. In the exceptional cases above provided for, the postmaster who delivers the letters shall report his action to the postmaster of the post-office to which they are directed.

Sec. 280. Mail-matter addressed in Care of Another.-Where mail-matter reaches a post-office addressed to a person in care of another, it is the duty of the postmaster to deliver such matter to the person addressed, if so requested by him, rather than to the person to whose care it was addressed.

Sec. 281. Letters from the Pension Office.-It is not proper to deliver a letter from the Pension Office to any one other than the person addressed, or to a member of his or her family, or to a legal guardian of the pensioner, and under no circumstances is it allowable to deliver such letters to an attorney, claim-agent, or broker.

Sec. 282. Under no Pretext are Letters in the Mail to be opened.-A letter once placed in the post-office is in the custody of the Department for transmission and delivery to the party addressed. Neither postmasters nor officers of the law have any authority to open it under the pretext that there might be something improper or even criminal in it, or that would aid in the detection, or furnish evidence for the conviction, of offenders against the law. A letter of a criminal must, therefore, be delivered to him unless he may otherwise direct.

Sec. 283. Mail-Matter to be delivered according to Official Designation.Mail-matter directed to a public official by his title, or to an officer of a corporation, or person holding a position therein having an official designation, should be delivered to the person actually holding the office or other position designated in the address, notwithstanding the name of another person may also appear therein, the presumptive intention of the sender being that the article of mail-matter shall reach the officer, etc., addressed rather than the individual named.

Sec. 284. Mail-Matter addressed to Minors.-In the case of minor children residing with their parents, and dependent upon them for maintenance and support, such parents are entitled to control the correspondence of the aforesaid minors by directing the disposition to be made of mail-matter addressed to them, and where such minors reside temporarily away from their parents, the latter may delegate to another the right to receive mail-matter addressed to such minors, but such person must show to the postmaster written authority to receive the same before it can be delivered to him.

Sec. 285. Mail-Matter addressed to Deceased Persons.-Mail-matter addressed to a deceased person must in the first instance be delivered to his legal representatives. In case there are no legal representatives the letters should be delivered to the widow, if there be one, unless there are other claimants for the same, in which event the postmaster should report the case with all the facts to the First Assistant Postmaster-General and await his instructions.

Sec. 286. Mail-Matter to be delivered to Assignees, etc.-When the business of a firm has been placed in the hands of an assignee or receiver, its letters should be delivered to the latter, on his presentation of proof of his appointment by a court or other competent authority.

Sec. 287. Mail-Matter addressed to a Defunct Firm or Corporation.-Mailmatter addressed to a firm or corporation which has ceased to exist must be delivered to the legal representatives.

Sec. 288. Postmaster to require Appointment of Receiver.-When a firm or company dissolves partnership, and contention arises as to whom the mail-matter addressed to the former business firm or company, or its officials, shall be delivered, a postmaster, being forbidden by one party to deliver to another, should require the appointment of a receiver, retaining all mail-matter until said receiver is appointed; and if no such receiver is appointed, or no agreement between the contending parties is reached, before the expiration of thirty days from the date when delivery ceased, the letters in dispute, and all that may arrive thereafter (until an agreement is made or receiver appointed), shall be sent to the Return-Letter Office marked IN DISPUTE. Sec. 289. Decision of Disputed Claims to Mail-matter.-A postmaster is not required to decide disputes between members of a dissolved or existing firm as to the delivery of its mail-matter. If the firm is not dissolved, he should, if its mail has habitually been delivered by carrier, continue such delivery, instructing the carrier to hand the mail-matter to any of its members. If the delivery is through box or general delivery, he will place the mail-matter therein to await the call of any author

ized person. If the firm is dissolved, he will be governed in his action by the provisions of the preceding section.

Sec. 290. Injunction of Courts to be respected.—Where mail-matter may be addressed to a firm which has ceased to exist, and having reached its destination through the mails is claimed by different parties, and some of the claimants in order to determine their rights in the premises subsequently institute a suit against the others in the local courts, and obtain an order from the court enjoining the postmaster from delivering the mail-matter to either party, the postmaster should respect the order of the court by retaining the same and delivering it to the parties who shall be finally determined by the court to be legally entitled to it.

Sec. 291. Withdrawal of Letters from Mailing Post-office. To prevent fraud the postmaster must not permit any letter put into his post-office for transmission by mail to be withdrawn by any person except the writer thereof, or, in case of a minor child, the parent or guardian of the same; and the utmost care must be taken to ascertain that the person applying for such letter is really the writer, parent, or guardian.

Sec. 292. Proof of Identity of Letter required.-To enable him to know that the person applying for the withdrawal of a letter is the writer, the postmaster may require him, or his messenger, to exhibit to him the same superscription and seal that are upon the letter. And if the postmaster is satisfied that the handwriting and seal are the same, he will permit the letter to be withdrawn, taking a receipt, and preserving it with the paper containing the superscription, and the order, if one were sent. If the person applying for the letter is the parent or guardian of the minor, the postmaster must require him to identify the particular letter by extrinsic evidence satisfactory to the postmaster.

Sec. 293. When to refuse Application for Withdrawal.-Postmasters should refuse all applications for the withdrawal of letters in cases where the necessary search would involve the delay of a mail, or retard the regular work of the post-office.

Sec. 294. Mail-matter beyond Mailing Post-office cannot be withdrawn:After a letter, or any other article of mail-matter, has passed from the mailing postoffice, the delivery of it cannot be prevented or delayed by any one except upon the order of the Postmaster-General, to whom direct application must be made by the writer.

Sec. 295. Postmasters may erect Boxes at their own Expense.-Any postmaster in other than a building owned by the United States may erect boxes in his post-office at his own expense. These boxes are neither owned nor repaired by the Department, but the revenues thereof must be reported quarterly to the Auditor of the Treasury for the Post Office Department.

Sec. 296. Lock-boxes, etc., for Box-holders at their Expense.-Postmasters may allow box-holders who desire to do so to provide lock-boxes or drawers for their own use, at their own expense, which lock-boxes or drawers, upon their erection in any post-office, shall become the property of the United States, and be subject to the direction and control of the Post-Office Department, and shall pay a rental at least equal to that of other boxes in the same [post] office, or, if there be no other boxes in such [post] office, of boxes in other [post] offices of the same class, which rental shall be accounted for as other box-rents. (R. S., § 4052.)

Sec. 297. Friends of Owner of Box to use same, when.-Letters addressed to the friends of the owner of a box stopping temporarily with him may also be placed in the box, if directed to his care or to the number of the box. But letters addressed to other persons residing in the same place, and living and doing business separate and apart from a box-holder, should not be placed in such box.

Sec. 298. Postmasters to keep a List of Box-holders.-Each postmaster must keep a list of all box-holders, with the number of the box assigned to each, and the time during which he has used it. This list will be examined by special agents, and be delivered to his successor in office. The postmaster must state in his quarterly returns the amount of box-rents collected in or on account of each quarter. • Sec. 299. Failure of Postmasters to make Report of Box-rents.-The salaries of postmasters are based upon a sworn statement of the operations of their post-offices for the four quarters immediately preceding the adjustment or readjustment furnished to the First Assistant Postmaster-General. When the postmaster fails to make any report, or reports a less amount of box-rents than that included in his salary, he is charged in the adjustment of his quarterly return, by the Auditor, with the full amount of box-rents included in his quarterly salary.

Sec. 300. Rent of Boxes to be prepaid.-No box at any post-office shall be assigned to the use of any person until the rent thereof has been paid for at least one quarter in advance, for which the postmaster shall give a receipt. (R. S., § 3901.)

Sec. 301. Payment for Boxes must be Quarterly.-Postmasters must rent the boxes and drawers in their post-offices for one quarter (three months) only, the money to be paid in advance. The Department will insist upon a strict compliance with this regulation. Boxes remaining unpaid for ten days from the expiration of a quarter will be declared vacated.

Sec. 302. Box to be restricted to Use of one Family, etc.-A person renting a post-office box is entitled to have the letters of his family put into it. Each box must be restricted to the use of one family, firm, or corporation.

Sec. 303. Postmaster to leave Record of Box-receipts with Successor.— When a postmaster retires from office he must leave in the hands of his successor a record of receipts given for payment of box-rents. In the absence of this record, the postmaster will require the parties claiming to have paid their box-rents to show their receipts, or produce other satisfactory evidence of such payment. When an individual holds a receipt from the late postmaster for box-rent paid, it is the duty of the new postmaster to furnish a box for the time specified in the receipt.

Sec. 301. Postmaster should refuse to rent Box for Improper Purpose.-A postmaster should refuse to rent a box or drawer to any person whom he has reason to suspect would use the same for the promotion of any indecent or illegal purpose. Whenever he shall find that any person to whom he has rented a box or drawer is using the same for the promotion of any such purpose, he should withhold its further

use from him, returning to him at the same time a proportionate amount of the rent for the unexpired portion of the quarter.

Sec. 305. Rent for Private Boxes.-So long as persons who own boxes in post-offices permit them to remain, it is the duty of the postmaster to collect rent for those that are used.

Sec. 306. Postmasters not to disclose Names of Boxholders.-Postmasters are strictly prohibited from disclosing to any person the names of the persons owning or renting boxes in their post-offices.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

CARRIERS, FREE DELIVERY AND BRANCH OFFICES, AND STREET

Sec.

307. Letter-carrier post-offices.

308. Districting of cities.

309. Classification of carriers.

310. Salaries of carriers.

311. Auxiliary carriers.

312. Appointments and promotions.
313. Public buildings described.
314. Number of carriers limited.
315. Letter-carriers' bonds.

316. Applications for the carrier system.

317. How carriers are appointed. 318. Qualifications for appointment.

MAILING-BOXES.

319. Form of application for appointment.

320. Return of oaths and bonds.

321. Appointment of substitutes.

322. Postmasters may fill temporary vacancies.

323. Employment of additional carriers.

324. Duties of carriers generally.

325. Leaves of absence without pay. 326. Penalty for absence without leave.

327. Carriers to be uniformed; penalty for wearing unlawfully.

328. The uniform prescribed for carriers.
329. Carriers supply their own uniforms.
330. Behavior required of carriers.

331. Carriers not to contract debts on their routes.
332. Carriers not to solicit contributions, etc.
333. Establishment of street mailing-boxes.
334. Penalty for injuring street mailing-boxes.
335. Carriers must report injuries to street mail-
ing-boxes.

336. Establishment of branch post-offices.

337. No carrier's fee permitted.

338. The general delivery to be discouraged.
339. Accounts required at carrier post-offices.
340. Postmasters' reports of operations.
341. Postmasters' reports of expenses.

Sec.

342. Rules for delivery of matter.

343. Matter not to be delivered at unoccupied premises.

344. Mail-matter not to be delivered in the street. 345. Transient or to-be-called-for letters, how

treated.

346. City Directory to be used to ascertain addresses, when.

347. Carriers to receive letters for mailing.

348. What carriers may not do.

349. Return of undelivered matter.
350. Holiday and evening delivery.
351. Test of carriers' efficiency.

352. Prompt and frequent deliveries required.

333. Limited sale of stamps by carriers.

354. Branch post-offices or postal stations.

355. Mails between stations and the general post

office.

356. Advertised letters.

357. Care of street mailing-boxes.
358. Postmasters to inspect stations.

359. Carriers' daily return of property and mail.
360. Carriers must not return deposited letters.
361. Delivery of registered letters by carriers.
362. Postmasters to supervise carriers' service.
363. Arrest of persons found tampering with
street mailing-boxes..

364.
"Cave canem," "Beware of the dog."
365. Supplies for carrier post-offices.
366. Manner of keeping books.

For provisions respecting postage on secondclass matter at carrier post-offices, see Title II, Chapter Four.

For provisions for the collection of unpaid postage at such post-offices, see Title II, Chapter Six.

Sec. 307. Letter-carrier Post-offices.-Letter-carriers shall be employed for the free delivery of mail-matter as frequently as the public conve nience may require, at every place containing a population of fifty thou sand within the delivery of its post-office, and may be so employed at every place containing a population of not less than twenty thousand