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 PRELIMINARY INVENTORY OP THE 
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PRELIMINARY 
 
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 INVENTORIES 
 
 Number 16 8 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 The National Archives 
 National Archives and Records Service 
 General Services Administration 
 
 Washington: 1967 
 
PRELIMINARY INVENTORY OF THE RECORDS 
 
 OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 (Record Group 28) 
 
 Compiled by Arthur Hecht, Frank J. Nivert, Fred W. Warriner, Jr., 
 
 and Charlotte M. Ashby 
 
 Revised by Forrest R. 
 
 Holdcamper 
 
 
 ^ ^a/ited ^ 
 
 The National Archives 
 National Archives and Records Service 
 General Services Administration 
 
 Washington: 1967 
 
 iinWERSITV of \lunois 
 
National Archives Publication No. 68-1 
 
 Library of Congress Catalog Card No. A67-7559 
 

 OIL). 55^3 V 
 
 '7X/w3^'"^ 
 
 l'-7 
 
 FOREWORD 
 
 GSA through the National Archives and Records Service 
 is responsible for administering the permanent noncurrent 
 records of the Federal Government. These archival hold¬ 
 ings, now amounting to about 900, 000 cubic feet, date from 
 the days of the Continental Congresses; they include the 
 basic records of the three branches of our Government— 
 Congress, the courts, and the executive departments and 
 independent agencies. The Presidential Libraries—Hoover, 
 Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower—contain the papers of 
 those Presidents and many of their associates in office. 
 Among our holdings are many hallowed documents relating 
 to great events of our Nation’s history, preserved and ven¬ 
 erated as symbols to stimulate a worthy patriotism in all of 
 us. But most of the records are less dramatic, kept because 
 of their continuing practical utility for the ordinary proc¬ 
 esses of government, for the protection of private rights, 
 and for the research use of students and scholars. 
 
 To facilitate the use of the records and to describe their 
 nature and content, our archivists prepare various kinds of 
 finding aids. The present work is one such publication. We 
 believe that it will prove valuable to anyone who wishes to 
 use the records it describes. 
 
 LAWSON B. KNOTT, JR. 
 Administrator of General Services 
 
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PREFACE 
 
 The first step in therecords-description program of the 
 National Archives is the compilation of preliminary invento¬ 
 ries of the material in some 380 record groups to which the 
 holdings of the National Archives are allocated. These in¬ 
 ventories are called ’’preliminary" because they are provi¬ 
 sional in character. They are prepared as soon as possible 
 after the records are received without waiting to screen out 
 all disposable material or to perfect the arrangement of the 
 records. They are compiled primarily for internal use, both 
 as finding aids to help the staff render efficient reference 
 service and as a means of establishing administrative con¬ 
 trol over the records. 
 
 Each preliminary inventory contains an introduction that 
 briefly states the history and functions of the agency that 
 accumulated the records. The records themselves are de¬ 
 scribed series by series; that is, by units of records of the 
 same form or that deal with the same subject or activity or 
 that are arranged serially. Other significant information 
 about the records may sometimes be given in appendixes. 
 
 Several finding aids that give an overall picture of mate¬ 
 rials in the National Archives have been published. A com¬ 
 prehensive Guide to the Records in the National Archives 
 (1948) and a brief guide. Your Government’s Records in the 
 National Archives (revised 1950), have been issued” A guide 
 devoted to one geographical area- - Guide to Materials on Latin 
 America in the National Archives (1961)--has been published. 
 Forty-four Reference Information Papers, which analyze rec¬ 
 ords in the National Archives on such subjects as transpor¬ 
 tation, small business, and the Middle East, have so far been 
 issued. Records of the Civil War have been described in 
 Guide to Federal Archives Relating to the Civil War (1962) 
 
 V 
 
and Civil War Maps in the National Archives (1964), those 
 of World War I in Handbook of Federal World War Agencies 
 and Their Records, 1917-1921 (1943), and those of World 
 War n in the two-volume guide. Federal Records of World 
 War n (1950-51). Genealogical records have been listed in 
 Guide to Genealogical Records in the National Archives (1964). 
 Many bodies of records of high research value have been ed¬ 
 ited by the National Archives and reproduced on microfilm 
 as a form of publication. Positive prints of this microfilm, 
 many of which are described in the List of National Archives 
 Microfilm Publications (1966), are available for purchase. 
 
 ROBERT H. BAHMER 
 Archivist of the United States 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 Introduction. 1 
 
 Inventory. 3 
 
 Records of the Office of the Postmaster General . 3 
 
 Records of the immediate office of the Postmaster General 3 
 Records of the Office of the Executive Assistant to the 
 
 Postmaster General. 4 
 
 Records of the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the 
 
 Postmaster General . 4 
 
 Records of the Office of the Chief Clerk . 4 
 
 Records maintained by the Appointment Clerk. 6 
 
 Records maintained by the Museum. 6 
 
 Records of the Disbursing Officer. 7 
 
 Records of the Private Secretary to the Postmaster 
 
 General. 8 
 
 Records of the Division of Service Relations. 8 
 
 Records of the Office of the Solicitor. 8 
 
 Central numeric file. 9 
 
 Other records. 10 
 
 Records of the Office of the Purchasing Agent. 12 
 
 Records of the Bureau of the First Assistant Postmaster 
 
 General. 12 
 
 Records of the immediate office of the First Assistant Post¬ 
 master General. 12 
 
 Records of the Division of Postmasters. 13 
 
 Records of the Division of Post Office Clerical Service . . 14 
 
 Records of the Division of City Delivery Service. 15 
 
 Records of the Division of Rural Delivery Service. 16 
 
 Records of the Division of Post Office Service. 16 
 
 Records of the Division of Dead Letters. 17 
 
 Records of the Bureau of the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 
 General. 17 
 
 Records of the immediate office of the Second Assistant 
 
 Postmaster General. 17 
 
 Records of the Special Administrative Aide. 18 
 
 Records of the Division of Railway Mail Service. 18 
 
 Records relating to the star route service. 20 
 
 vii 
 
Page 
 
 Records relating to star service by motortrucks. 22 
 
 Records relating to powerboat service. 22 
 
 Records of the Division of Railway Adjustments. 23 
 
 Records relating to mail messenger service. 24 
 
 Records of the Division of International Postal Service ... 24 
 
 Records relating to ocean mail service. 26 
 
 Records relating to foreign and military postal service . 26 
 
 Records relating to the foreign airmail service. 27 
 
 Records of the Division of Air Mail Service. 28 
 
 Records of the Bureau of the Third Assistant Postmaster 
 
 General. 29 
 
 Records of the Division of Finance. 30 
 
 Records of the Postal Savings System. 30 
 
 Records of the Division of Money Orders. 31 
 
 Records of the Division of Stamps. 31 
 
 Records of the Division of Newspaper and Periodical Mail . 32 
 
 Records of the Division of Parcel Post . 32 
 
 Records of the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 
 General. 32 
 
 Records of the immediate office of the Fourth Assistant 
 
 Postmaster General. 32 
 
 Records of the Division of Topography. 33 
 
 Records of the Division of Motor Vehicle Service. 35 
 
 Records of the Pneumatic Tube Service. 35 
 
 Records of the Division of Post Office Quarters. 36 
 
 Records of the Division of Equipment and Supplies. 37 
 
 Records of the Division of Rural Mails . 37 
 
 Records of the Bureau of Accounts. 38 
 
 Records of the Bureau of the Chief Inspector. 39 
 
 Appendixes: 
 
 I. Functions under the jurisdiction of the First Assistant Post¬ 
 master General, 1789-1950 . 43 
 
 n. Changes in the organization of and services furnished by the 
 Bureau of the Second Assistant Postmaster General, 
 
 1841-1950 . 44 
 
 in. List of postal conventions and agreements among the rec¬ 
 ords of the Bureau of the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General (entry 141). 47 
 
 IV. Special list of post-route maps (entry 189). 51 
 
 V. List of manuscript post-route maps (entry 191). 54 
 
 Vlll 
 
OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 9 
 
 with a staff from the appropriations for the 
 Post Office Department. His title was changed 
 to Solicitor for the Post Office Department by 
 an act of June 16, 1914 (38 Stat. 454). 
 
 An act of July 28, 1916 (39 Stat. 412), au¬ 
 thorized the appointment by the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral of a Special Assistant to the Attorney Gen¬ 
 eral, and the position was provided for by postal 
 appropriations from 1917 to 1934. This official 
 assisted "in the defense of cases against the 
 United States arising out of the transportation 
 of the mails, and in other cases and matters 
 affecting the postal revenues. ” In 1934 the Of¬ 
 fice of the Special Assistant to the Attorney Gen¬ 
 eral and the Office of the Solicitor for the Post 
 Office Department were merged to form the Of¬ 
 fice of the Solicitor of the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment. Thereafter the appropriations for this 
 Office were disbursed by the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The functions delegated to the Office by the 
 Postmaster General included drafting bills for 
 Congress, amendments to postal laws and regu¬ 
 lations, and legal opinions; preparing reports 
 on legislation pertaining to the Department; 
 representing the Postmaster General before 
 regulatory commissions; settling claims against 
 the Department; passing upon the legality of 
 contracts involving the Department; trying cases 
 resulting from alleged use of the mails to de¬ 
 fraud; assisting in the defense of cases against 
 the Federal Government arising from postal ac¬ 
 tivities; and considering applications for execu¬ 
 tive clemency for persons violating postal laws. 
 
 CENTRAL NUMERIC FILE 
 
 In 1905 the Office of the Assistant Attorney 
 General for the Post Office Department estab¬ 
 lished a num.eric file in which most records were 
 to be maintained. Records relating to a single 
 activity were put in a case file, which was as¬ 
 signed a serial number. At the time the individ¬ 
 ual case files were organized, a register of 
 transactions and subject cards were prepared to 
 serve as an index to the series. This system 
 was continued by the successors to the Assistant 
 Attorney General until 1951, when a new filing 
 system was adopted. 
 
 In 1934 most records relating to Federal 
 operation of telephone, telegraph, and cable 
 companies for the period 1918-21 were with¬ 
 drawn from the series and transferred to the 
 newly created Federal Communications Commis¬ 
 sion (see entry 38). In 1944 another segment 
 relating to the enforcement of the Espionage Act 
 during World War I was transferred to the Na¬ 
 tional Archives (see entry 40). The segments 
 
 described in entries 36 and 41-46 were also 
 transferred to the National Archives. In 1953 
 the Post Office Department and the National 
 Archives reappraised these records for the 
 purpose of eliminating those of negligible re¬ 
 search value. Acting under congressional au¬ 
 thorization, they disposed of most of the files. 
 
 (For a sampling, see entry 36.) 
 
 35. CARD INDEX TO GENERAL RECORDS. 
 
 1905-21. 3 ft. 
 
 These 5" x 8" cards show the name of the 
 violator of a postal law or regulation, type of 
 violation, law or regulation violated, and case 
 number. Arranged alphabetically by name of 
 violator. 
 
 36. GENERAL RECORDS. 1905-21. 10 ft. 
 
 Selected case files consisting chiefly of cor¬ 
 respondence, m.emoranda, postal inspectors' 
 reports, and exhibits (mainly copies of publica¬ 
 tions) relating to cases involving the use of the 
 mails for fraud, sedition, lotteries, false 
 advertising, and obscene matter, and other 
 violations of postal laws and regulations. Also 
 included are some records relating to the organi¬ 
 zation and administration of the Office. Ar¬ 
 ranged by case number. 
 
 37. CARD INDEX TO RECORDS RELATING TO 
 FEDERAL OPERATION OF TELEPHONE, 
 TELEGRAPH, AND CABLE COMPANIES. 
 1919-21. 12 ft. 
 
 These 4" x 6" cards show the original 
 registry numbers of the records described in 
 entry 38. Arranged alphabetically by subject. 
 
 38. RECORDS RELATING TO FEDERAL OPERA¬ 
 
 TION OF TELEPHONE, TELEGRAPH, AND 
 CABLE COMPANIES. 1918-21. 12 ft. 
 
 These records document Federal control of 
 
 communication systems under a joint congres¬ 
 sional resolution of July 16, 1918, and a Presi¬ 
 dential proclamation of July 22, 1918, authoriz¬ 
 ing the Postmaster General to supervise the 
 operation of all telephone, telegraph, and cable 
 companies. The companies continued to operate 
 the facilities as agents of the Government until 
 January 1, 1919, when the Postmaster General 
 established a Board of Operations within the 
 United States Telegraph and Telephone Adminis¬ 
 tration to manage the facilities. The facilities 
 were returned to their owners on July 31, 1919, 
 and the Postmaster General determined the rate 
 of compensation due each company. The Solici¬ 
 tor handled the resulting litigation, and he 
 inherited and organized all the records of Federal 
 operation. In 1934 the records were transferred 
 
10 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 to the Federal Communications Commission 
 and, later, to the National Archives. Included 
 in the records are studies and reports on private 
 operation of various communication systems; 
 orders, correspondence, memoranda, reports, 
 circulars, bulletins, and publicity materials 
 relating to Federal operation; and dockets relat¬ 
 ing to the settlement of the compensatory claims. 
 Arranged by type of record. 
 
 39. CARD RECORDS RELATING TO FEDERAL 
 
 OPERATION OF TELEPHONE, TELE¬ 
 GRAPH, AND CABLE COMPANIES. 1919- 
 21. 13 ft. 
 
 On 3" X 5” and 5” x 8 ' cards. The cards 
 are arranged alphabetically in seven groups as 
 follows: (1) names and addresses of telephone, 
 telegraph, and cable companies; (2) names and 
 addresses of holding and subsidiary companies; 
 (3) data on income and depreciation for individual 
 firms; (4) names of companies submitting re¬ 
 ports and completed questionnaires; (5) data on 
 rate changes for individual firms; (6) names of 
 cities in which companies were located; and 
 (7) names of Members of Congress with whom 
 the Post Office Department corresponded re¬ 
 garding the program. 
 
 40. RECORDS RELATING TO THE ESPIONAGE 
 
 ACT, WORLD WAR 1. 1917-21. 94 ft. 
 
 Case files relating to the denial of second- 
 
 class mailing privileges to periodicals and other 
 publications under section 12 of the Espionage 
 Act of June 15, 1917 (40 Stat. 217). The act 
 provided that any matter advocating treason, 
 insurrection, or forcible resistance to any law 
 of the United States was nonmailable. Included 
 in the files are opinions interpreting the act. 
 
 Part of the case files are arranged numerically. 
 
 41. RECORDS RELATING TO THE ESPIONAGE 
 ACT, WORLD WAR H. 1942-45. 25 ft. 
 
 Case files similar to those described in 
 
 entry 40, pertaining to the denial of mailing 
 privileges to certain publications. Arranged by 
 case number. 
 
 42. RECORDS RELATING TO AIRMAIL AND 
 OCEAN-MAIL CONTRACTS. 1934-40. 
 
 32 ft. 
 
 Records relating to an investigation of air¬ 
 mail and ocean-mail contracts in 1933-35 by a 
 special committee of the Senate, to hearings 
 held by the Postmaster General and his subordi¬ 
 nates on such contracts in accordance with an 
 Executive order of July 11, 1934, and to the 
 subsequent altering or canceling of the contracts. 
 Included are interdepartmental and congressional 
 
 correspondence relating to investigations; re¬ 
 ports, studies, statistical tabulations, and ac¬ 
 counting materials containing detailed data on the 
 operation of numerous air- and ocean-transport 
 companies; correspondence and publications 
 criticizing contracts; postal inspectors' reports 
 on contracts; applications, bids, authorizations, 
 orders, decisions, and other materials relating 
 to negotiations on contracts; dossiers relating 
 to airmail rate proceedings before the Inter¬ 
 state Commerce Commission; and reports on 
 the classification of ocean-mail contract vessels. 
 In two groups, each arranged by case number. 
 For transcripts of the hearings, see entry 53. 
 
 43. CORRESPONDENCE AND MEMORANDA 
 RELATING TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF 
 FOREIGN PUBUCATIONS. 1940-47. 1 ft. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 44. BRIEFS OF CONTENTS OF NONMAILABLE 
 PUBLICATIONS. 1940-47. 9 ft. 
 
 Arranged by number, 0001-07551. 
 
 45. LISTS OF MAILABLE AND NONMAILABLE 
 
 PUBLICATIONS. 1940-47. 6 ft. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by title of publica¬ 
 tion. 
 
 46. CASE FILE RELATING TO ESQUIRE 
 MAGAZINE. 1943-46. 10 ft. 
 
 The official documentation relating to the 
 attempt by the Postmaster General to revoke 
 the second-class mailing privileges of Esquire 
 on charges of obscenity, and the magazine's 
 successful appeal to the courts to overrule him. 
 The file includes complaints against the periodi¬ 
 cal, reports and findings of the Department, 
 transcripts of the judicial proceedings, exhibits, 
 and related correspondence. Arranged by type 
 of record. 
 
 OTHER RECORDS 
 
 47. OFFICE FIIES OF WILLIAM H. LAMAR. 
 1912-22. 8 in. 
 
 Mr. Lamar served as Special Assistant 
 Attorney General and later as Solicitor for the 
 Post Office Department. His files include 
 papers relating to Federal operation of the tele¬ 
 graph and telephone systems; minutes of the 
 Twenty-First Annual Convention of the National 
 Association of Postmasters, 1921; applications 
 and correspondence relating to the recruitment 
 of translators; and miscellaneous materials con¬ 
 cerning the use of the mails by certain publica¬ 
 tions. Arranged by type of record. 
 
OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 11 
 
 48. OPINIONS. 1868-74, 1895-97. 3 in. 
 
 Relate chiefly to the denial of mailing priv¬ 
 ileges of certain periodicals and pamphlets, and 
 to lotteries, loss of mail, accounting for funds 
 of the Department, disposal of stamps, issuance 
 of postal cards, the franking privilege, invest¬ 
 ment schemes investigated by the Department, 
 installation of pneumatic tubes, and liabilities of 
 the Department in connection with delays in 
 delivering mail. The opinions for the period 
 1895-97 are in the form of copies of outgoing 
 letters, numbered 1482-1572. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 49. LETTERS SENT. Feb. 1877-Mar. 1879; 
 
 July-Aug. 1906. 2 vols. 3 in. 
 
 Press copies of outgoing letters relating to 
 changes in postal laws, mail contracts, the 
 classification of second-class mailing matter. 
 Southern ante bellum claims, franking-privilege 
 fraud orders, applications for pardons, claims 
 for rewards, and monthly work reports. Ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically. 
 
 50. "FRAUD ORDER CASE FILES. " 1834-79, 
 
 1881-96, 1912-47. 79 ft. 
 
 Relate mainly to the use of the mails to send 
 fraudulent advertisements, lotteries, and 
 obscene matter. Each file includes a report on 
 findings, a statement on the application of laws 
 and regulations to the case, the recommendation 
 and order of the Postmaster General, and the 
 acknowledgment of receipt of the order by the 
 local postmaster to whom the mail was delivered. 
 Included in some case files are applications to 
 restore mailing privileges or applications for 
 executive clemency. Also included are case 
 files relating to claims by private citizens for 
 damages resulting from postal operations. Ar¬ 
 ranged by case number. 
 
 51. REGISTER OF "FRAUD ORDERS. " 
 
 Nov. 1879-June 30, 1951. 8 vols. 5 ft. 
 
 The orders forbade postmasters to pay 
 
 any postal money orders to transmit mail for 
 specific violators of postal laws and regulations. 
 The orders are arranged numerically, 1-9199. 
 Some similar service orders are described in 
 entry 1. 
 
 52. TRANSCRIPTS OF HEARINGS ON FRAUD 
 
 CASES. 1913-45. 63 ft. 
 
 Relate to some of the cases described in 
 entry 50, chiefly those concerned with fraudulent 
 stock, real estate ventures, and quackery. Ar¬ 
 ranged by serial number, 1-280. A transcript 
 of the proceedings in United States v. George E . 
 Lorenz, Martha J. Lorenz, August W. Machen, 
 
 Diller B. Groff, and Samuel A. Groff (1904), 
 relating to frauds perpetrated by Post Office 
 employees, is at the beginning of the series. 
 
 53. TRANSCRIPTS OF HEARINGS ON AIRMAIL 
 AND OCEAN-MAIL CONTRACTS. Oct.- 
 Dec. 1934. 7 ft. 
 
 The hearings, called to consider the cancel¬ 
 lation of certain contracts, relate to the 1933-35 
 investigation referred to in entry 42. The tran¬ 
 scripts are arranged chronologically. 
 
 54. DOCKET OF CASES REFERRED TO THE 
 ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR 
 THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 1886-90. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Includes the name and date of each case, the 
 name of the departmental unit from whom the 
 case was received, and comments about its dis¬ 
 position. The entries are arranged chronologi¬ 
 cally. 
 
 55. FRAUD DOCKETS. 1900-July 1951. 
 
 22 vols. 3 ft. 
 
 Contain the names of the defendants involved 
 in postal law violations, names of their attorneys, 
 and digests of correspondence relating to the 
 cases. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 56. DOCKETS OF STATE AND FEDERAL DIS¬ 
 TRICT COURT CASES INVOLVING POSTAL 
 LAWS. July 1917-July 1951. 4 vols. 8 in. 
 Relate mainly to lotteries and to matters of 
 
 obscenity. Arranged by State or district court 
 and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 57. REGISTERS OF POSTMASTERS' CLAIMS. 
 1882-1929. 19 vols. 3 ft. 
 
 Prepared in connection with the administra¬ 
 tion of the act of March 17, 1882 (22 Stat. 29), 
 authorizing the Postmaster General to credit or 
 reimburse postmasters for the loss of money 
 order funds, postage stamps, and other stamped 
 paper under circumstances such as fire, theft, 
 or flood. Each register entry includes the name 
 and address of the postmaster, cause of the loss, 
 and a comment about the disposition of the claim. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 58. SURETY BONDS ("JUSTIFICATIONS"). 
 1901-2, 1908. 8 in. 
 
 Mainly justifications issued by the United 
 States Fidelity & Guarantee Corporation for 
 bonding mail-route carriers. Each justification 
 includes the name of the bonded individual and, 
 usually, a reference to his assigned route. Also 
 included are samples of bonds used in other units 
 of the Department, which were sent to the 
 
12 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Assistant Attorney General in accordance with 
 Postmaster General's Order No. 1821 of Octo¬ 
 ber 20, 1908. Arranged chronologically, 
 
 RECORDS OF THE OFFICE 
 OF THE PURCHASING AGENT 
 
 An act of April 28, 1904 (33 Stat. 429), 
 authorized the President to appoint a Purchasing 
 Agent to coordinate and supervise all procure¬ 
 ment programs of the Department. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE FIRST 
 
 RECOKDS OF THE IMMEDIATE OFFICE 
 OF THE FIRST 
 
 ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 60. LETTERS SENT. Oct. 27, 1793-Mar. 26, 
 1800. 3 vols. 3 in. 
 
 Handwritten copies of letters sent by the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General relating to 
 contracts for new mail routes and post roads, 
 to mail contracts, and to payment of salaries to 
 postmasters. The volumes were originally 
 marked "A, " "B, ” and "C. " Volumes "A" and 
 "B" are also marked "Assistant Postmaster 
 General" and volume "C" is marked "First 
 Assistant. " The letters are arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 61. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. 
 1911-28, 1929-32. 8 in. 
 
 Correspondence of Arch Coleman, First 
 
 Assistant Postmaster General, 1929-32, relating 
 to semiofficial matters including political ac¬ 
 tivities, speeches, trips, publicity, and relations 
 with other Government officials; and correspond¬ 
 ence regarding salaries, promotions, and an 
 overall war plan. Arranged in three chronologi¬ 
 cal groups. 
 
 62. STATEMENTS RELATING TO POST OF¬ 
 FICE DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION 
 BILLS AND OTHER LEGISLATION. 1912- 
 31. 1 ft. 
 
 Through the Division of Post Office Serv¬ 
 ice, the First Assistant Postmaster General 
 prepared advisory statements for the Postmaster 
 General concerning proposed legislation affect¬ 
 ing Department personnel. These statements 
 relate to such subjects as salary increases, 
 overtime pay, retirement, and leave. Included 
 is some correspondence with Members of 
 Congress regarding postal service appointments. 
 Arranged by subject. 
 
 59. LETTERS SENT. May-Dec. 1904, Jan.- 
 
 Mar. 1910, June-Dee. 1910. 9 vols. 1 ft. 
 
 Press copies of outgoing letters relating to 
 the purchase of supplies and equipment and their 
 specifications, changes in contracts, and adver¬ 
 tisements for bids. The letters are arranged 
 chronologically. Each volume includes an index 
 to the names of the correspondents. Records 
 relating to the purchase of furniture for rural 
 post offices from Waddel Wooden Ware Works 
 are at the end of the series. 
 
 ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 63. CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS RELAT¬ 
 ING TO CREDIT UNIONS FOR POSTAL 
 EMPLOYEES. 1923-41. 6 ft. 
 
 As part of its employee-relations program, 
 the Department--under its Service Relations Of¬ 
 fice in the Office of the Postmaster General 
 from 1923 to 1935 and thereafter under the First 
 Assistant Postmaster General--sponsored and 
 assisted the development of credit unions for 
 postal employees. The records consist of cor¬ 
 respondence and reports of postmasters, credit 
 union officers, postal inspectors, and others 
 regarding the development and control of credit 
 unions. Arranged alphabetically by State and 
 thereunder by city. 
 
 64. ORDERS ("JOURNALS”). July 1867-Feb. 
 
 1905. 71 vols. 21 ft. 
 
 Handwritten copies of orders written by the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General for the 
 Postmaster General's signature. The orders 
 show dates of appointment and salaries of let¬ 
 ter carriers in the city delivery service; dates of 
 establishment and discontinuance of post offices 
 and changes in their names and sites; and names 
 of postmasters appointed and the persons they 
 replaced. Similar orders are found in the journals 
 of the Postmaster General from July 1835 to 
 June 1867 (see entry 1). After February 20, 
 
 1905, all orders of the Postmaster General, 
 regardless of the Assistant's office where they 
 were written, were bound together. The journal 
 entries are arranged chronologically. 
 
 65. REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE RE¬ 
 LATING TO CONVENTIONS OF POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1908-9, 1922-28. 7 in. 
 
 Copies of reports and correspondence relating 
 to the attendance of the Superintendent of the Divi¬ 
 sion at regional and State conventions of postal 
 officials (see also entry 66). Arranged in part 
 alphabetically by State where convention was held. 
 
BUREAU OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 13 
 
 66. REPORTS RELATING TO CONVENTIONS 
 OF POSTMASTERS. 1922-27. 5 in. 
 
 Mainly reports, with related correspond¬ 
 ence and exhibits, from postal inspectors who 
 represented the Department at regional and 
 State conventions of postal officials (see also 
 entry 65). Arranged alphabetically by State 
 where convention was held. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 DIVISION OF POSTMASTERS 
 
 67. RECORD OF FIRST RETURNS RECEIVED 
 FROM POSTMASTERS. Oct. 1789-July 
 1818. 1 vol. 4 in. 
 
 Postmasters were required to submit 
 quarterly statements of their accounts (”re- 
 turns") to the Postmaster General. This vol¬ 
 ume, marked "All States and Territories 1790- 
 1820, ” was apparently prepared from accounts 
 of postmasters after the original record was 
 burned in a fire in 1836. It contains names of 
 post offices and States where located, names of 
 postmasters, and dates when postmasters' first 
 returns were received by the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral. The names of postmasters are frequently 
 misspelled and there are other inaccuracies. 
 
 By referring to the volumes described in entry 
 68 and to the letter books of the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral and accounts current, the actual dates of 
 appointments of postmasters from 1789 to about 
 1800 can be found. The returns are arranged 
 alphabetically by first letter of name of post 
 office and thereunder by State. 
 
 68. RECORD OF APPOINTMENT OF POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1815-32. 6 vols. 2 ft. 
 
 The volumes are numbered 2-7. Volume 2 
 is divided into three parts: (1) the names of 
 post offices in operation in 1814, arranged al¬ 
 phabetically, (2) the names of post offices inad¬ 
 vertently omitted from the first group, and 
 (3) the names of post offices established from 
 1815 to 1818, arranged by date of establishment. 
 For each post office are given the name and date 
 of appointment of each postmaster, the number 
 assigned to the post office by the Postmaster 
 General, any changes in the name of the post of¬ 
 fice, the date of discontinuance, the amount of 
 the surety bond, and the date of any changes in 
 the bond. 
 
 Volume 3 is divided into two parts: (1) the 
 names of post offices in operation in 1818, ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically, and (2) the names of post 
 offices established from 1818 to 1823, arranged 
 by date of establishment or change in name. In 
 addition to the types of information concerning 
 each post office that are given in Volume 2, this 
 
 volume gives the names of sureties. (The first 
 part of this volume also gives, for each post 
 office, the name of the last postmaster listed 
 in Volume 2. ) 
 
 Volume 4 is divided into two parts: (1) the 
 names of post offices in operation in 1824, ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically, and (2) the names of post 
 offices established from 1825 to 1827, arranged 
 by date of establishment. In addition to the types 
 of information concerning each post office that 
 are given in Volume 3, this volume gives the 
 name of the county in which each post office is 
 located. 
 
 Volume 5 is divided into two parts: (1) the 
 names of all post offices in operation in 1827, 
 arranged alphabetically, and (2) the names of 
 post offices established from January 1827 to 
 October 1828, arranged by date of establishment. 
 This volume gives the same types of information 
 concerning each post office as are given in 
 volume 4. 
 
 Volumes 6 and 7 are arranged by the first 
 letter of the name of the post office, A-L and 
 M-Z, respectively. Under each letter, post 
 offices in existence in 1828 are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically, followed by post offices established 
 from 1828 to 1832, arranged by date of estab¬ 
 lishment. In addition to the same types of informa¬ 
 tion concerning each post office as are given in 
 volume 4, these two volumes give the dates of 
 name changes for many post offices. 
 
 69. RECORD OF APPOINTMENT OF POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1832-1930. 98 vols. 33 ft. 
 
 The volumes, which are numbered 8 to 101, 
 have been rebound so that there are now 98 vol¬ 
 umes. Included in the information given are 
 names of postmasters for each post office and 
 dates of their appointments; dates of discontinu¬ 
 ance, reestablishment, and name changes of post 
 offices; dates of Presidential appointments of 
 postmasters and dates of their confirmation by 
 the Senate; usually, dates post offices were au¬ 
 thorized to issue money orders; and, occasionally, 
 dates of changes in location or site. Until 1844 
 the names of sureties for postmasters and the 
 dates and amounts of their bonds are given. The 
 records are arranged in the approximate periods 
 1832-42, 1843-57, 1858-73, 1874-89, and 1890- 
 1930; thereunder by name of State or territory in 
 rough alphabetical order; thereunder by name of 
 county; and thereunder by name of post office. 
 
 A penciled list shows the volume numbers for 
 each State. An index by name of post office is 
 described in entry 72. See also entries 70 and 
 71. 
 
14 
 
 RECOFIDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 70. RECORD OF THE COMMISSIONING AND 
 APPOINTMENT OF POSTMASTERS. 
 1889-1908. 68 vols. 21ft. 
 
 The record appears to have been compiled 
 under the Office of the Fourth Assistant Post¬ 
 master General from 1889 to 1906 in connection 
 with the bonding and commissioning of post¬ 
 masters. In 1906 this function was transferred 
 to the First Assistant Postmaster General, and 
 after a short time the record was discontinued. 
 The record contains names, dates of appoint¬ 
 ment, commissions, and salaries of postmasters; 
 names of post offices; names of counties where 
 located; dates of establishment, discontinuance, 
 and reestablishment; name and site changes; 
 and dates of establishment of rural delivery 
 service where post offices were discontinued. 
 Arranged alphabetically by State and thereunder 
 by post office. The volumes include some in¬ 
 formation not contained in the series described 
 in entry 69 and should be used in conjunction 
 with that series. 
 
 71. DAILY RECORD OF THE APPOINTMENT 
 OF POSTMASTERS AND OF THE ESTAB¬ 
 LISHMENT, DISCONTINUANCE, AND 
 NAME AND SITE CHANGES OF POST OF¬ 
 FICES. Jan. 1899-Dec. 1914. 42 vols. 
 
 12 ft. 
 
 For each post office where a change occur¬ 
 red the following information is given; its name, 
 county and State where located, names of post¬ 
 master appointed and of postmaster retiring, 
 cause of change, and other remarks concerning 
 postmasters. From 1889 to 1905 these volumes 
 were prepared in the Office of the Fourth Assis¬ 
 tant Postmaster General; in 1906 the function 
 was assumed by the First Assistant Postmaster 
 General. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 72. INDEX TO THE RECORD OF APPOINT¬ 
 MENT OF POSTMASTERS. 1840-1908. 
 
 27 vols. 9 ft. 
 
 The volume for 1840-54 includes names of 
 post offices in all States and territories with the 
 exception of Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, and the 
 New England and the Middle Atlantic States; 
 later volumes include names of post offices in 
 all States and territories in existence at the time 
 of compilation. The volumes through 1876 give 
 name changes and frequently dates of reestab¬ 
 lishment and discontinuance; later volumes give 
 only names of post offices. This series can be 
 used as an index to part of the records described 
 in entry 69, if the name of the post office is 
 known. The records are arranged in the periods 
 1840-54, 1855-69, 1870-76, 1877-91, and 
 1892-1908; and thereunder alphabetically by 
 name of post office. 
 
 73. ALPHABETICAL RECORD OF APPOINT¬ 
 MENT OF POSTMASTERS IN IOWA, 
 LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, AND MISSOURI, 
 ("INDEX TO POST OFFICES"). 1866-74. 
 
 2 vols. 6 in. 
 
 An incomplete record that can be used in 
 conjunction with entries 69 and 72. Each entry 
 contains the names, changes in names, and dates 
 of discontinuance of post offices and the names, 
 dates of appointment, and salaries of postmasters. 
 Arranged alphabetically by name of post office. 
 
 74. MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS REGARDING 
 THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT 
 OF POSTMASTERS. 1907-13. 1 ft. 
 Correspondence, reports, and memoranda 
 
 pertaining to the qualifications of applicants; and 
 petitions, applications, and other records relat¬ 
 ing to the service of incumbent postmasters. 
 Arranged alphabetically by State and thereunder 
 by city. 
 
 75. CORRESPONDENCE WITH MEMBERS OF 
 CONGRESS CONCERNING ACTING POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1923-24. 1 in. 
 
 Relates to the appointment of acting post¬ 
 masters as postmasters. Arranged in two 
 groups, for 1923 and 1924. 
 
 76. REPORTS OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 
 INVESTIGATIONS OF APPLICATIONS FOR 
 POSTMASTERSHIPS. 1918-21. 4 ft. 
 Summaries and verbatim reports of inter¬ 
 views conducted with legislators and prominent 
 citizens concerning the qualifications of candidates 
 for postmasterships. Arranged alphabetically by 
 State. 
 
 77. EXHIBITS RELATING TO THE CASE OF 
 POSTMASTER JOHN A. THORNTON OF 
 PHILADELPHIA. 1915-21. 2 ft. 
 Correspondence, reports, notes, and affi¬ 
 davits collected in the investigation of charges 
 of political activity and favoritism against Post¬ 
 master Thornton. Arranged in the order listed. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 POST OFFICE CLERICAL SERVICE 
 
 78. RECORD OF SALARIES OF REGULAR 
 CLERKS AND OTHER PERSONNEL IN 
 FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS POST OFFICES. 
 July 1, 1889-June 30, 1907. 28 vols. 6 ft. 
 For each post office the record contains the 
 
 name of each clerk, his title, salary, date of 
 appointment, and date of separation or other 
 change in status. Each volume is indexed by 
 name of post office. The volumes for 1896-1907 
 are numbered from 1 to 24; the others are not 
 
BUREAU OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 15 
 
 numbered. Arranged within the periods 1889- 
 96, 1896-99, 1899-1904, and 1904-7; thereunder 
 alphabetically by name of post office; and there¬ 
 under, for large offices, alphabetically by name 
 of clerk, or, for small offices, chronologically 
 by date of appointment. 
 
 79. RECORD OF APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTI¬ 
 TUTE CLERKS IN THE FIRST- AND 
 SECOND-CLASS POST OFFICES. July 1, 
 1899-June 30, 1905. 2 vols. 3 in. 
 
 For each post office the record contains 
 the name of the substitute clerk, date of his 
 appointment to that position, date of his appoint¬ 
 ment as a regular clerk, and notations concern¬ 
 ing any other changes in his status. Arranged 
 alphabetically by name of post office and there¬ 
 under by date of appointment. 
 
 80. RECORD CARDS OF SECOND-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1916-25. 3 in. 
 
 Each card gives date of establishment of 
 post office. Some of the cards also give the 
 date of establishment of city delivery service. 
 Arranged alphabetically by city or town. 
 
 81. RECORDS RELATING TO CONTRACT 
 STATIONS AND BRANCHES. 1916-35. 
 
 53 ft. 
 
 Included are bids for contract stations, 
 recommendations of postmasters, reports of 
 postal inspectors, copies of contracts (some 
 signed), petitions, complaints, notices, cor¬ 
 respondence, and other material relating to the 
 establishment, operation, and discontinuance of 
 contract post office stations. These stations 
 were usually in large cities or their suburbs 
 and were operated on a contract basis. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State and thereunder by city. 
 
 82. REPORTS RELATING TO SUNDAY SERV¬ 
 ICE AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL 
 PERSONNEL. 1911-12. 2 ft. 
 
 Reports received from the postmasters at 
 certain large post offices regarding the opera¬ 
 tion of Sunday service and the number of addi¬ 
 tional personnel needed to make the 8-hour-day 
 law operable. Some of the reports also give 
 detailed statements concerning the operation of 
 post offices. Arranged alphabetically by State 
 and thereunder by city. 
 
 83. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THIRD-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1925-36. 3 in. 
 
 Relates to the operation of the post offices, 
 
 with particular emphasis on the annual allowances 
 for hiring clerks. Arranged in rough chronolog¬ 
 ical order. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 CITY DELIVERY SERVICE 
 
 84. RECORD CARDS OF CARRIERS SEPARATED 
 FROM THE POSTAL SERVICE. 1863-99. 
 
 12 ft. 
 
 Each card, 3" x 5", contains name of post 
 office, name of carrier, date of appointment, 
 reason for separation, and, after 1873, date of 
 separation. Arranged alphabetically by post 
 office and thereunder by name of carrier. 
 
 85. REGISTER OF REGULAR CARRIERS IN 
 
 FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS POST OF¬ 
 FICES. 1888-1902. 5 vols. 1 ft. 
 
 For each post office the register lists names 
 of carriers, dates of orders and effective dates of 
 appointments, salaries, dates of promotions or 
 other changes in status, and, in many cases, 
 dates of oaths and dates of receipts of bond. The 
 entries are arranged alphabetically by name of 
 post office and thereunder by name of carrier. 
 
 For a register of substitute carriers, see en¬ 
 try 87. See entry 89 for an index. 
 
 86. RECORD OF SALARIES OF REGULAR CAR¬ 
 RIERS AT FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1906-7. 3 vols. 6 in. 
 These volumes, which are numbered 25 to 
 
 27, contain the following information about each 
 carrier in each post office: name, age, date of 
 appointment and of any change in status, grade 
 classification, and, if removed from position, 
 reasons for removal. For large offices the 
 names of substitute laborers and janitors are 
 also given. Arranged alphabetically by name of 
 post office and thereunder, for large offices, 
 alphabetically by name of carrier, or, for small 
 offices, chronologically by date of appointment. 
 
 87. REGISTER OF SUBSTITUTE CARRIERS IN 
 FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS POST OF¬ 
 FICES. 1889-1903. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 For each post office the register lists each 
 substitute carrier's name, date of appointment 
 and effective date of service, and date of his 
 oath and date of receipt of his bond. The entries 
 are arranged alphabetically by name of post of¬ 
 fice and thereunder by name of carrier. See 
 entry 85 for a register of regular carriers and 
 entry 88 for an index to part of this series. 
 
 88. INDEX TO NAMES OF SUBSTITUTE CAR¬ 
 
 RIERS IN FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1892-96. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Listed are the carrier's name and date of 
 
 appointment and a code number for the name of 
 the post office. This index covers part of the 
 
16 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 register described in entry 87. The entries 
 are arranged alphabetically by name of carrier. 
 
 89. INDEX TO NAMES OF CARRIERS IN SMALL 
 
 CITY POST OFFICES. 1888-1902. 1 vol. 
 
 1 in. 
 
 This is an index to part of the register de¬ 
 scribed in entry 85. Listed are each carrier's 
 name, date of appointment, date of any change 
 in status, and a code number for the name of the 
 post office. The entries are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of carrier. 
 
 90. ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBER OF CLERKS 
 AND CARRIERS NEEDED BY FIRST- AND 
 SECOND-CLASS POST OFFICES FOR THE 
 FISCAL YEAR 1924. May-June 1923. 2 ft. 
 Included are work reports, recommenda¬ 
 tions for promotions, plans of working quarters, 
 and designations of routes. Arranged alphabeti¬ 
 cally by State and thereunder by city. 
 
 91. REPORTS CONCERNING INSPECTIONS OF 
 CITY DELIVERY SERVICE AT BALTIMORE, 
 MD., KALAMAZOO, MICH., AND PITTS¬ 
 BURGH, PA. 1929-31. 2 in. 
 
 A part of a much larger series of records, 
 most of which has been destroyed. The reports 
 show in detail the operation of city delivery serv¬ 
 ice in these cities. Arranged by city. 
 
 92. RECORDS RELATING TO THE DETROIT 
 RIVER STEAMBOAT SERVICE. 1895- 
 1928. 1 ft. 
 
 Under this service, inaugurated in 1895, 
 mail was supplied to Great Lakes steamers pass¬ 
 ing through the Detroit River. The records 
 include correspondence, contracts, blueprints, 
 and photographs of facilities. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 RURAL DELIVERY SERVICE 
 
 93. GENERAL HEADQUARTERS CORRESPOND¬ 
 ENCE. 1898-1936. 106 ft. 
 
 Arranged in three groups: (1) by State and 
 thereunder by county, (2) by State and thereunder 
 by post office, and (3) in part by a general sub¬ 
 ject grouping. The first two groups contain re¬ 
 ports concerning the establishment, revision, 
 and discontinuance of rural mail routes; samples 
 of petitions for their establishment; and blue¬ 
 prints. The third group includes correspondence 
 regarding the conditions of roads, cost sum¬ 
 maries for rural free delivery service, reports 
 of rural carriers removed, correspondence re¬ 
 lating to motortruck routes, and statements 
 
 concerning a revision of the rural mail service 
 made in 1915. Some records relating to the 
 Motor Vehicle Service are included for the 
 period 1903-29. 
 
 94. RECORDS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF 
 THE FREE DELIVERY SYSTEM, DIVISION 
 OF RURAL DELIVERY. 1901-6. 2 ft. 
 
 Forms, instructions, orders, circular let¬ 
 ters, and related records. Arranged in two 
 groups and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 95. STATISTICAL STATEMENT OF THE 
 FREE DELIVERY SERVICE. 1896-1910. 
 
 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Contains the name of each post office and 
 the date of establishment of its free delivery serv¬ 
 ice as well as an annual record of the gross 
 receipts, cost of service, percent of cost to 
 gross receipts, population of city, an estimate 
 of population served by the post office, number 
 of carriers, average number of people served 
 by carrier, square miles served by carrier, 
 number of letter boxes, number of business and 
 residential deliveries, number of mounted car¬ 
 riers, average office time spent in a 10-day 
 period, total time spent in a 10-day period, 
 cost of horse hire, and cost of carfare. Ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by name of post office and 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 POST OFFICE SERVICE 
 
 96. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE OF 
 
 THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DIVISION. 
 1923-34. 3 in. 
 
 Copies of orders and suggestions from the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General, mainly 
 concerning the expeditious handling of mail and 
 other matters under the jurisdiction of the Divi¬ 
 sion. 
 
 97. REPORTS CONCERNING THE RELATIVE 
 IMPORTANCE OF TYPES OF WORK DONE 
 BY POSTAL CLERKS AND CARRIERS. 
 
 May 1912. 2 in. 
 
 Submitted by the 100 largest post offices in 
 response to a request from the First Assistant 
 Postmaster General. The reports classify the 
 type of work done in each post office. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State and thereunder by city. 
 
 98. FORMS USED IN THE CHICAGO POST OF¬ 
 FICE "UNIT SYSTEM" OF WORK REPORTS, 
 ca. 1931-34. 2 in. 
 
 Chiefly blank forms. Included are some 
 completed summary report forms for 1932. 
 
OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 9 
 
 with a staff from the appropriations for the 
 Post Office Department. His title was changed 
 to Solicitor for the Post Office Department by 
 an act of June 16, 1914 (38 Stat. 454). 
 
 An act of July 28, 1916 (39 Stat. 412), au¬ 
 thorized the appointment by the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral of a Special Assistant to the Attorney Gen¬ 
 eral, and the position was provided for by postal 
 appropriations from 1917 to 1934. This official 
 assisted "in the defense of cases against the 
 United States arising out of the transportation 
 of the mails, and in other cases and matters 
 affecting the postal revenues. " In 1934 the Of¬ 
 fice of the Special Assistant to the Attorney Gen¬ 
 eral and the Office of the Solicitor for the Post 
 Office Department were merged to form the Of¬ 
 fice of the Solicitor of the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment. Thereafter the appropriations for this 
 Office were disbursed by the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment. 
 
 The functions delegated to the Office by the 
 Postmaster General included drafting bills for 
 Congress, amendments to postal laws and regu¬ 
 lations, and legal opinions; preparing reports 
 on legislation pertaining to the Department; 
 representing the Postmaster General before 
 regulatory commissions; settling claims against 
 the Department; passing upon the legality of 
 contracts involving the Department; trying cases 
 resulting from alleged use of the mails to de¬ 
 fraud; assisting in the defense of cases against 
 the Federal Government arising from postal ac¬ 
 tivities; and considering applications for execu¬ 
 tive clemency for persons violating postal laws. 
 
 CENTRAL NUMERIC FILE 
 
 In 1905 the Office of the Assistant Attorney 
 General for the Post Office Department estab¬ 
 lished a numeric file in which most records were 
 to be maintained. Records relating to a single 
 activity were put in a case file, which was as¬ 
 signed a serial number. At the time the individ¬ 
 ual case files were organized, a register of 
 transactions and subject cards were prepared to 
 serve as an index to the series. This system 
 was continued by the successors to the Assistant 
 Attorney General until 1951, when a new filing 
 system was adopted. 
 
 In 1934 most records relating to Federal 
 operation of telephone, telegraph, and cable 
 companies for the period 1918-21 were with¬ 
 drawn from the series and transferred to the 
 newly created Federal Communications Commis¬ 
 sion (see entry 38). In 1944 another segment 
 relating to the enforcement of the Espionage Act 
 during World War I was transferred to the Na¬ 
 tional Archives (see entry 40). The segments 
 
 described in entries 36 and 41-46 were also 
 transferred to the National Archives. In 1953 
 the Post Office Department and the National 
 Archives reappraised these records for the 
 purpose of eliminating those of negligible re¬ 
 search value. Acting under congressional au¬ 
 thorization, they disposed of most of the files. 
 
 (For a sampling, see entry 36.) 
 
 35. CARD INDEX TO GENERAL RECORDS. 
 1905-21. 3 ft. 
 
 These 5" x 8" cards show the name of the 
 violator of a postal law or regulation, type of 
 violation, law or regulation violated, and case 
 number. Arranged alphabetically by name of 
 violator. 
 
 36. GENERAL RECORDS. 1905-21. 10 ft. 
 
 Selected case files consisting chiefly of cor¬ 
 respondence, memoranda, postal inspectors' 
 reports, and exhibits (mainly copies of publica¬ 
 tions) relating to cases involving the use of the 
 mails for fraud, sedition, lotteries, false 
 advertising, and obscene matter, and other 
 violations of postal laws and regulations. Also 
 included are some records relating to the organi¬ 
 zation and administration of the Office. Ar¬ 
 ranged by case number. 
 
 37. CARD INDEX TO RECORDS RELATING TO 
 
 FEDERAL OPERATION OF TELEPHONE, 
 TELEGRAPH AND CABLE COMPANIES. 
 1919-21. 12 ft. 
 
 These 4" x 6" cards show the original 
 registry numbers of the records described in 
 entry 38. Arranged alphabetically by subject. 
 
 38. RECORDS RELATING TO FEDERAL OPERA¬ 
 
 TION OF TELEPHONE, TELEGRAPH, AND 
 CABLE COMPANIES. 1918-21. 12 ft. 
 
 These records document Federal control of 
 
 communication systems under a joint congres¬ 
 sional resolution of July 16, 1918, and a Presi¬ 
 dential proclamation of July 22, 1918, authoriz¬ 
 ing the Postmaster General to supervise the 
 operation of all telephone, telegraph, and cable 
 companies. The companies continued to operate 
 the facilities as agents of the Government until 
 January 1, 1919, when the Postmaster General 
 established a Board of Operations within the 
 United States Telegraph and Telephone Adminis¬ 
 tration to manage the facilities. The facilities 
 were returned to their owners on July 31, 1919, 
 and the Postmaster General determined the rate 
 of compensation due each company. The Solici¬ 
 tor handled the resulting litigation, and he 
 inherited and organized all the records of Federal 
 operation. In 1934 the records were transferred 
 
10 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 to the Federal Communications Commission 
 and, later, to the National Archives. Included 
 in the records are studies and reports on private 
 operation of various communication systems; 
 orders, correspondence, memoranda, reports, 
 circulars, bulletins, and publicity materials 
 relating to Federal operation; and dockets relat¬ 
 ing to the settlement of the compensatory claims. 
 Arranged by type of record. 
 
 39. CARD RECORDS RELATING TO FEDERAL 
 
 OPERATION OF TELEPHONE, TELE¬ 
 GRAPH, AND CABLE COMPANIES. 1919- 
 21. 13 ft. 
 
 On 3" X 5” and 5” x 8 ' cards. The cards 
 are arranged alphabetically in seven groups as 
 follows; (1) names and addresses of telephone, 
 telegraph, and cable companies; (2) names and 
 addresses of holding and subsidiary companies; 
 (3) data on income and depreciation for individual 
 firms; (4) names of companies submitting re¬ 
 ports and completed questionnaires; (5) data on 
 rate changes for individual firms; (6) names of 
 cities in which companies were located; and 
 (7) names of Members of Congress with whom 
 the Post Office Department corresponded re¬ 
 garding the program. 
 
 40. RECORDS RELATING TO THE ESPIONAGE 
 
 ACT, WORLD WAR 1. 1917-21. 94 ft. 
 
 Case files relating to the denial of second- 
 
 class mailing privileges to periodicals and other 
 publications under section 12 of the Espionage 
 Act of June 15, 1917 (40 Stat. 217). The act 
 provided that any matter advocating treason, 
 insurrection, or forcible resistance to any law 
 of the United States was nonmailable. Included 
 in the files are opinions interpreting the act. 
 
 Part of the case files are arranged numerically. 
 
 41. RECORDS RELATING TO THE ESPIONAGE 
 ACT, WORLD WAR H. 1942-45. 25 ft. 
 
 Case files similar to those described in 
 
 entry 40, pertaining to the denial of mailing 
 privileges to certain publications. Arranged by 
 case number. 
 
 42. RECORDS RELATING TO AIRMAIL AND 
 OCEAN-MAIL CONTRACTS. 1934-40. 
 
 32 ft. 
 
 Records relating to an investigation of air¬ 
 mail and ocean-mail contracts in 1933-35 by a 
 special committee of the Senate, to hearings 
 held by the Postmaster General and his subordi¬ 
 nates on such contracts in accordance with an 
 Executive order of July 11, 1934, and to the 
 subsequent altering or canceling of the contracts. 
 Included are interdepartmental and congressional 
 
 correspondence relating to investigations; re¬ 
 ports, studies, statistical tabulations, and ac¬ 
 counting materials containing detailed data on the 
 operation of numerous air- and ocean-transport 
 companies; correspondence and publications 
 criticizing contracts; postal inspectors' reports 
 on contracts; applications, bids, authorizations, 
 orders, decisions, and other materials relating 
 to negotiations on contracts; dossiers relating 
 to airmail rate proceedings before the Inter¬ 
 state Commerce Commission; and reports on 
 the classification of ocean-mail contract vessels. 
 In two groups, each arranged by case number. 
 For transcripts of the hearings, see entry 53. 
 
 43. CORRESPONDENCE AND MEMORANDA 
 
 RELATING TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF 
 FOREIGN PUBLICATIONS. 1940-47. 1 ft. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 44. BRIEFS OF CONTENTS OF NONMAILABLE 
 PUBLICATIONS. 1940-47. 9 ft. 
 
 Arranged by number, 0001-07551. 
 
 45. LISTS OF MAILABLE AND NONMAILABLE 
 
 PUBLICATIONS. 1940-47. 6 ft. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by title of publica¬ 
 tion. 
 
 46. CASE FILE RELATING TO ESQUIRE 
 MAGAZINE. 1943-46. 10 ft. 
 
 The official documentation relating to the 
 attempt by the Postmaster General to revoke 
 the second-class mailing privileges of Esquire 
 on charges of obscenity, and the magazine's 
 successful appeal to the courts to overrule him. 
 The file includes complaints against the periodi¬ 
 cal, reports and findings of the Department, 
 transcripts of the judicial proceedings, exhibits, 
 and related correspondence. Arranged by type 
 of record. 
 
 OTHER RECORDS 
 
 47. OFFICE FIIES OF WILLIAM H. LAMAR. 
 1912-22. 8 in. 
 
 Mr. Lamar served as Special Assistant 
 Attorney General and later as Solicitor for the 
 Post Office Department. His files include 
 papers relating to Federal operation of the tele¬ 
 graph and telephone systems; minutes of the 
 Twenty-First Annual Convention of the National 
 Association of Postmasters, 1921; applications 
 and correspondence relating to the recruitment 
 of translators; and miscellaneous materials con¬ 
 cerning the use of the mails by certain publica¬ 
 tions. Arranged by type of record. 
 
OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 11 
 
 48. OPINIONS. 1868-74, 1895-97. 3 in. 
 
 Relate chiefly to the denial of mailing priv¬ 
 ileges of certain periodicals and pamphlets, and 
 to lotteries, loss of mail, accounting for funds 
 of the Department, disposal of stamps, issuance 
 of postal cards, the franking privilege, invest¬ 
 ment schemes investigated by the Department, 
 installation of pneumatic tubes, and liabilities of 
 the Department in connection with delays in 
 delivering mail. The opinions for the period 
 1895-97 are in the form of copies of outgoing 
 letters, numbered 1482-1572. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 49. LETTERS SENT. Feb. 1877-Mar. 1879; 
 
 July-Aug. 1906. 2 vols. 3 in. 
 
 Press copies of outgoing letters relating to 
 changes in postal laws, mail contracts, the 
 classification of second-class mailing matter. 
 Southern ante bellum claims, franking-privilege 
 fraud orders, applications for pardons, claims 
 for rewards, and monthly work reports. Ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically. 
 
 50. "FRAUD ORDER CASE FILES. ” 1834-79, 
 
 1881-96, 1912-47. 79 ft. 
 
 Relate mainly to the use of the mails to send 
 fraudulent advertisements, lotteries, and 
 obscene matter. Each file includes a report on 
 findings, a statement on the application of laws 
 and regulations to the case, the recommendation 
 and order of the Postmaster General, and the 
 acknowledgment of receipt of the order by the 
 local postmaster to whom the mail was delivered. 
 Included in some case files are applications to 
 restore mailing privileges or applications for 
 executive clemency. Also included are case 
 files relating to claims by private citizens for 
 damages resulting from postal operations. Ar¬ 
 ranged by case number. 
 
 51. REGISTER OF "FRAUD ORDERS. " 
 
 Nov. 1879-June 30, 1951. 8 vols. 5 ft. 
 
 The orders forbade postmasters to pay 
 
 any postal money orders to transmit mail for 
 specific violators of postal laws and regulations. 
 The orders are arranged numerically, 1-9199. 
 Some similar service orders are described in 
 entry 1. 
 
 52. TRANSCRIPTS OF HEARINGS ON FRAUD 
 
 CASES. 1913-45. 63 ft. 
 
 Relate to some of the cases described in 
 entry 50, chiefly those concerned with fraudulent 
 stock, real estate ventures, and quackery. Ar¬ 
 ranged by serial number, 1-280. A transcript 
 of the proceedings in United States v. George E . 
 Lorenz, Martha J. Lorenz, August W. Machen, 
 
 Diller B. Groff, and Samuel A. Groff (1904), 
 relating to frauds perpetrated by Post Office 
 employees, is at the beginning of the series. 
 
 53. TRANSCRIPTS OF HEARINGS ON AIRMAIL 
 AND OCEAN-MAIL CONTRACTS. Oct. - 
 Dec. 1934. 7 ft. 
 
 The hearings, called to consider the cancel¬ 
 lation of certain contracts, relate to the 1933-35 
 investigation referred to in entry 42. The tran¬ 
 scripts are arranged chronologically. 
 
 54. DOCKET OF CASES REFERRED TO THE 
 ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR 
 THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 1886-90. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Includes the name and date of each case, the 
 name of the departmental unit from whom the 
 case was received, and comments about its dis¬ 
 position. The entries are arranged chronologi¬ 
 cally. 
 
 55. FRAUD DOCKETS. 1900-July 1951. 
 
 22 vols. 3 ft. 
 
 Contain the names of the defendants involved 
 in postal law violations, names of their attorneys, 
 and digests of correspondence relating to the 
 cases. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 56. DOCKETS OF STATE AND FEDERAL DIS¬ 
 TRICT COURT CASES INVOLVING POSTAL 
 LAWS. July 1917-July 1951. 4 vols. 8 in. 
 Relate mainly to lotteries and to matters of 
 
 obscenity. Arranged by State or district court 
 and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 57. REGISTERS OF POSTMASTERS' CLAIMS. 
 1882-1929. 19 vols. 3 ft. 
 
 Prepared in connection with the administra¬ 
 tion of the act of March 17, 1882 (22 Stat. 29), 
 authorizing the Postmaster General to credit or 
 reimburse postmasters for the loss of money 
 order funds, postage stamps, and other stamped 
 paper under circumstances such as fire, theft, 
 or flood. Each register entry includes the name 
 and address of the postmaster, cause of the loss, 
 and a comment about the disposition of the claim. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 58. SURETY BONDS ("JUSTIFICATIONS"). 
 1901-2, 1908. 8 in. 
 
 Mainly justifications issued by the United 
 States Fidelity & Guarantee Corporation for 
 bonding mail-route carriers. Each justification 
 includes the name of the bonded individual and, 
 usually, a reference to his assigned route. Also 
 included are samples of bonds used in other units 
 of the Department, which were sent to the 
 
12 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Assistant Attorney General in accordance with 
 Postmaster General's Order No. 1821 of Octo¬ 
 ber 20, 1908. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE OFFICE 
 OF THE PURCHASING AGENT 
 
 An act of April 28, 1904 (33 Stat. 429), 
 authorized the President to appoint a Purchasing 
 Agent to coordinate and supervise all procure¬ 
 ment programs of the Department. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE FIRST 
 
 RECOJIDS OF THE IMMEDIATE OFFICE 
 OF THE FIRST 
 
 ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 60. LETTERS SENT. Oct. 27, 1793-Mar. 26, 
 1800. 3 vols. 3 in. 
 
 Handwritten copies of letters sent by the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General relating to 
 contracts for new mail routes and post roads, 
 to mail contracts, and to payment of salaries to 
 postmasters. The volumes were originally 
 marked "A, ” "B, " and "C. " Volumes "A" and 
 "B" are also marked "Assistant Postmaster 
 General" and volume "C" is marked "First 
 Assistant. " The letters are arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 61. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. 
 1911-28, 1929-32. 8 in. 
 
 Correspondence of Arch Coleman, First 
 
 Assistant Postmaster General, 1929-32, relating 
 to semiofficial matters including political ac¬ 
 tivities, speeches, trips, publicity, and relations 
 with other Government officials; and correspond¬ 
 ence regarding salaries, promotions, and an 
 overall war plan. Arranged in three chronologi¬ 
 cal groups. 
 
 62. STATEMENTS RELATING TO POST OF¬ 
 FICE DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION 
 BILLS AND OTHER LEGISLATION. 1912- 
 31. 1ft. 
 
 Through the Division of Post Office Serv¬ 
 ice, the First Assistant Postmaster General 
 prepared advisory statements for the Postmaster 
 General concerning proposed legislation affect¬ 
 ing Department personnel. These statements 
 relate to such subjects as salary increases, 
 overtime pay, retirement, and leave. Included 
 is some correspondence with Members of 
 Congress regarding postal service appointments. 
 Arranged by subject. 
 
 59. LETTERS SENT. May-Dec. 1904, Jan.- 
 
 Mar. 1910, June-Dee. 1910. 9 vols. 1 ft. 
 
 Press copies of outgoing letters relating to 
 the purchase of supplies and equipment and their 
 specifications, changes in contracts, and adver¬ 
 tisements for bids. The letters are arranged 
 chronologically. Each volume includes an index 
 to the names of the correspondents. Records 
 relating to the purchase of furniture for rural 
 post offices from Waddel Wooden Ware Works 
 are at the end of the series. 
 
 ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 63. CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS RELAT¬ 
 ING TO CREDIT UNIONS FOR POSTAL 
 EMPLOYEES. 1923-41. 6 ft. 
 
 As part of its employee-relations program, 
 the Department--under its Service Relations Of¬ 
 fice in the Office of the Postmaster General 
 from 1923 to 1935 and thereafter under the First 
 Assistant Postmaster General--sponsored and 
 assisted the development of credit unions for 
 postal employees. The records consist of cor¬ 
 respondence and reports of postmasters, credit 
 union officers, postal inspectors, and others 
 regarding the development and control of credit 
 unions. Arranged alphabetically by State and 
 thereunder by city. 
 
 64. ORDERS ("JOURNALS”). July 1867-Feb. 
 
 1905. 71 vols. 21 ft. 
 
 Handwritten copies of orders written by the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General for the 
 Postmaster General's signature. The orders 
 show dates of appointment and salaries of let¬ 
 ter carriers in the city delivery service; dates of 
 establishment and discontinuance of post offices 
 and changes in their names and sites; and names 
 of postmasters appointed and the persons they 
 replaced. Similar orders are found in the journals 
 of the Postmaster General from July 1835 to 
 June 1867 (see entry 1). After February 20, 
 
 1905, all orders of the Postmaster General, 
 regardless of the Assistant's office where they 
 were written, were bound together. The journal 
 entries are arranged chronologically. 
 
 65. REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE RE¬ 
 LATING TO CONVENTIONS OF POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1908-9, 1922-28. 7 in. 
 
 Copies of reports and correspondence relating 
 to the attendance of the Superintendent of the Divi¬ 
 sion at regional and State conventions of postal 
 officials (see also entry 66). Arranged in part 
 alphabetically by State where convention was held. 
 
BUREAU OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 13 
 
 66. REPORTS RELATING TO CONVENTIONS 
 OF POSTMASTERS. 1922-27. 5 in. 
 
 Mainly reports, with related correspond¬ 
 ence and exhibits, from postal inspectors who 
 represented the Department at regional and 
 State conventions of postal officials (see also 
 entry 65). Arranged alphabetically by State 
 where convention was held. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 DIVISION OF POSTMASTERS 
 
 67. RECORD OF FIRST RETURNS RECEIVED 
 FROM POSTMASTERS. Oct. 1789-July 
 1818. 1 vol. 4 in. 
 
 Postmasters were required to submit 
 quarterly statements of their accounts ("re¬ 
 turns") to the Postmaster General. This vol¬ 
 ume, marked "All States and Territories 1790- 
 1820, " was apparently prepared from accounts 
 of postmasters after the original record was 
 burned in a fire in 1836. It contains names of 
 post offices and States where located, names of 
 postmasters, and dates when postmasters' first 
 returns were received by the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral. The names of postmasters are frequently 
 misspelled and there are other inaccuracies. 
 
 By referring to the volumes described in entry 
 68 and to the letter books of the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral and accounts current, the actual dates of 
 appointments of postmasters from 1789 to about 
 1800 can be found. The returns are arranged 
 alphabetically by first letter of name of post 
 office and thereunder by State. 
 
 68. RECORD OF APPOINTMENT OF POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1815-32. 6 vols. 2 ft. 
 
 The volumes are numbered 2-7. Volume 2 
 is divided into three parts: (1) the names of 
 post offices in operation in 1814, arranged al¬ 
 phabetically, (2) the names of post offices inad¬ 
 vertently omitted from the first group, and 
 (3) the names of post offices established from 
 1815 to 1818, arranged by date of establishment. 
 For each post office are given the name and date 
 of appointment of each postmaster, the number 
 assigned to the post office by the Postmaster 
 General, any changes in the name of the post of¬ 
 fice, the date of discontinuance, the amount of 
 the surety bond, and the date of any changes in 
 the bond. 
 
 Volume 3 is divided into two parts: (1) the 
 names of post offices in operation in 1818, ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically, and (2) the names of post 
 offices established from 1818 to 1823, arranged 
 by date of establishment or change in name. In 
 addition to the types of information concerning 
 each post office that are given in Volume 2, this 
 
 volume gives the names of sureties. (The first 
 part of this volume also gives, for each post 
 office, the name of the last postmaster listed 
 in Volume 2.) 
 
 Volume 4 is divided into two parts: (1) the 
 names of post offices in operation in 1824, ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically, and (2) the names of post 
 offices established from 1825 to 1827, arranged 
 by date of establishment. In addition to the types 
 of information concerning each post office that 
 are given in Volume 3, this volume gives the 
 name of the county in which each post office is 
 located. 
 
 Volume 5 is divided into two parts: (1) the 
 names of all post offices in operation in 1827, 
 arranged alphabetically, and (2) the names of 
 post offices established from January 1827 to 
 October 1828, arranged by date of establishment. 
 This volume gives the same types of information 
 concerning each post office as are given in 
 volume 4. 
 
 Volumes 6 and 7 are arranged by the first 
 letter of the name of the post office, A-L and 
 M-Z, respectively. Under each letter, post 
 offices in existence in 1828 are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically, followed by post offices established 
 from 1828 to 1832, arranged by date of estab¬ 
 lishment. In addition to the same types of informa¬ 
 tion concerning each post office as are given in 
 volume 4, these two volumes give the dates of 
 name changes for many post offices. 
 
 69. RECORD OF APPOINTMENT OF POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1832-1930. 98 vols. 33 ft. 
 
 The volumes, which are numbered 8 to 101, 
 have been rebound so that there are now 98 vol¬ 
 umes. Included in the information given are 
 names of postmasters for each post office and 
 dates of their appointments; dates of discontinu¬ 
 ance, reestablishment, and name changes of post 
 offices; dates of Presidential appointments of 
 postmasters and dates of their confirmation by 
 the Senate; usually, dates post offices were au¬ 
 thorized to issue money orders; and, occasionally, 
 dates of changes in location or site. Until 1844 
 the names of sureties for postmasters and the 
 dates and amounts of their bonds are given. The 
 records are arranged in the approximate periods 
 1832-42, 1843-57, 1858-73, 1874-89, and 1890- 
 1930; thereunder by name of State or territory in 
 rough alphabetical order; thereunder by name of 
 county; and thereunder by name of post office. 
 
 A penciled list shows the volume numbers for 
 each State. An index by name of post office is 
 described in entry 72. See also entries 70 and 
 71. 
 
14 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 70. RECORD OF THE COMMISSIONING AND 
 APPOINTMENT OF POSTMASTERS. 
 1889-1908. 68 vols. 21ft. 
 
 The record appears to have been compiled 
 under the Office of the Fourth Assistant Post¬ 
 master General from 1889 to 1906 in connection 
 with the bonding and commissioning of post¬ 
 masters. In 1906 this function was transferred 
 to the First Assistant Postmaster General, and 
 after a short time the record was discontinued. 
 The record contains names, dates of appoint¬ 
 ment, commissions, and salaries of postmasters; 
 names of post offices; names of counties where 
 located; dates of establishment, discontinuance, 
 and reestablishment; name and site changes; 
 and dates of establishment of rural delivery 
 service where post offices were discontinued. 
 Arranged alphabetically by State and thereunder 
 by post office. The volumes include some in¬ 
 formation not contained in the series described 
 in entry 69 and should be used in conjunction 
 with that series. 
 
 71. DAILY RECORD OF THE APPOINTMENT 
 OF POSTMASTERS AND OF THE ESTAB¬ 
 LISHMENT, DISCONTINUANCE, AND 
 NAME AND SITE CHANGES OF POST OF¬ 
 FICES. Jan. 1899-Dec. 1914. 42 vols. 
 
 12 ft. 
 
 For each post office where a change occur¬ 
 red the following information is given: its name, 
 county and State where located, names of post¬ 
 master appointed and of postmaster retiring, 
 cause of change, and other remarks concerning 
 postmasters. From 1889 to 1905 these volumes 
 were prepared in the Office of the Fourth Assis¬ 
 tant Postmaster General; in 1906 the function 
 was assumed by the First Assistant Postmaster 
 General. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 72. INDEX TO THE RECORD OF APPOINT¬ 
 MENT OF POSTMASTERS. 1840-1908. 
 
 27 vols. 9 ft. 
 
 The volume for 1840-54 includes names of 
 post offices in all States and territories with the 
 exception of Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, and the 
 New England and the Middle Atlantic States; 
 later volumes include names of post offices in 
 all States and territories in existence at the time 
 of compilation. The volumes through 1876 give 
 name changes and frequently dates of reestab¬ 
 lishment and discontinuance; later volumes give 
 only names of post offices. This series can be 
 used as an index to part of the records described 
 in entry 69, if the name of the post office is 
 known. The records are arranged in the periods 
 1840-54, 1855-69, 1870-76, 1877-91, and 
 1892-1908; and thereunder alphabetically by 
 name of post office. 
 
 73. ALPHABETICAL RECORD OF APPOINT¬ 
 MENT OF POSTMASTERS IN IOWA, 
 LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, AND MISSOURI, 
 ("INDEX TO POST OFFICES"). 1866-74. 
 
 2 vols. 6 in. 
 
 An incomplete record that can be used in 
 conjunction with entries 69 and 72. Each entry 
 contains the names, changes in names, and dates 
 of discontinuance of post offices and the names, 
 dates of appointment, and salaries of postmasters. 
 Arranged alphabetically by name of post office. 
 
 74. MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS REGARDING 
 THE APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT 
 OF POSTMASTERS. 1907-13. 1 ft. 
 Correspondence, reports, and memoranda 
 
 pertaining to the qualifications of applicants; and 
 petitions, applications, and other records relat¬ 
 ing to the service of incumbent postmasters. 
 Arranged alphabetically by State and thereunder 
 by city. 
 
 75. CORRESPONDENCE WITH MEMBERS OF 
 
 CONGRESS CONCERNING ACTING POST¬ 
 MASTERS. 1923-24. 1 in. 
 
 Relates to the appointment of acting post¬ 
 masters as postmasters. Arranged in two 
 groups, for 1923 and 1924. 
 
 76. REPORTS OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 
 INVESTIGATIONS OF APPLICATIONS FOR 
 POSTMASTERSHIPS. 1918-21. 4 ft. 
 Summaries and verbatim reports of inter¬ 
 views conducted with legislators and prominent 
 citizens concerning the qualifications of candidates 
 for postmasterships. Arranged alphabetically by 
 State. 
 
 77. EXHIBITS RELATING TO THE CASE OF 
 POSTMASTER JOHN A. THORNTON OF 
 PHILADELPHIA. 1915-21. 2 ft. 
 Correspondence, reports, notes, and affi¬ 
 davits collected in the investigation of charges 
 of political activity and favoritism against Post¬ 
 master Thornton. Arranged in the order listed. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 POST OFFICE CLERICAL SERVICE 
 
 78. RECORD OF SALARIES OF REGULAR 
 CLERKS AND OTHER PERSONNEL IN 
 FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS POST OFFICES. 
 July 1, 1889-June 30, 1907. 28 vols. 6 ft. 
 For each post office the record contains the 
 
 name of each clerk, his title, salary, date of 
 appointment, and date of separation or other 
 change in status. Each volume is indexed by 
 name of post office. The volumes for 1896-1907 
 are numbered from 1 to 24; the others are not 
 
BUREAU OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 15 
 
 numbered. Arranged within the periods 1889- 
 96, 1896-99, 1899-1904, and 1904-7; thereunder 
 alphabetically by name of post office; and there¬ 
 under, for large offices, alphabetically by name 
 of clerk, or, for small offices, chronologically 
 by date of appointment. 
 
 79. RECORD OF APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTI¬ 
 TUTE CLERKS IN THE FIRST- AND 
 SECOND-CLASS POST OFFICES. July 1, 
 1899-June 30, 1905. 2 vols. 3 in. 
 
 For each post office the record contains 
 the name of the substitute clerk, date of his 
 appointment to that position, date of his appoint¬ 
 ment as a regular clerk, and notations concern¬ 
 ing any other changes in his status. Arranged 
 alphabetically by name of post office and there¬ 
 under by date of appointment. 
 
 80. RECORD CARDS OF SECOND-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1916-25. 3 in. 
 
 Each card gives date of establishment of 
 post office. Some of the cards also give the 
 date of establishment of city delivery service. 
 Arranged alphabetically by city or town. 
 
 81. RECORDS RELATING TO CONTRACT 
 STATIONS AND BRANCHES. 1916-35. 
 
 53 ft. 
 
 Included are bids for contract stations, 
 recommendations of postmasters, reports of 
 postal inspectors, copies of contracts (some 
 signed), petitions, complaints, notices, cor¬ 
 respondence, and other material relating to the 
 establishment, operation, and discontinuance of 
 contract post office stations. These stations 
 were usually in large cities or their suburbs 
 and were operated on a contract basis. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State and thereunder by city. 
 
 82. REPORTS RELATING TO SUNDAY SERV¬ 
 ICE AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL 
 PERSONNEL. 1911-12. 2 ft. 
 
 Reports received from the postmasters at 
 certain large post offices regarding the opera¬ 
 tion of Sunday service and the number of addi¬ 
 tional personnel needed to make the 8-hour-day 
 law operable. Some of the reports also give 
 detailed statements concerning the operation of 
 post offices. Arranged alphabetically by State 
 and thereunder by city. 
 
 83. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THIRD-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1925-36. 3 in. 
 
 Relates to the operation of the post offices, 
 
 with particular emphasis on the annual allowances 
 for hiring clerks. Arranged in rough chronolog¬ 
 ical order. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 CITY DELIVERY SERVICE 
 
 84. RECORD CARDS OF CARRIERS SEPARATED 
 FROM THE POSTAL SERVICE. 1863-99. 
 
 12 ft. 
 
 Each card, 3" x 5", contains name of post 
 office, name of carrier, date of appointment, 
 reason for separation, and, after 1873, date of 
 separation. Arranged alphabetically by post 
 office and thereunder by name of carrier. 
 
 85. REGISTER OF REGULAR CARRIERS IN 
 
 FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS POST OF¬ 
 FICES. 1888-1902. 5 vols. 1 ft. 
 
 For each post office the register lists names 
 of carriers, dates of orders and effective dates of 
 appointments, salaries, dates of promotions or 
 other changes in status, and, in many cases, 
 dates of oaths and dates of receipts of bond. The 
 entries are arranged alphabetically by name of 
 post office and thereunder by name of carrier. 
 
 For a register of substitute carriers, see en¬ 
 try 87. See entry 89 for an index. 
 
 86. RECORD OF SALARIES OF REGULAR CAR¬ 
 RIERS AT FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1906-7. 3 vols. 6 in. 
 These volumes, which are numbered 25 to 
 
 27, contain the following information about each 
 carrier in each post office: name, age, date of 
 appointment and of any change in status, grade 
 classification, and, if removed from position, 
 reasons for removal. For large offices the 
 names of substitute laborers and janitors are 
 also given. Arranged alphabetically by name of 
 post office and thereunder, for large offices, 
 alphabetically by name of carrier, or, for small 
 offices, chronologically by date of appointment. 
 
 87. REGISTER OF SUBSTITUTE CARRIERS IN 
 FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS POST OF¬ 
 FICES. 1889-1903. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 For each post office the register lists each 
 substitute carrier’s name, date of appointment 
 and effective date of service, and date of his 
 oath and date of receipt of his bond. The entries 
 are arranged alphabetically by name of post of¬ 
 fice and thereunder by name of carrier. See 
 entry 85 for a register of regular carriers and 
 entry 88 for an index to part of this series. 
 
 88. INDEX TO NAMES OF SUBSTITUTE CAR¬ 
 
 RIERS IN FIRST- AND SECOND-CLASS 
 POST OFFICES. 1892-96. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Listed are the carrier's name and date of 
 
 appointment and a code number for the name of 
 the post office. This index covers part of the 
 
16 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 register described in entry 87. The entries 
 are arranged alphabetically by name of carrier. 
 
 89. INDEX TO NAMES OF CARRIERS IN SMALL 
 
 CITY POST OFFICES. 1888-1902. 1 vol. 
 
 1 in. 
 
 This is an index to part of the register de¬ 
 scribed in entry 85. Listed are each carrier's 
 name, date of appointment, date of any change 
 in status, and a code number for the name of the 
 post office. The entries are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of carrier. 
 
 90. ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBER OF CLERKS 
 AND CARRIERS NEEDED BY FIRST- AND 
 SECOND-CLASS POST OFFICES FOR THE 
 FISCAL YEAR 1924. May-June 1923. 2 ft. 
 Included are work reports, recommenda¬ 
 tions for promotions, plans of working quarters, 
 and designations of routes. Arranged alphabeti¬ 
 cally by State and thereunder by city. 
 
 91. REPORTS CONCERNING INSPECTIONS OF 
 CITY DELIVERY SERVICE AT BALTIMORE. 
 MD., KALAMAZOO, MICH., AND PITTS¬ 
 BURGH, PA. 1929-31. 2 in. 
 
 A part of a much larger series of records, 
 most of which has been destroyed. The reports 
 show in detail the operation of city delivery serv¬ 
 ice in these cities. Arranged by city. 
 
 92. RECORDS RELATING TO THE DETROIT 
 RIVER STEAMBOAT SERVICE. 1895- 
 1928. 1 ft. 
 
 Under this service, inaugurated in 1895, 
 mail was supplied to Great Lakes steamers pass¬ 
 ing through the Detroit River. The records 
 include correspondence, contracts, blueprints, 
 and photographs of facilities. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 RURAL DELIVERY SERVICE 
 
 93. GENERAL HEADQUARTERS CORRESPOND¬ 
 ENCE. 1898-1936. 106 ft. 
 
 Arranged in three groups; (1) by State and 
 thereunder by county, (2) by State and thereunder 
 by post office, and (3) in part by a general sub¬ 
 ject grouping. The first two groups contain re¬ 
 ports concerning the establishment, revision, 
 and discontinuance of rural mail routes; samples 
 of petitions for their establishment; and blue¬ 
 prints. The third group includes correspondence 
 regarding the conditions of roads, cost sum¬ 
 maries for rural free delivery service, reports 
 of rural carriers removed, correspondence re¬ 
 lating to motortruck routes, and statements 
 
 concerning a revision of the rural mail service 
 made in 1915. Some records relating to the 
 Motor Vehicle Service are included for the 
 period 1903-29. 
 
 94. RECORDS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF 
 THE FREE DELIVERY SYSTEM, DIVISION 
 OF RURAL DELIVERY. 1901-6. 2 ft. 
 
 Forms, instructions, orders, circular let¬ 
 ters, and related records. Arranged in two 
 groups and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 95. STATISTICAL STATEMENT OF THE 
 FREE DELIVERY SERVICE. 1896-1910. 
 
 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Contains the name of each post office and 
 the date of establishment of its free delivery serv¬ 
 ice as well as an annual record of the gross 
 receipts, cost of service, percent of cost to 
 gross receipts, population of city, an estimate 
 of population served by the post office, number 
 of carriers, average number of people served 
 by carrier, square miles served by carrier, 
 number of letter boxes, number of business and 
 residential deliveries, number of mounted car¬ 
 riers, average office time spent in a 10-day 
 period, total time spent in a 10-day period, 
 cost of horse hire, and cost of carfare. Ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by name of post office and 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 POST OFFICE SERVICE 
 
 96. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE OF 
 
 THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DIVISION. 
 1923-34. 3 in. 
 
 Copies of orders and suggestions from the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General, mainly 
 concerning the expeditious handling of mail and 
 other matters under the jurisdiction of the Divi¬ 
 sion. 
 
 97. REPORTS CONCERNING THE RELATIVE 
 IMPORTANCE OF TYPES OF WORK DONE 
 BY POSTAL CLERKS AND CARRIERS. 
 
 May 1912. 2 in. 
 
 Submitted by the 100 largest post offices in 
 response to a request from the First Assistant 
 Postmaster General. The reports classify the 
 type of work done in each post office. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State and thereunder by city. 
 
 98. FORMS USED IN THE CHICAGO POST OF¬ 
 FICE "UNIT SYSTEM" OF WORK REPORTS, 
 ca. 1931-34. 2 in. 
 
 Chiefly blank forms. Included are some 
 completed summary report forms for 1932. 
 
BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 17 
 
 The forms are bound and are preceded by a 
 list. 
 
 99. REPORTS RELATING TO OVERTIME, 
 CHANGES IN FORCE, AND STATUS AND 
 TYPE OF WORK. 1925-33. 3 in. 
 Arranged by subject and thereunder in 
 
 chronological order. 
 
 100. CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS 
 RELATING TO THE WEIGHING SYSTEM 
 
 * OF WORK MEASUREMENT. 1923-30. 
 
 4 in. 
 
 The records relate to the installation and 
 operation, in certain large post offices, of a 
 system of measuring the quantity of work done 
 by weighing the amount of mail distributed. Ar¬ 
 ranged in rough chronological order. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION' 
 
 OF DEAD LETTERS 
 
 101. MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. 1897-1930. 
 
 6 in. 
 
 Included are a catalog of a Dead Letter 
 Office sale in 1900; copies of letters relating to 
 German claims for indemnity for mails captured 
 in the Spanish-American War; correspondence 
 regarding the establishment of dead letter of¬ 
 fices in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines; 
 and some general correspondence of the Division 
 for the period 1900-30. There are also some 
 records for the period 1867-81, including a state¬ 
 ment of the number of letters received and re¬ 
 turned at the Dead Letter Office in the period 
 1870-81, and statistics concerning the propor¬ 
 tion of advertised dead letters delivered at the 
 Office in July 1867. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT 
 
 POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 RECORDS OF THE IMMEDIATE OFFICE 
 OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER 
 GENERAL 
 
 The immediate office of the Second Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General was responsible for all 
 administrative matters of the Bureau involving 
 relations with other Government agencies. The 
 Second Assistant Postmaster General and his 
 deputies represented the Department in matters 
 under their jurisdiction, coordinated and super¬ 
 vised the activities of the Bureau, interpreted its 
 policies, and approved the certifications sub¬ 
 mitted by other Bureau officials to the Comptrol¬ 
 ler General to obtain payment for services and 
 for personnel. 
 
 102. LETTERS SENT. 1891-1934. 10 ft. 
 
 In three chronological groups: (1) press 
 copies of instructions, 1891-1904, to special 
 agents of the Railway Mail Service, relating to 
 complaints against the postal service (5 vols.); 
 
 (2) press copies of letters, 1903-15, concerning 
 the administration and operation of the Bureau 
 of the Second Assistant Postmaster General 
 (33 vols.); and (3) reading files, 1921-34, of 
 E. H. Shaughnessy, Paul Henderson, W. Irving 
 Glover, and W. W. Howes, who were succes¬ 
 sively Second Assistant Postmasters General. 
 
 103. MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS SENT. 
 
 1908-33. 2 ft. 
 
 Relate to economies effected, 1908-19; 
 issuance of postal laws and regulations; the 
 Postal Savings System; the postal service in 
 
 France; censorship of foreign mails, 1917-18; 
 "star" mail routes (see page 20); inventions; 
 transportation of gold coin; and personnel. One 
 part of the series, labeled "Special Files, H- 
 XVI, " consists of copies of outgoing correspond¬ 
 ence, 1913-16, of Joseph Stewart, Second Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General, concerning pneumatic 
 tube service in New York City, the readjustment 
 of railway mail compensation, and improvements 
 in railway mail service. Arranged for the most 
 part chronologically. 
 
 104. MEMORANDA. 1914-29. 1 ft. 
 
 Relate to the railway mail service, the 
 
 international postal service, and railway adjust¬ 
 ments. A few of the memoranda relate to air¬ 
 mail service. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 105. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO 
 AIRMAIL SERVICE. 1921-27. 2 ft. 
 Concerns the administration, operation, 
 
 and maintenance of airmail service during the 
 period when it was Government-owned and 
 Government-operated. With the correspondence 
 are copies of postal inspectors' reports made in 
 1925 relating to airmail service during the 
 period 1921-24. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 106. NOTICES TO RAILWAY COMPANIES. 
 
 Feb. 10, 1885-May 19, 1909. 40 vols. 
 
 7 ft. 
 
 Mainly press copies of notification and cir¬ 
 culars (Forms 2501, 2505, 2508, 2509, 2510, 2511, 
 2514, 2516, 2519, 2522, 2523, 2526, and 2527) 
 issued to railway companies. The records relate 
 
18 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 to pay adjustments, laws concerning pay for the 
 transportation of mails on railroad routes, the 
 establishment and discontinuance of post offices 
 and mail services, changes in names and sites 
 of post offices, mail messenger services, and 
 the weighing of mail. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 107. ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SECOND 
 
 ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL. 
 
 1911-31. 10 in. 
 
 Manuscript copies of the reports, with 
 some related correspondence. The records are 
 incomplete for the period 1920-31. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 108. MONTHLY REPORTS OF CHANGES. 
 
 1922-30. 2 in. 
 
 Describe new operations or improvements 
 in airmail, railway mail, and international 
 postal services. The reports also contain discus¬ 
 sions of the effect of new legislation on the serv¬ 
 ices. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 109. REPORTS OF STAFF CONFERENCES. 
 
 1921-23. 1 in. 
 
 An incomplete series of reports concerning 
 conferences at which were discussed such topics 
 as mail contracts, foreign mail service, terminal 
 mail service, appropriations, the Universal 
 Postal Union, sea post, personnel problems, air¬ 
 mail service, Cuban mail service, budget allot¬ 
 ments, and railway mail service. Each report 
 includes a list of representatives of the various 
 postal services who attended that conference. 
 
 The reports are arranged chronologically. Only 
 Nos 8, 10-34, and 37-62 are included. 
 
 no. ROSTER OF BUREAU EMPLOYEES. 
 
 Nov. 1893-Jan. 1912. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Shows the State from which each employee 
 was appointed, date of entering employment and 
 salary at that time, dates of promotions, and 
 the division in which he was employed. Arranged 
 chronologically, thereunder by position classi¬ 
 fication, and thereunder alphabetically by name 
 of employee. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 
 SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE 
 
 From about 1920 to 1946 a special admin¬ 
 istrative aide to the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General acted as budgetary control and personnel 
 officer for the Bureau. He was concerned mainly 
 with the preparation and justification of the Bu¬ 
 reau's budget and with the distribution of appro¬ 
 priation allotments to the Bureau. 
 
 111. BUDGET ESTIMATES AND REPORTS 
 
 ON APPROPRIATIONS. July 1920-June 
 
 1933. 4 ft. 
 
 Estimates from each division and service 
 of the Bureau, together with reports on the 
 apportionment of appropriations. Also included 
 are some reports and correspondence relating 
 to deficiency appropriations, 1920-30, and some 
 statements of balances, 1928-29. Arranged by 
 type of report and thereunder chronologically by 
 fiscal year. 
 
 112. PERSONNEL RECORDS. 1918-33. 2 ft. 
 
 Monthly statistical reports of personnel 
 
 changes in the field services, 1921-32; statistics 
 concerning salaries and related correspondence 
 on personnel changes, 1920-33; miscellaneous 
 memoranda relating to personnel actions, the 
 dispatching of mail, and arrangements for women 
 to live in Government-operated hotels, 1918-20; 
 weekly work-progress reports from all divisions, 
 January 4, 1926-December 26, 1933; and monthly 
 overtime reports, 1925-33. Arranged by type of 
 record as listed and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION 
 OF RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE 
 
 Mail was first carried by railway in 1831, 
 when a mail contractor utilized the services of 
 the South Carolina Railroad. On December 5, 
 1832, the Post Office Department recognized 
 this mode of transportation by permitting mail 
 contractors to use railroad transportation from 
 Lancaster to West Chester, Pa.; and on July 7, 
 1838, an act of Congress (5 Stat. 283) declared 
 all railroads in the United States to be post routes 
 Service by railroad thereafter increased rapidly. 
 In many cases, contractors for "star" routes 
 were permitted to use the railroads in the per¬ 
 formance of their contracts; in other cases, con¬ 
 tracts were made directly with the railroad 
 companies. 
 
 The first record of a clerk's appointment 
 to have charge of the mails on a railroad run is 
 for John E. Kendall's appointment in May 1837. 
 
 On June 19, 1837, John Elliott was appointed as 
 railroad mail agent; and, on February 3, 1838, 
 John Mitchell was notified of his appointment 
 "to superintend the mails" on the railroad run 
 from Washington to Philadelphia. In June 1840 
 the traveling railway post office came into being 
 when two agents were appointed to accompany 
 the mail from Boston to Springfield, Mass., "to 
 make exchanges of mails, attend to delivery, 
 and receive and forward all unpaid way letters 
 and packages received. " The railway mail clerks 
 
BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 19 
 
 were supervised by the postmaster at one ter¬ 
 minal of the run. Before 1864 mails were 
 sorted at the large post offices, and only mail 
 intended for delivery at local points on the line 
 was sorted on the railroad cars. 
 
 The Railway Post Office Service was 
 established on July 7, 1862, to facilitate the 
 distribution of overland mail on the route from 
 Hannibal, Mo., to St. Joseph, Mo. This serv¬ 
 ice was extended to the eastern seaboard by 1864; 
 and in that year the Office of the Superintendent 
 of Railway Mail Service was established, with 
 eastern and western divisions separated by the 
 eastern boundary of the State of Indiana. The 
 Office, which later included the Railway Post 
 Office Service, became a part of the Bureau of 
 the Second Assistant Postmaster General about 
 1873. On July 1, 1907, it became the Division 
 of Railway Mail Service. The Division's field 
 service consisted of 15 divisions, with a super¬ 
 intendent in charge of each. To simplify further 
 the distribution of railway mail, the Division 
 began side, terminal, and transfer services 
 shortly before World War I. 
 
 Immediately preceding the 1946 reorgani¬ 
 zation of the Bureau of the Second Assistant 
 Postmaster General, the Division of Railway 
 Mail Service supervised matters relating to the 
 establishment of any changes in railway mail 
 service, the handling of mail in transmit, ap¬ 
 pointments of railway postal clerks, the admis¬ 
 sion of matter to the mails that would be injurious 
 to the mails or to postal employees, the distri¬ 
 bution to the postal service of mail pouches and 
 sacks and mail-pouch locks, and matters relating 
 to the star route service and the highway post 
 office service. 
 
 113. SUBJECT INDEX TO CORRESPONDENCE 
 
 OF THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT 
 OF THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE. 1889- 
 1915. 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 The correspondence indexed by this volume 
 has not been identified. The index, however, 
 gives a brief summary of each letter. Arranged 
 alphabetically by subject. 
 
 114. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. 
 1902-29. 3 ft. 
 
 Relates to complaints about and suggestions 
 for improvements in railway mail service, 1924- 
 29; publicity concerning the service, 1918-26; 
 side mail, closed-pouch mail, franked mail, and 
 missent mail, 1912-25; devices for discharging 
 mail from moving trains, 1902-6; mail protection 
 and damage, 1919-24; use of firearms by em¬ 
 ployees of the Division, 1924-27; unsatisfactory 
 service at the Baltimore &Ohio Railroad station 
 
 at Pittsburgh, Pa., 1917-18; employee organi¬ 
 zations, 1918-23; and the handling of mail for 
 mail-order houses, 1918-23. With the corre¬ 
 spondence is a study of railway mail service in 
 the Boston postal district, 1919-21. Arranged 
 by subject as listed and thereunder chronologi¬ 
 cally. 
 
 115. INSTRUCTION CIRCULARS. 1921-34. 
 
 2 ft. 
 
 Sent to the field superintendents of the 
 railway mail service. Arranged by date of 
 circular. 
 
 116. DECISIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS RELATING 
 TO THE HANDLING OF MAIL ON A SPACE- 
 OCCUPIED BASIS. 1917-20. 8 in. 
 
 Relate to the change, on July 28, 1916, in 
 the method of paying railroad companies for 
 carrying the mail. Previously they had been 
 paid according to the weight of the mail carried; 
 after this date they were to be paid according to 
 the space occupied by the mail. The records 
 are arranged by field division of the Service. 
 
 117. MONTHLY REPORTS ON THE COSTS OF 
 OPERATING RAILWAY POSTAL LINES. 
 1922-28. 4 in. 
 
 Tabulations showing field division, railway 
 postal line, number of clerks employed on the 
 line, their salaries (including overtime for the 
 month), total travel allowances for and travel 
 expenses of substitute clerks, salaries for 
 substitute clerks instead of annual leave, total 
 cost of mail distribution, number of mail pouches 
 opened, number of packages and mail sacks 
 handled, number of registers maintained by each 
 field division, total units of mail handled, average 
 number of units handled by each clerk, and num¬ 
 ber of units handled per $1, 000 expense. The 
 reports are arranged chronologically. 
 
 118. INDEXES TO ROSTERS OF RAILWAY 
 POSTAL CLERKS. 1883-97. 3 vols. 
 
 7 in. 
 
 The indexes are arranged chronologically, 
 with entries arranged alphabetically by name of 
 clerk. 
 
 119. ROSTERS OF SPECIAL, ROUTE, AND 
 LOCAL BLANK AND STAMP AGENTS 
 AND ROSTERS OF RAILWAY POSTAL 
 CLERKS. 1855-97. 24 vols. 5 ft. 
 
 The rosters of special, route, and local 
 
 blank and stamp agents are dated 1855-62; the 
 rosters of railway postal clerks, 1862-97. The 
 rosters contain the name of the railroad, the 
 name and date of appointment of the agent or 
 
20 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 clerk, and occasionally the date of taking the 
 oath. Up to 1883, the volumes contain alpha¬ 
 betical indexes by name of person, route, or 
 railroad; from 1883 on, the indexes are in 
 separate volumes (see entry 118). The rosters 
 are arranged chronologically. 
 
 120. NEWSLETTERS. 1918-51. 23 ft. 
 
 Weekly newsletters from the 15 division 
 
 superintendents to the General Superintendent of 
 the Railway Mail Service. The newsletters re¬ 
 late to holiday mail. Presidential mail, cargo 
 mail, train schedules, storage-car movements, 
 terminal facilities, accidents, summer service, 
 labor complaints, postage rates, cost of mail 
 distribution, merchandise handled, parcel post, 
 weather reports, steamship mail, meetings of 
 the superintendents, personnel, the Railway 
 Mail Association, mail service in Alaska, day¬ 
 light saving time, airmail, service interruptions, 
 locks and empty equipment, star route service, 
 postmasters' conventions, registered mail, in¬ 
 spections, effects of the depression on the serv¬ 
 ice, bonus payments to employees, and statis¬ 
 tics regarding mail handling. Arranged by date 
 of issuance. 
 
 121. DAILY SCHEDULES OF MAIL TRAINS. 
 
 1882-84. 3 vols. 5 in. 
 
 These printed schedules serve as a concise 
 record of authorized mail route operations by 
 the Railway Mail Service. They contain informa¬ 
 tion on the schedules of closed-pouch mail trains, 
 foreign mails, and steamboat service. At the 
 beginning of each schedule there is a description 
 of the work performed by the division of the 
 Railway Mail Service affected by the schedule. 
 Arranged by volume number, I-in, and there¬ 
 under by field division number, 1-15. 
 
 122. REGISTERS OF RAILROAD MAIL-ROUTE 
 
 CONTRACTS. 1877-1948. 658 vols. 
 
 138 ft. 
 
 The backstrip of each volume shows the 
 contract years and the States covered. For each 
 contract are given the mail-route number (with 
 changes, if any), terminals of the route and inter¬ 
 vening post office stops, distances between rail¬ 
 way stations, time schedule for the route, name 
 and address of contractor for the route, date of 
 contract award, amount of contract bid, and any 
 contract changes. The contract changes refer 
 to increases or decreases in contract payments, 
 changes in schedules, changes in routes, or 
 changes in subcontractors. The registers contain 
 references to transportation of mail by steam¬ 
 boat, city railway, and suburban electric line. 
 Occasionally the registers give the dates of 
 
 establishment and discontinuance of post offices, 
 post office name changes, names of competitive 
 bidders for the mail-route contract and the 
 amounts of their bids, and descriptions of mail 
 routes on branch railway lines. The volumes are 
 arranged chronologically by 4-year contract 
 period and thereunder by State within the contract 
 section. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO THE 
 STAR ROUTE SERVICE 
 
 In 1775, to replace the postal service 
 operated by the British, the Continental Congress 
 established a system of posts for carrying let¬ 
 ters and intelligence. As the country developed, 
 the number of post offices increased and more 
 post roads were constructed. The use of rail¬ 
 roads as a means of transporting mail increased 
 rapidly after 1838, and the use of post riders and 
 horse-drawn vehicles for carrying the mail was 
 limited to post offices that were not on the rail¬ 
 road mail routes. An act of March 3, 1845, 
 contained the provision in which the modern star 
 route originated, namely, that the Postmaster 
 General was to award contracts for mail trans¬ 
 portation "to the lowest bidder, tendering suf¬ 
 ficient guarantees for faithful performance, 
 without other reference to the mode of such 
 transportation than may be necessary to provide 
 for the due celerity, certainty, and security of 
 such transportation . . . . " The practice of 
 marking with three stars (or asterisks) many of 
 the contracts for mail service providing "due 
 celerity, certainty, and security" developed; and 
 eventually the transportation of mail between 
 post offices by all modes except boat and rail¬ 
 way became known as star route mail service, 
 which was operated by the Railway Mail Service. 
 These star routes were intended to serve small 
 post offices located off the lines of railroad 
 travel and those families who live between the 
 post offices. 
 
 When rural free delivery service began 
 in 1896, wherever it was found feasible for 
 rural service to supersede star route service 
 the contracts for the latter were abrogated. 
 Occasionally star route service was reestablished 
 when the rural service was no longer needed. On 
 October 1, 1910, star route service, excepting 
 that in Alaska, was consolidated with rural free 
 delivery service within the Division of Rural 
 Mails, Bureau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General, in order that all questions relating to 
 rural mail service could be decided in one office. 
 On July 8, 1929, the service was transferred back 
 to the Bureau of the Second Assistant, where it 
 
BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 21 
 
 was supervised by the Division of Railway Mail 
 Service until 1946. 
 
 123. LETTERS SENT. Sept. 1862-Apr. 1863. 
 
 1 vol. 6 in. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 124. INDEXES TO REGISTERS FOR STAR 
 
 ROUTE CONTRACTS. 1830-74, 1883-87, 
 1901-60. 68 vols. and unbound papers. 
 
 51 ft. ; 
 
 The backstrip of each volume shows the 
 
 contract years and the States covered. Each 
 volume contains an alphabetical list of post of¬ 
 fices connected by star routes, with the county 
 and State in which each post office is located and 
 the mail-route number or numbers of the post 
 office. In some cases the index shows name 
 changes of post offices; dates of establishment, 
 discontinuance, and reopening of post offices 
 after the Civil War; whether post offices were 
 privately maintained or located on special routes; 
 and the annual cost of certain mail route serv¬ 
 ices. Volumes marked "1855-1859 Virginia, " 
 "1855-1859 Georgia, " and "1855-1860 Ohio" 
 also give the terminal points of the routes. 
 
 Some of the registers are described in entry 125. 
 The volumes are arranged chronologically by 
 contract term and thereunder geographically by 
 State. For the period 1903-60 the records are 
 on 3" X 5" cards. 
 
 125. REGISTERS FOR STAR ROUTE CON¬ 
 TRACTS. 1814-1960. 622 vols. and 
 unbound papers. 228 ft. 
 
 (1) Volumes (622) for the years 1814-17, 
 1824, and 1828-1935. The backstrip of each 
 volume shows the contract years and the States 
 covered. For the purpose of issuing advertise¬ 
 ments for bids and contracting for transportation 
 of mails on star routes, the United States was 
 divided into four contract sections; new contracts 
 for terms of 4 years were made in some of the 
 sections each year. For each contract are 
 usually given the mail-route number (with 
 changes, tf any), terminals of the route and the 
 intervening post office stops, the county and 
 State where each post office on the route is lo¬ 
 cated, other mail-route numbers of each post 
 office, distance between each post office on the 
 route, time schedule for the route, name and 
 address of contractor for the route, date of 
 awarding contract, amount of contract bid, 
 mode to be used in transporting the mail, and 
 any contract changes (increase or decrease of 
 contract payments, changes in schedule or 
 route, or changes in subcontractors). 
 
 In a few cases the registers give the dates 
 of establishment, discontinuance, and reestab¬ 
 lishment of post offices; post office name changes; 
 names of competitive bidders for contracts and 
 the amounts of their bids; and information con¬ 
 cerning special routes to post offices off the main 
 mail route, routes by way of the Great Lakes or 
 rivers, the Overland Route, routes to countries 
 bordering the Gulf of Mexico, and routes to 
 Canada, Cuba, Great Britain, islands in the 
 Pacific, and the Orient. Some of the volumes 
 contain Post Office Department circulars; mis¬ 
 cellaneous orders (appointments of mail mes¬ 
 sengers and local agents, printing instructions, 
 and advertisements); and post office receipts. 
 
 The volumes are arranged chronologically by 
 contract term and within each volume the entries 
 are arranged for the most part by State. Indexes 
 to some of the volumes are described in entry 
 124. 
 
 (2) Forms 4134 (green) and 5-5415 (white), 
 for the years 1914-60. Form 4134--an announce¬ 
 ment advertising for bids--shows the State, 
 county, mail-route number, a description of 
 the mail route, amount of bond to be posted, 
 mileage for the route, number of round trips to 
 be made per week, time schedule for the route, 
 names of bidders and the amounts of their bids, 
 name of the successful bidder, and, occasionally, 
 information about readvertising for bids and 
 about the mail route, including names of post 
 offices along the route. Form 5-5415--the order 
 of the Postmaster General for the contract--gives 
 the number and date of the order, terminals of 
 the mail route, length of the route, number of 
 round trips to be made per week, time schedule 
 for the route, name of the contractor, and, oc¬ 
 casionally, date of contract changes. For the 
 period 1930-60 the registers relate only to 
 Alaska and Hawaii. The forms, which are inter¬ 
 filed, are arranged chronologically by contract 
 period and thereunder alphabetically by State. 
 
 See also entries 130-132. 
 
 126. LISTS OF STAR ROUTE MAIL CONTRAC¬ 
 TORS. 1833-77. 36 vols. 5 ft. 
 
 The backstrip of each volume shows the 
 contract years and the names of the States for 
 which contractors are listed. Within each vol¬ 
 ume are the names of the contractors, their 
 addresses, and the numbers of the routes they 
 serviced. The volume entitled 1861 Ante-Bellum 
 Mail Service also lists the terminal points of the 
 route, deductions, fines assessed, and dates of 
 certificate issuances. Some of the volumes con¬ 
 tain information relating to cancellations or 
 transfers of contracts, to route terminals, and 
 
22 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 to the annual cost of specific route service. In 
 general the volumes are arranged chronologi¬ 
 cally by contract term. Within each volume the 
 listings are arranged by State and thereunder 
 alphabetically by name of contractor. In vol¬ 
 umes containing names for more than one con¬ 
 tract section the arrangement is by section, 
 thereunder by State, and thereunder alphabeti¬ 
 cally by name of contractor. 
 
 127. PAY BOOKS FOR STAR SERVICE. 1851- 
 
 66. 52 vols. 10 ft. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 128. REGISTER OF RECEIPT WARRANTS. 
 
 1836-1942. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO STAR SERVICE 
 BY MOTORTRUCKS 
 
 Section 7 of an act of July 2, 1918, appro¬ 
 priated funds for conducting experiments in the 
 operation of motor-vehicle truck routes in rural 
 communities "to promote the conservation of 
 farm products and to facilitate the collection and 
 delivery thereof from producer to consumer, and 
 the delivery of articles necessary in the produc¬ 
 tion of such food products to the producers . . . . " 
 In 1920 the experiment was abandoned as im¬ 
 practicable, but the existing routes were con¬ 
 tinued for several years. 
 
 129. RECORDS OF GOVERNMENT-OPERATED 
 
 STAR SERVICE BY MOTORTRUCKS. 
 
 1917-24. 26 ft. 
 
 In six groups as follows: (1) general cor¬ 
 respondence, 1917-24, relating (a) to the pur¬ 
 chase, maintenance, and repair of equipment, 
 arranged by subject in arbitrarily numbered clas¬ 
 sifications assigned apparently in consecutive 
 order as the need arose; (b) to the operation, 
 management, maintenance, and equipment of 
 motortruck service on star routes, arranged by 
 star route number; and (c) to orders establish¬ 
 ing, extending, and discontinuing routes for star 
 service by motortrucks, arranged chronologi¬ 
 cally; (2) correspondence relating to the estab¬ 
 lishment of motortruck service on star routes, 
 1917-19; (3) correspondence, 1919-20, relating 
 to farm-product deliveries within the Washing¬ 
 ton, D. C., area and in Virginia, West Virginia, 
 Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; 
 
 (4) monthly accounts for expenditures and oper¬ 
 ating costs, 1918-22; (5) statements of mail 
 handled, 1919-20; and (6) office files of C. T. 
 Butler, superintendent for Pennsylvania, relating 
 to the maintenance of the garage, equipment, and 
 
 supplies at Oxford, Pa., 1921-22. The records 
 in groups 2-6 are arranged chronologically 
 within each group. 
 
 130. RECORDS RELATING TO THE ESTAB¬ 
 LISHMENT OF HIGHWAY POST OFFICES. 
 1940-59. 4 ft. 
 
 Case files relating to the establishment of 
 highway-post-office routes, 1940-59. They in¬ 
 clude reports, correspondence, maps, and 
 other records relating to the authorization of 
 the routes and the initiation of service. Ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO 
 POWERBOAT SERVICE 
 
 This service, established in 1841, provided 
 for delivery of mail on a contract basis to post 
 offices located on inland rivers, lakes, and bays 
 of the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, 
 and Puerto Rico; and to points between the United 
 States and the Territory of Alaska. Initial re¬ 
 quests for powerboat service came from the First 
 Assistant Postmaster General, in connection 
 with the establishment of post offices or when 
 residents of an area petitioned for service. 
 Service was established upon recommendation 
 of the divisional superintendents of the Railway 
 Mail Service, if inspection indicated that such 
 service was necessary. 
 
 131. REGISTERS OF ORDERS CONCERNING 
 
 POWERBOAT- AND STEAMBOAT-MAIL- 
 ROUTE SERVICE. 1859-63; July 1, 1910- 
 June 30, 1947. 14 vols. and unbound 
 
 papers. 7 ft. 
 
 The registers contain the original signed 
 and approved orders authorizing the establish¬ 
 ment, change, or discontinuance of powerboat 
 or steamboat routes in the 4th Contract Section 
 (Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Idaho, Washing¬ 
 ton, Oregon, California, Hawaii, and Alaska) 
 of the United States. The orders show the names 
 of the contractor and vessel, stopping places 
 along the route, terminals, mileage between 
 stops, total mileage, rate of pay per mile, and 
 total amount paid for the contract. For the 
 period 1914-47 the orders relate only to Alaska 
 and Hawaii. For the period 1859-63 they relate 
 only to South Carolina, California, Utah, and 
 Nevada. The orders are arranged consecutively 
 by mail-route number. 
 
 132. POWERBOAT MAIL SERVICE CONTRACTS 
 IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAW AH. 
 1949-53. 6 in. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by State or Territory. 
 
BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 23 
 
 133. RECORDS RELATING TO POWERBOAT 
 
 MAIL SERVICE IN VIRGINIA. 1921-25. 
 
 8 in. 
 
 Relate to mail-route contract cases that 
 were later adjusted by the Division of Railway 
 Adjustments. The case folders contain adver¬ 
 tisements, bids, orders relating to contract 
 changes, petitions for mail service, sureties of 
 mail contractors, subcontracts, maps, and 
 general correspondence about each mail route. 
 Arranged by mail-route contract number, 14082 
 to 14100. 
 
 134. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. 1858- 
 
 1916, 1942-52. 7 ft. 
 
 The records are fragmentary. Some of 
 the material refers to Alaska. The records are 
 arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 RAILWAY ADJUSTMENTS 
 
 An act of July 7, 1838, fixed the rate of 
 compensation for transportation of mail by rail¬ 
 roads at not more than 25 percent over and above 
 the cost of similar transportation by post coaches. 
 On January 25, 1839, the rate of compensation 
 was increased and on February 20, 1845, the 
 Postmaster General was authorized by a joint 
 congressional resolution to enter into contracts 
 with railroad companies without advertising bids. 
 In May of that year he was directed to divide the 
 railroad routes into three classes. 
 
 These laws remained in force until an act 
 of March 3, 1873, established a scale of rates 
 based on the daily average weight of the mail 
 carried and provided that on each railroad route 
 the mails be weighed for a period of 30 days and 
 not less frequently than once in 4 years. In 
 1878 the Division of Railway Adjustments was 
 created to handle arrangements in establishing 
 rates for new railroad routes and to make ad¬ 
 justments in existing mail service on steam and 
 electric railways, steam vessels, and some star 
 routes, and in airmail service in Alaska and the 
 mail messenger service. The Division audited 
 claims for such types of mail transportation, 
 examined quality of performance, prepared state¬ 
 ments of accounts for payment of the various car¬ 
 riers, and, after 1916, interpreted and applied 
 the regulations and orders of the Interstate Com¬ 
 merce Commission and the Civil Aeronautics 
 Board. 
 
 In 1916 the act of 1873 was amended to pro¬ 
 vide that payments to railroad companies for 
 carrying the mail be based on the size of the 
 railway post-office car rather than on the weight 
 of the mail carried. The amending act also 
 
 specified maximum rates of payment and directed 
 the Interstate Commerce Commission to deter¬ 
 mine and maintain fair and reasonable rates of 
 payment. 
 
 135. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. 1907-46. 
 
 20 ft. 
 
 Mainly correspondence relating to admin¬ 
 istration, operations, personnel, rulings, and 
 instructions of and appropriations for the Division, 
 with references to the Alaska star route, Alaska 
 airmail, and powerboat, electric car, and side 
 messenger mail services. Included are corre¬ 
 spondence with railroad companies relating to 
 backpay due as a result of an Interstate Com¬ 
 merce Commission order of July 10, 1928, and 
 to equalization deduction cases; reports on 
 amounts of fines paid by the railroad companies; 
 reports on tests in the use of narrow-gage rail¬ 
 road units; reports on costs of mail transporta¬ 
 tion; work papers for a pamphlet containing in¬ 
 structions and rulings on transportation of mails 
 by railroads; and weekly progress reports on 
 expenditures for space authorizations and rail¬ 
 road transportation. Arranged in part by subject. 
 
 136. CASE FILES AND GENERAL CORRESPOND¬ 
 ENCE RELATING TO PRIVATE EXPRESS. 
 
 1896-1933. 11 ft. 
 
 Relate to the transmittal of monthly bills, 
 statements, letters, and packages by means 
 other than the postal service that were in violation 
 of Federal statutes. Correspondence for the 
 period 1932-33 is arranged alphabetically by name 
 of State; case files for the period 1896-1932 are 
 arranged by case number, and those for the 
 period 1932-33 are arranged alphabetically by 
 name of violator. 
 
 137. PUBLIC CARRIERS' REPORTS OF RAIL¬ 
 WAY MAIL SERVICE PERFORMED. 
 
 1916-22. 1 ft. 
 
 These case reports, made by the railroad 
 companies, show name of the company, route 
 number, period covered by the report, points of 
 service, distance traveled, class of service pro¬ 
 vided, number of one-way trips, and rate per 
 mile. Included are some Department affidavits 
 approving railroad company statements and cor¬ 
 respondence regarding adjustments in increased 
 rates. Arranged numerically by report case 
 number, 107501 to 107516 and 103503 to 103514. 
 
 138. REPORTS RELATING TO EQUALIZATION 
 
 OF PAY BETWEEN COMPETITIVE RAIL¬ 
 ROAD MAIL ROUTES. 1911-26. 5 in. 
 
 Filed with the reports are railroad weight 
 
 circulars and correspondence relating to mail 
 
24 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 schedules, weight of mail, and cost of trans¬ 
 portation of mail in connection with 4-year 
 contracts. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO 
 MAIL MESSENGER SERVICE 
 
 Mail messenger service between railway 
 stations and post offices was first mentioned in 
 the appropriation act for the fiscal year ending 
 June 30, 1869. Until June 30, 1871, mail mes¬ 
 sengers were paid from the appropriation for 
 inland transportation; after that date a separate 
 appropriation was made for them. An act of 
 March 3, 1887, enlarged the scope of the service 
 by authorizing such mail messenger service as 
 was necessary for carrying the mail in connec¬ 
 tion with railroad and steamboat service and 
 with transfer service between depots, over 
 bridges or ferries, between post offices, and 
 between post offices and branch offices or sta¬ 
 tions in cases where the carriers were not 
 legally required to deliver the mail they carried 
 from or to the post offices. Beginning in 1910 
 this messenger service was supervised by the 
 Division of Miscellaneous Transportation. Super¬ 
 vision was transferred to the Bureau of the First 
 Assistant Postmaster General on July 1, 1916; 
 but in the early 1920's it was returned to the 
 Bureau of the Second Assistant, under the Divi¬ 
 sion of Railway Adjustments. 
 
 139. REGISTERS OF MAIL MESSENGERS. 
 
 1877-81,1900-47. 363 vols. 125 ft. 
 
 One volume, relating only to Rhode Island 
 and Connecticut mail messenger routes for the 
 contract period 1877-81, gives length of each 
 mail route; frequency of service; messenger's 
 name, appointment date, and salary; and date 
 the mail route was established. Each of the 
 other volumes contains both a statement of and 
 a service order for individual mail messenger 
 services during 4-year contract periods in 
 specified States. The statement gives mail- 
 route number, a description of the route, length 
 of the route, name of the mail messenger, his 
 service record, and his annual salary. The 
 service order gives similar information, together 
 with the date of the order. There are revised 
 orders to cover changes in services. In some 
 instances the dates on which messenger service 
 was discontinued are given. The volumes are 
 arranged chronologically by contract term and 
 thereunder by State or States within a contract 
 region. Within each volume the material is ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by name of post office 
 to which the messenger was assigned. 
 
 140. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO 
 
 TRANSFERS TO SIDE TERMINALS. 1927- 
 
 34. 2 vols. 2 in. 
 
 Arranged by name of post office and there¬ 
 under chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 INTERNATIONAL POSTAL SERVICE 
 
 The work relating to the exchange of mails 
 with foreign countries was at first performed in 
 the Office of the Postmaster General. As early 
 as 1792 the Postmaster General negotiated a 
 postal arrangement with the Deputy Postmaster 
 General of Canada, and the postal act of 1825 
 authorized him to make arrangements with post¬ 
 masters in foreign countries for the reciprocal 
 receipt and delivery of mail. In 1844 Congress 
 recognized the postal agreements with foreign 
 postal administrations. The first postal treaty 
 entered into by the United States was with Bre¬ 
 men in 1847; in 1849 one was negotiated with 
 Great Britain. 
 
 By 1850 the work relating to the exchange 
 of mails with foreign countries was of such 
 importance that Horatio King was placed in 
 charge of a separate "foreign desk" under super¬ 
 vision of the Office of the Postmaster General. 
 
 In 1857 the supervision of the international postal 
 service was assigned to the Bureau of the First 
 Assistant Postmaster General. An act of July 27, 
 1868, authorized the Postmaster General to 
 appoint a Superintendent of Foreign Mails and 
 three additional clerks. According to the postal 
 laws and regulations of 1879, the "Office of the 
 Superintendent of Foreign Mails" was a separate 
 division responsible directly to the Postmaster 
 General, but on July 20, 1891, the Postmaster 
 General ordered that the Division of Foreign 
 Mails be assigned to the Bureau of the Second 
 Assistant Postmaster. It was known as the 
 Division of International Postal Service from 
 July 7, 1928, to July 1946. 
 
 The Division was charged mainly with the 
 management of foreign surface mail and airmail, 
 cooperation with the Treasury Department in the 
 clearing of mail through the customs, adjust¬ 
 ment of indemnity claims in connection with inter¬ 
 national mails, administrative determination of 
 amounts due from or to foreign countries, trans¬ 
 lation of foreign-language letters and documents 
 pertaining to the international postal service, 
 the supervision of the Navy mail service, and the 
 handling of matters involving negotiation, con¬ 
 clusion, and interpretation of postal conventions 
 and agreements (except those concerning money 
 orders). 
 
BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 25 
 
 The Postmaster General was the custodian 
 of most original conventions and the greater part 
 of these are now in the National Archives (see 
 entry 141). From February 20, 1792, to June 8, 
 1872, postal conventions and agreements were 
 made under special statutes. An act passed on 
 the latter date gave the Postmaster General 
 authority to negotiate and conclude postal treaties 
 or conventions by and with the advice and con¬ 
 sent of the President. Such agreements are not 
 submitted to the Senate but are approved and 
 ratified by the President. Bilateral conventions 
 are generally signed by the Postmaster General; 
 multilateral conventions are agreed on at inter¬ 
 national postal congresses and signed by the 
 U.S. delegates. 
 
 Five postal conventions are exceptions to 
 the above procedure. Negotiated under the 
 ordinary procedure of treatymaking, they are 
 in Record Group 11, United States Government 
 Documents Having General Legal Effect. They 
 were concluded with New Granada, March 6, 
 
 1844 (Treaty Series 53); Great Britain, Decem¬ 
 ber 15, 1848 (Treaty Series 121); Mexico, De¬ 
 cember 11, 1861 (Treaty Series 211); Mexico, 
 July 31, 1861 (Treaty Series 210--although un¬ 
 perfected, it was erroneously filed in the per¬ 
 fected series and assigned a number); and Costa 
 Rica, June 9, 1862 (Unperfected Treaty Series 
 0). In the same record group there are a pro¬ 
 posed postal convention with France, 1852; the 
 original of a postal convention with Belgium of 
 December 21, 1859 (Treaty Series 21); a copy 
 of the additional convention with Italy of August 9 
 and 24, 1880; and a certified copy of a multi¬ 
 lateral convention signed at the Universal Postal 
 Congress held in Washington, D. C., in 1897. 
 
 The last three treaties were not submitted to the 
 Senate. There is also a ratified copy of the 
 Universal Postal Convention of August 28, 1924, 
 which was furnished to the State Department by 
 the Post Office Department and was assigned 
 number 708-A in the Treaty Series. An unper¬ 
 fected convention with Mexico of February 10, 
 1857 (Unperfected Treaty Series B-11), is in 
 the series of diplomatic despatches from Mexico, 
 in Record Group 59, General Records of the 
 Department of State. It is possible that other 
 conventions are in this record group among the 
 diplomatic despatches from other countries or 
 in Record Group 84, Records of the Foreign 
 Service Posts of the Department of State. 
 
 Foreign parcel post was inaugurated by a 
 convention with Jamaica, British West Indies, 
 on October 1, 1887, and by 1891 there were 11 
 parcel post conventions. By September 1, 1932, 
 there were 61 bilateral postal conventions or 
 agreements and 1 multilateral agreement. 
 
 Complicated rates of postage and varying 
 terms of the separate treaties with foreign 
 countries inspired a movement to form a uni¬ 
 versal postal union, and the first international 
 postal congress was held at Berne in 1874. The 
 Universal Postal Union (at first called the Gen¬ 
 eral Postal Union) was formed as a result of 
 the Berne congress; it met at Paris in 1878, 
 Lisbon in 1885, Vienna in 1891, Washington in 
 1897, Rome in 1906, Madrid in 1920, Stockholm 
 in 1924, London in 1929, Cairo in 1934, and 
 Buenos Aires in 1939. Conventions of this Postal 
 Union permit members to enter into restricted 
 postal unions, of which the Postal Union of the 
 Americas and Spain (signatories to which are the 
 21 American Republics, Canada, and Spain) is 
 perhaps the most important. 
 
 The First South American Postal Congress, 
 held at Montevideo in 1911, formed the South 
 American Postal Union, which operated so suc¬ 
 cessfully that other American countries expressed 
 a wish to join. At the First Pan American Postal 
 Congress at Buenos Aires in 1921, the South 
 American Postal Union was transformed into the 
 Pan American Postal Union; and at the Third 
 Pan American Postal Congress at Madrid in 
 1931, the name was changed to the Postal Union 
 of the Americas and Spain. Other congresses 
 of these Unions were held at Mexico City in 1926, 
 at Panama in 1936, and at Rio de Janiero in 1946. 
 
 141. RECORD COPIES OF POSTAL CONVEN¬ 
 TIONS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
 1857-1929. 3 ft. 
 
 These handwritten or typed texts of posta. 
 conventions, signed by the Postmaster General 
 and by representatives of the foreign country 
 concerned, are considered the U.S. record 
 copies. The conventions with each country, 
 together with related materials, are in separate 
 envelopes that are arranged alphabetically by 
 name of country. For a list of these conventions, 
 prepared from the Post Office Department's 
 Catalog of Postal Conventions and Agreements , 
 
 see appendix HI. 
 
 142. MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS RELATING 
 TO POSTAL CONGRESSES AND CONVEN¬ 
 TIONS. 1916-27. 8 in. 
 
 Correspondence concerning acknowledg¬ 
 ments of postal reports from Latin American 
 countries, steamship reservations and schedules 
 for delegates assigned to conventions, franking 
 privileges extended to diplomatic and consular 
 officers, ratification of postal conventions and 
 agreements, parcel post, and plans for postal 
 congresses; a brief history of the General Postal 
 Union; the articles of the Pan American Postal 
 
26 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Union; the agenda for the congress at Madrid 
 (1920) and the First South American Continental 
 Postal Congress at Montevideo (1911); postal 
 announcements issued by Latin American coun¬ 
 tries; and newspaper clippings. Arranged in 
 the groups listed. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO 
 OCEAN MAIL SERVICE 
 
 In 1845 Congress gave the Postmaster 
 General authority to enter into contracts for 
 carrying foreign mail. Before that time the 
 Postmaster General made arrangements with 
 foreign postal administrations and with ship¬ 
 owners for the transportation of overseas mail. 
 
 On March 3, 1891, "An Act to provide for 
 ocean mail service between the United States 
 and foreign ports and to promote commerce" was 
 approved. It authorized the Postmaster General 
 to enter into contracts with American citizens 
 for the carrying of mail on American steamships. 
 Thereafter the Post Office Department contracted 
 for sufficient shipping and space to care for its 
 needs in handling overseas mails on several 
 ocean-mail routes. 
 
 Under the Merchant Marine Acts of 1920 
 and 1928 the authority of the Postmaster General 
 to contract for ocean mail service was continued, 
 but with the additional provisions that it be done 
 to aid in the development of a U.S. merchant 
 marine and in the expansion of foreign and coast¬ 
 wise trade in ships under the U.S. flag. These 
 acts were superseded by the Merchant Marine 
 Act of 1936, which transferred the powers and 
 duties vested in the Postmaster General with 
 regard to ocean-mail contracts to the Maritime 
 Commission and provided that all mail of the 
 United States should insofar as practicable be 
 carried on vessels of U.S. registry. 
 
 143. CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS 
 
 CONCERNING SPEED TESTS OF CON¬ 
 TRACTED VESSELS. 1929-39. 4 ft. 
 
 Relate mainly to the activities of the Post 
 Office Department that resulted from the Mer¬ 
 chant Marine Act of 1928: testing speed capabil¬ 
 ities of contract vessels, periodically examining 
 the deck and engineroorn logs of all vessels, and 
 becoming familiar with physical conditions of the 
 vessels through the study of the technical reports, 
 surveys, and repair specifications prepared for 
 each vessel that carried mail. Arranged by 
 ocean-mail route number. A small amount of 
 correspondence with the Munson Steamship Line 
 regarding a bid for an ocean-mail contract in 
 1929 is filed separately. 
 
 144. QUESTIONNAIRES RELATING TO OCEAN- 
 
 MAIL ROUTES. 1933-34. 1 ft. 
 
 These were answered by American steam¬ 
 ship owners and operators in foreign countries. 
 The questionnaires contain information relating 
 to vessels, their comparative capacities, sub¬ 
 ventions, trade routes, competitive conditions 
 in carrying the mail, and operations. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO FOREIGN AND 
 MILITARY POSTAL SERVICE 
 
 The Spanish-American War made it neces¬ 
 sary to establish a military postal service to 
 handle mail for 250, 000 soldiers. The first 
 military post office was set up at Camp Black, 
 N.Y., on May 4, 1898, and was given all the 
 powers of a regular post office. As other offices 
 were established and the volume of business in¬ 
 creased, trained postal clerks were assigned to 
 the military post offices throughout the United 
 States. 
 
 As the military forces advanced into Cuba, 
 Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands, postal 
 services that were closely associated with the 
 general postal system of the United States were 
 established on these islands. The post offices in 
 Cuba and Puerto Rico were supervised by the 
 Railway Mail Service; and those on the Philippine 
 Islands, by the San Francisco Superintendent of 
 Delivery. In 1899 the United States set up a 
 postal system in Cuba similar to its own and on 
 May 20, 1902, relinquished most of its control 
 to the Cuban Government. Some details of U.S. 
 administration were not settled until 1908. 
 
 145. ADMINISTRATIVE CORRESPONDENCE 
 
 RELATING TO MILITARY POSTAL SERV¬ 
 ICE. 1898-1902. 8 in. 
 
 Relates to personnel, equipment, and 
 supplies for military postal stations in the Hawai¬ 
 ian and Philippine Islands, China, Puerto Rico, 
 Cuba, and the States of Alabama, Florida, 
 Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Tennessee, and 
 Virginia. Arranged by subject as listed. 
 
 146. RECORDS RELATING TO THE CUBAN 
 
 POSTAL SERVICE. 1896-1908. 6 ft. 
 
 Correspondence of the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment, Congress, the Military Governor of Cuba, 
 the Cuban Collector of Customs, the Cuban 
 Treasurer, and Cuban postmasters relating to 
 the operation and administration of the Cuban 
 postal service; office files of Estes G. Rathbone, 
 Director General of Cuban Posts; letters of ap¬ 
 plication and recommendation; a list of postal 
 employees; photographs of employees; a report 
 
BUREAU OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 27 
 
 for the period January 1-May 20, 1902; confi¬ 
 dential reports relating to Cuban reaction to 
 U.S. military occupation; newspaper clippings; 
 orders of administration and operation issued 
 by the Director General of Cuban Posts; forms; 
 and indexes to correspondence. The correspond¬ 
 ence is arranged by subject; the other records 
 are grouped by type as listed. 
 
 147. RECORDS RELATING TO THE PHILIP¬ 
 PINE ISLANDS POSTAL SERVICE. 1895- 
 
 1903. 1 ft. 
 
 Mainly correspondence and memoranda of 
 the Post Office Department and Congress re¬ 
 lating to the operations and administration of the 
 Philippine postal service; case files for claims 
 of special employees; lists of postal employees; 
 photographs of employees; letters of application 
 and recommendation; vouchers and receipts for 
 postal equipment; statements of receipts and 
 expenditures for the period 1889-1901; and re¬ 
 ports of mail, parcels, and money orders re¬ 
 ceived and dispatched for the United States and 
 foreign countries. Included is some correspond¬ 
 ence relating to the establishment of a postal 
 system at Camp Merritt, San Francisco, Calif. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 148. RECORDS RELATING TO THE PUERTO 
 
 RICAN POSTAL SERVICE. 1899-1900. 
 
 1 in. 
 
 Included are reports to the Post Office 
 Department containing lists of postal employees 
 in Puerto Rico; an inventory of supplies and 
 equipment; statements of stamps received and 
 sold; and accounts of receipts and disbursements. 
 Arranged in the groups listed. 
 
 RECORDS RELATING TO THE 
 FOREIGN AIRMAIL SERVICE 
 
 The first airmail route from the United 
 States to another country was inaugurated on 
 October 15, 1920, from Seattle, Wash., to 
 Victoria, British Columbia, to connect with 
 steamships to and from the Orient. On Novem¬ 
 ber 1, 1920, an airmail route was established 
 between Key West, Fla., and Havana, Cuba. 
 
 This route was discontinued in 1923 but was re¬ 
 established on October 19, 1927, the date that 
 marks the beginning of foreign airmail service 
 as it is known today. Impetus to the expansion 
 of foreign airmail routes was furnished by an 
 act approved March 8, 1928, authorizing the 
 Postmaster General to enter into contracts for 
 not more than 10-year periods for the transpor¬ 
 tation of mail by air to foreign countries and to 
 insular possessions of the United States. 
 
 149. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO AIR¬ 
 MAIL SERVICE. 1918-29, 1934-37. 8 in. 
 
 Contains complaints, inquiries, and sug¬ 
 gestions concerning airmail service. Corre¬ 
 spondence for the period 1918-29 is that of the 
 Division of Foreign Mails; the later correspond¬ 
 ence relates to the transpacific airmail service. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 150. SCHEDULES FOR AIRLINES. 1928-36. 
 
 20 ft. 
 
 Included is some related correspondence. 
 Arranged for the most part chronologically. 
 
 151. RECORDS CONCERNING AIRMAIL SERV¬ 
 ICE TO CENTRAL AMERICA. 1924-26. 
 
 3 in. 
 
 Included are correspondence with the Depart¬ 
 ment of State concerning surveys and reports on 
 and reactions to airmail service with countries 
 of Central America; petitions and reports of the 
 New Orleans Association of Commerce favoring 
 the establishment of such an airmail service; 
 and Army surveys of flight routes. 
 
 152. REPORTS OF PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS 
 
 AND OF FOREIGN AIRMAIL CARRIERS. 
 
 1934-37. 2 ft. 
 
 Financial statements and operating reports 
 collected by the Special Audit Section of the Di¬ 
 vision of International Postal Service for the 
 purpose of comparing foreign and domestic air¬ 
 mail rates. The records relating to Pan Ameri¬ 
 can Airways include the following: Form FAM 
 5-10 (miles, frequency, and rates); Form 
 FAM-10 (average and minimum flying time 
 between points); Schedule No. 2 (direct aircraft 
 operating expenses); a report on property in¬ 
 vestments of Pan American Airways; an analysis 
 of disbursements to accounts concerning the 
 Caribbean division; and statistics on costs, 
 flight routes, pilots' salaries, depreciation, 
 passengers and revenues, mail express, and 
 excess baggage. The records pertaining to 
 foreign airmail carriers show passenger income, 
 divisional (operating) expenses, airport expenses, 
 and costs (present values and depreciations). 
 
 The records are arranged for the most part 
 chronologically and thereunder by airline com¬ 
 pany. 
 
 153. PERFORMANCE REPORTS ON FOREIGN 
 
 AIRMAIL SERVICE. 1938-39. 5 in. 
 
 Monthly reports (Form 2718) showing 
 
 route number, a description of the route, number 
 of scheduled trips, number of trips arriving at 
 end of route, causes of delays, and performance 
 
28 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 records (canceled and partially completed trips, 
 and miles flown). Arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 AIR MAIL SERVICE 
 
 The development of domestic airmail serv¬ 
 ice began with special or exhibition flights made 
 by permission of the Post Office Department-- 
 without expense to the Department--on the occa¬ 
 sion of State fairs or local celebrations. During 
 the week of September 27-30, 1911, mail was 
 dropped in pouches at Mineola, N. Y., for the 
 postmaster to pick up. After that the Post Of- 
 hce Department granted permission for mail 
 to be carried on short exhibition and experimental 
 flights between certain points. During the fiscal 
 year 1916 funds for airmail service were made 
 available from the appropriation for steamboat 
 or other powerboat service; and, on June 30, 
 
 1918, Congress appropriated $100,000 for ex¬ 
 perimental airmail routes. From November 15, 
 1918, to February 15, 1919, all airmail service 
 was owned and operated directly by the Govern¬ 
 ment. On the latter date, airmail service routes 
 between Detroit and Chicago and between Detroit 
 and Cleveland were let to private contractors. 
 After September 1, 1927, all airmail service 
 routes were let to private contractors, and the 
 Government ceased actual operation of the air¬ 
 mail service except for a short period in the 
 early 1930's. 
 
 With the exception of the period August 8, 
 1938-July 2, 1940, when the Division of Air 
 Mail Service was administered and supervised 
 by the Bureau of the First Assistant Postmaster 
 General, the Division was operated as a field 
 service under the supervision of the Second 
 Assistant Postmaster General. On July 1, 1944, 
 it was transferred to the departmental service 
 within the Bureau of the Second Assistant Post¬ 
 master General. 
 
 154. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE 
 OPERATION OF AUTOGIRO AND HELI¬ 
 COPTER MAIL, AND THE FIRST AIR¬ 
 MAIL FREIGHT MAIL IN THE UNITED 
 STATES AND ALASKA. 1919-35. 10 ft. 
 Included are general reports and schedules. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 155. RECORDS RELATING TO PROPOSED AND 
 REQUESTED AIRMAIL AND HELICOPTER 
 ROUTES AND STOPS. 1926-49. 12 ft. 
 Included are correspondence, petitions, 
 
 photographs, maps, blueprints, brochures 
 published by cities, and surveys. Arranged by 
 name of city 
 
 156. CASE FILES OF HEARINGS ON ESTAB¬ 
 LISHING POSTAL HELICOPTER SERVICE. 
 1928-40. 6 ft. 
 
 Included are exhibits and photographs. The 
 records are arranged by State and thereunder 
 chronologically. 
 
 157. GENERAL RECORDS OF THE AIRMAIL 
 SERVICE AND ITS SUCCESSORS. 1918-42. 
 95 ft. 
 
 Correspondence, reports, and memoranda, 
 in three groups: (1) records of the airmail serv¬ 
 ice, 1918-25, (2) records of the General Super¬ 
 intendent of the Airmail Service, 1926-42, and 
 (3) records of the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General relating to air transport, 1926-42. The 
 records concern the administration, organiza¬ 
 tion, and general operation of the airmail service. 
 Each group is arranged by a decimal system. 
 
 158. PUBLICITY MATERIALS RELATING TO 
 AIRMAIL SERVICE. 1918-37. 7 ft. 
 Newspaper clippings; copies of photographs; 
 
 two post binders of circular letters, schedules, 
 maps of airmail routes, and announcements 
 issued by local post offices; three post binders 
 of photographs concerning airmail displays for 
 use in corridors, at conventions, and in windows; 
 one post binder of blotters pertaining to airmail 
 service; and one post binder of maps and charts 
 on which airmail routes are shown. The news¬ 
 paper clippings are arranged chronologically; 
 the material in each post binder is arranged 
 alphabetically by State. 
 
 159. CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS 
 RELATING TO "NATIONAL AIR MAIL 
 WEEK." 1938-39. 5 ft. 
 
 "National Air Mail Week, " instituted to 
 commemorate the 20th anniversary of the inaugu¬ 
 ration of regular airmail service, was celebrated 
 from May 15 to May 21, 1938. The records 
 consist mainly of the report of a San Francisco 
 postal inspector; correspondence with airlines, 
 organizations. Air Mail Service assistant super¬ 
 intendents, and Government agencies; corre¬ 
 spondence relating to publicity, newsreels, 
 philatelists, pilots, and radio; correspondence 
 of Charles P. Graddick, Superintendent of the 
 Division of Air Mail Service, with the Eaton 
 Paper Corporation; and some correspondence of 
 the Postmaster General. Included are Special 
 Flight Forms 2702A and 2715, which give the 
 route of the flight, departure time, name of 
 pilot, numbers of pouches and pieces of mail 
 carried, and weight of mail. Arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by State. 
 
BUREAU OF THE THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 29 
 
 160. PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY RE¬ 
 PORTS ON DOMESTIC AIRMAIL SERVICE. 
 Aug. 1920-May 1924, May 1931-Apr. 1941. 
 45 vols. and unbound papers. 21 ft. 
 
 In three groups as follows: (1) Reports, 
 1920-24 (45 vols.), containing weather data, 
 information on flight performance (plane num¬ 
 ber, name of pilot, terminal points of flight, 
 times of departure and arrival, time in transit, 
 and number of pouches and weight in pounds of 
 mail received at start of flight and delivered at 
 end of flight), efficiency rating (percentage 
 earned for start, speed, forced landings, and 
 damage), average efficiency rating for entire 
 trip, miles flown on trip, forced landing record 
 (place, time, cause, damage, and disposition 
 of mail), and percentage of trips completed. The 
 volumes are arranged chronologically; within 
 each volume the contents are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of air-transport company. 
 
 (2) Reports, 1931-41 (on Form 2718 and un¬ 
 numbered forms), showing route number, 
 location of route, number of trips scheduled, 
 number of trips arriving at end of route, causes 
 of delays, and performance records (canceled 
 and partial flights, completed trips, and miles 
 flown). Arranged in two groups, one chronologi¬ 
 cally by month and the other alphabetically by 
 name of air-transport company. (3) Delayed 
 operations correction reports, 1934-39, showing 
 amount and cause of delay. Arranged by name 
 of air-transport company. 
 
 161. RECORDS RELATING TO NATIONAL AIR 
 TRANSPORT, INC. 1926. 4 in. 
 
 National Air Transport, Inc., carried 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE T 
 
 A Third Assistant Postmaster General was 
 appointed in accordance with provisions of an 
 act of June 2, 1836 (5 Stat. 80), to provide more 
 effectively for the settlement of the accounts of 
 the Post Office Department. He was assigned 
 the supervision of the newly established Inspec¬ 
 tion Office, which was authorized to review and 
 report on mail-service contracts and to super¬ 
 vise postmasters. Letters commenting on the 
 efficiency of contractors and the quarterly post¬ 
 age accounts of postmasters were directed to 
 this office. In 1846 the Office of the Third As¬ 
 sistant Postmaster General was made responsi¬ 
 ble for all financial operations of the Post Office 
 Department not delegated to the Auditor by law. 
 Many of the Third Assistant’s inspection duties 
 were then transferred to the Office of the Chief 
 Clerk. 
 
 As the postal service expanded in the latter 
 half of the 19th century, the work of the Office 
 
 airmail in the Middle West under contract with 
 the Pofet Office Department before 1927. The 
 records include performance records of the 
 company; copies of editorial comment; balance 
 sheets; a list of stockholders in the company; 
 endorsements by civic organizations; and infor¬ 
 mation relating to shop equipment, fields, and 
 hangars. Arranged by subject as listed. 
 
 162. BLUEPRINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
 AIRPLANES, PARTS, AND HANGARS. 
 1918-25. 13 ft. 
 
 Arranged in rough chronological order. 
 
 163. MAPS AND PLANS OF LANDING FIELDS. 
 1918-25. 56 items. 1/2 in. 
 
 Annotated photoprocessed maps and plans. 
 
 Arranged in rough chronological order. 
 
 164. MAPS SHOWING LANDING FIELDS AND 
 AIRMAIL ROUTES. 1918-41. 28 items. 
 1/2 in. 
 
 Published and annotated maps, including 
 a sketch map that shows the first airmail routes 
 between New York and Washington, D. C., New 
 York and Cleveland, and Cleveland and Chicago 
 and compares the air routes with railroad routes 
 between these points. 
 
 165. PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS. 1920-35. 
 
 400 items. 2 ft. 
 
 Included are prints showing airplanes, air¬ 
 plane accidents, safety devices, airports, and 
 pilots of the airmail service, and terminals, 
 equipment, and personnel of Pan American 
 Airways. 
 
 D ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 of the Third Assistant Postmaster General be¬ 
 came more varied. In addition to a Division of 
 Finance, the Office set up divisions to handle 
 dead letters; issue stamps, stamped envelopes, 
 newspaper wrappers, and postal cards; manage 
 the money order, parcel post, postal savings, 
 and registered mail systems; and classify 
 mail matter. The Office of the Third Assistant 
 and its subordinate organizational units became 
 known collectively as the Bureau of the Third 
 Assistant Postmaster General in the 1920's. 
 
 The Bureau of the Third Assistant Post¬ 
 master General was redesignated the Bureau of 
 Finance on August 20, 1949, in accordance with 
 the President's Reorganization Plan No. 3. 
 
 The records of the Bureau of the Third 
 Assistant Postmaster General that are in the 
 National Archives—including fiscal records that 
 predated the Bureau--are arranged according to 
 the Bureau's organization at the time of the 
 
30 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 redesignation. Most of the extant records of the 
 Divisions of Postal Savings, Letters and Miscel¬ 
 laneous Mail, and Registered Mail are at the Post 
 Office Department or at the Washington National 
 Records Center. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF FINANCE 
 
 The Division of Finance was established 
 by the Postmaster General in 1872 to handle the 
 receipt and disbursement of postal revenues. 
 
 166. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. 1922-37. 
 
 4 ft. 
 
 Chiefly letters received, copies of letters 
 sent, and reports of postmasters relating to the 
 deposit of postal funds in national and State 
 banks. Included are notifications by the Treasury 
 Department of banks in receivership and corre¬ 
 spondence concerning lockbox rentals, responsi¬ 
 bility for stolen post office funds, safekeeping of 
 stamps and money order forms, and postmasters' 
 checks returned because of insufficient funds. 
 Arranged alphabetically by name of State and 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 167. ACCOUNTS OF THE GENERAL POST 
 OFFICE IN PHILADELPHIA AND OF THE 
 VARIOUS DEPUTY POSTMASTERS 
 ("LEDGER OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN"). 
 July 26, 1775-Jan. 5, 1780. 1 vol. 2in. 
 This volume contains the accounts of 
 
 Benjamin Franklin, Richard Bache, Ebenezer 
 Hazard, and Samuel Osgood, who served as 
 Postmasters General under the Continental Con¬ 
 gress, and the accounts of deputy postmasters. 
 The latest entry for accounts still open in July 
 1776 is dated January 1780. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 168. LEDGERS OF THE GENERAL POST 
 OFFICE. 1782-1803. 7 vols. 9 in. 
 
 In three groups. (1) Five general ledgers: 
 (a) May 1, 1782-March 10, 1790; (b) July 1, 
 1783-January 21, 1794; (c) October 1, 1793- 
 December 31, 1'796; (d) January 1, 1795-Decem- 
 ber 31, 1799; and (e) for New York, October 19, 
 1789-November 16, 1790, for Philadelphia, 
 January 3, 1791-August 30, 1797, and for Tren¬ 
 ton, September 1797. (These five volumes show 
 accounts of the Postmaster General, the Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General, deputy postmasters, 
 mail-route contractors, and post riders. The 
 accounts relate to compensation, quarterly 
 accounts, commissions, postage, mail-service 
 contracts, contingent expenses, letters sent by 
 foreign or coastwise ships, incidental expenses, 
 and drafts. ) (2) A ledger of errors in quarterly 
 reports by deputy postmasters, July 1, 1799- 
 
 October 1, 1803. (3) A cash ledger, October 19, 
 
 1789-June 30, 1796. (This volume contains 
 information relating to expenditures for salaries 
 of post office clerks, operating needs, mail 
 contracts, and money received from deputy post¬ 
 masters. ) Within each group the records are 
 arranged chronologically; records in the second 
 group are arranged thereunder alphabetically by 
 name of post office. 
 
 169. JOURNALS OF THE GENERAL POST 
 OFFICE. 1782-1801. 2 vols. 3 in. 
 
 One volume contains a "General Journal" 
 
 dated February 2, 1782-July 25, 1790, and a 
 "Cash Book" dated September 25, 1792-October 22, 
 1795. The other volume contains a "Miscellane¬ 
 ous Journal, " dated July 1, 1795-March 28, 1801. 
 
 170. LEDGER OF POSTAGE ACCOUNTS OF 
 POST OFFICES WITH THE GENERAL 
 POST OFFICE. July 1785-Jan. 1786. 
 
 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Contains information about paid, unpaid, 
 undercharged, overcharged, way, dead, and 
 ship (coastwise and foreign) letters; letters re¬ 
 maining in post offices; letters missent and 
 later forwarded; and salaries. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 171. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO 
 SPECIMEN SALARY CHECKS, DRAFTS, 
 
 AND WARRANTS. Aug. 1916; Feb. 1933- 
 Sept. 1938. 1 in. 
 
 Relates to the printing and handling of forms 
 for checks, drafts, and warrants. Included are 
 some undated samples of the forms for 1880- 
 1938. Arranged for the most part chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POSTAL SAVINGS SYSTEM 
 
 172. CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING SUG¬ 
 
 GESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF 
 THE POSTAL SAVINGS SYSTEM. 1913- 
 20. 1 ft. 
 
 The Postal Savings System began in 1913. 
 
 The records are arranged chronologically. 
 
 173. ANNUAL REPORTS. 1913-36. 1 ft. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 174. RECORDS RELATING TO POST OFFICE 
 
 BOXES (LOCKBOXES). 1894-1934. 1 ft. 
 
 Mainly correspondence, memoranda, re¬ 
 ports, and tables. Included are memoranda on 
 the regulations governing the use of the boxes, 
 correspondence containing suggestions for im¬ 
 proving the service, postmasters' reports on box 
 rentals and key deposits, and tables of rental fees. 
 
BUREAU OF THE THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 31 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 DIVISION OF MONEY ORDERS 
 
 The domestic postal-money-order system 
 was established on November 1, 1864, within 
 the Office of the Postmaster General. The pro¬ 
 gram was transferred to the jurisdiction of the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General on July 16, 
 1892, where it was administered by the Division 
 of Money Orders. On December 1, 1905, it was 
 transferred to the Third Assistant Postmaster 
 General. The functions of the Division include 
 the general direction of the money-order system, 
 both domestic and international, and the prepara¬ 
 tion of conventions for the exchange of money 
 orders with foreign countries. 
 
 175. GENERAL RECORDS. 1868-1936. 6 ft. 
 Correspondence, memoranda, sample 
 
 forms, and reports of the Division. The corre¬ 
 spondence and memoranda relate to difficulties 
 encountered in obtaining funds with which to cash 
 money orders during the Panic of 1907; money 
 order redemptions for prisoners of war; embez¬ 
 zlement, counterfeiting, and forgery of money 
 orders; money orders issued and paid in foreign 
 countries; and money orders mailed to foreign 
 countries during the moratorium of 1933. Sample 
 forms include those used for postal savings banks 
 in foreign countries and those suggested by em¬ 
 ployees and the public for use in connection with 
 proposed systems of domestic postal savings 
 banks. The reports deal with the electrical ac¬ 
 counting system for the issuance, recording, 
 and redemption of money orders; the decrease 
 in money order business as a result of raising 
 the fees in 1925; and the cost of money order 
 business during the depression of the 1930's. 
 Arranged by subject. 
 
 176. RECORDS OF INTERNATIONAL MONEY 
 ORDER CONVENTIONS. July 1873-May 
 1903. 3 ft. 
 
 Mainly correspondence between postal of¬ 
 ficials of the United States and foreign countries 
 concerning conventions for the exchange of money 
 orders. Included are copies of conventions, with 
 proposed amendments and changes; pamphlets 
 and circulars listing regulations governing money 
 order issuance and redemption; lists of foreign 
 offices handling money orders; specimen copies 
 of money order forms; and correspondence re¬ 
 lating to foreign exchange rates. Arranged 
 alphabetically by country and thereunder chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 177. MONEY ORDER CONVENTIONS WITH 
 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 1870-1962. 2 ft. 
 Conventions for the reciprocal recognition 
 
 of money orders issued for payment. Arranged 
 alphabetically by name of country. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF STAMPS 
 
 The Division of Stamps was established by 
 the Postmaster General in 1872. Its functions 
 include the general supervision of the production 
 and distribution of postage-stamp paper. 
 
 178. PLATE PROOF SHEETS OF STAMPS. 
 
 1870-97. 6 vols. 1 ft. 
 
 Approximately 27, 000 certified plate proof 
 
 sheets of postage stamps made by the Bureau 
 of Engraving and Printing. The proofs include 
 commemorative and ordinary postage, airmail, 
 postage-due, postal savings, newspaper, and 
 parcel post stamps. The proofs are on permanent 
 loan to the Smithsonian Institution. The records 
 are arranged by type and thereunder by number. 
 
 179. "STAMP BILL BOOKS. " 1870-97. 6 vols. 
 
 1 ft. 
 
 Contain monthly statements of purchases of 
 ordinary postage, commemorative, specimen, 
 postage-due, special delivery, newspaper, and 
 periodical stamps; stamped envelopes; news¬ 
 paper wrappers; registered-package envelopes; 
 letter-sheet envelopes; and postal cards. Also 
 included are lists of contractors who furnished 
 postal supplies, statements showing the cost of 
 stamps and supplies, memoranda on the method 
 of disbursing supplies, and a recapitulation of 
 purchases made for the years 1879-97. Ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically. 
 
 180. LEDGER. 1898-1900. 1 in. 
 
 Shows quantities and costs of postage 
 stamps, postal cards, stamped envelopes, and 
 newspaper wrappers furnished to Cuba, Puerto 
 Rico, the Philippine Islands, and Guam. Ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically. 
 
 181. RECORDS OF THE POSTAL CARD AGENT. 
 
 1893-1923. 2 ft. 
 
 A Postal Card Agent was appointed in 1893 
 by the Postmaster General to inspect and issue 
 postal cards. The United States Postal Card 
 Agency was located for short periods at Birming¬ 
 ham, Conn., Castleton, N.Y., Piedmont, 
 
 W. Va. , and Rumford Falls, Maine. In 1910 
 the Agency was moved to Washington, D. C., and 
 the Postal Card Agent was designated the Post 
 Office Inspector in Charge of Postal Cards. The 
 records consist chiefly of correspondence, to¬ 
 gether with related reports, memoranda, and 
 circulars. The correspondence relates to person¬ 
 nel of the Postal Card Agency, contracts for 
 paper and postal cards, defective postal cards. 
 
32 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 shipments, chemical analysis of paper used, 
 locks and tags used for shipments, and postal 
 card plates, dyes, and inks. Arranged chrono¬ 
 logically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 NEWSPAPER AND PERIODICAL MAIL 
 
 The Division of Newspaper and Periodical 
 Mail was established in November 1943 as a 
 successor to the Division of Classification. Its 
 main function is the classification of matter ad¬ 
 missible to the mails. 
 
 182. RECORDS RELATING TO AN INCREASE 
 
 IN'SECOND-CLASS POSTAGE RATES. 
 
 Apr. 1917-May 1920. 3 in. 
 
 Chiefly correspondence with Members of 
 Congress, postal officials, private companies, 
 fraternal organizations interested in the second- 
 class mailing privilege, and charts, tables, 
 and graphs showing the effect of a proposed in¬ 
 crease in rates on the Department's revenue. 
 Also included are memoranda, reports, and 
 circulars relating to the increase. The congres¬ 
 sional correspondence is arranged chronologi¬ 
 cally. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE FO 
 
 The Office of the Fourth Assistant Post¬ 
 master General was established by order of the 
 Postmaster General on August 1, 1891, in ac¬ 
 cordance with provisions of the Appropriation 
 Act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 944). Three 
 divisions were established within the Office to 
 carry out the duties of supervising the establish¬ 
 ment of new post offices; of appointing, bonding, 
 and commissioning postmasters; of operating the 
 inspection service; and of investigating mail 
 depredations. The increasing volume of work 
 performed by the Post Office Department made 
 necessary the development of additional services 
 and divisions, and about 1930 the Office of the 
 Fourth Assistant Postmaster General became a 
 Bureau. 
 
 As most of the records described here 
 were created before a reorganization of 1946, 
 they are arranged according to the organization 
 existing during the early part of that year. Rec¬ 
 ords of the Division of Rural Mails, however, 
 which had been transferred to the Bureau of the 
 First Assistant Postmaster General in 1929, 
 are described as part of the records of the 
 Fourth Assistant. 
 
 On August 20, 1949, the Bureau of the 
 Fourth Assistant Postmaster General was 
 abolished by the President's Reorganization 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION 
 OF PARCEL POST 
 
 The Parcel Post Service was established 
 on January 1, 1913, within the Office of the Post¬ 
 master General. To supervise the Service the 
 Postmaster General, on November 22, 1930, 
 established the Division of Parcel Post within 
 the Bureau of the Third Assistant Postmaster 
 General. 
 
 183. RECORDS RELATING TO PARCEL POST 
 
 FACILITIES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
 
 Sept. 1911-Jan. 1912. 5 ft. 
 
 Bulletins, booklets, and memoranda re¬ 
 lating to parcel post rules, regulations, and 
 rates in foreign countries. These were obtained 
 in countries with a parcel post service by diplo¬ 
 matic officers of the United States in response 
 to a State Department circular dated August 24, 
 1911, and were transmitted to the Postmaster 
 General. Parcel post information was received 
 from Australia, Austria, Germany, Great 
 Britain, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Luxemburg, 
 Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Portugal, 
 Russia, San Salvador, Spain, Switzerland, and 
 Venezuela. Arranged alphabetically by country. 
 
 :h assistant postmaster general 
 
 Plan No. 3; and a Bureau of Facilities, under an 
 Assistant Postmaster General, was created to 
 continue the functions of the Bureau. 
 
 The most important functions of the Bureau 
 of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General in 
 1949 were (1) the administration, operation, and 
 maintenance of Government-owned post office 
 buildings; (2) the authorization of allowances for 
 rent, light, and fuel for post offices and other 
 postal quarters, and allowances for hiring 
 vehicles required for collection and special de¬ 
 livery services; (3) the custody and distribution 
 of equipment and supplies for the Postal Service; 
 (4) the supervision of the screen wagon, pneu¬ 
 matic tube, and Government-owned motor vehicle 
 services; (5) the production and distribution of 
 post-route maps and parcel-post-zone keys; and 
 (6) the supervision of mail equipment shops, and 
 the manufacture and repair of mailbags, locks, 
 keys, and key chains. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE IMMEDIATE OFFICE 
 OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT 
 POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 The Office consisted of the Fourth Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General, a deputy, a special 
 administrative aide, assistants, and secretaries. 
 
BUREAU OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 33 
 
 The main duties of the Office were (1) the super¬ 
 vision and administration of the operations of 
 the Bureau and of its field offices, (2) the review 
 and approval of budget estimates and of journals 
 and allowances from appropriations relating to 
 the Bureau, and (3) the supervision of depart¬ 
 mental and field personnel. The Fourth Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General represented the Post¬ 
 master General at Government conferences and 
 on Federal committees relating to public buildings. 
 
 184. GENERAL RECORDS. 1905-32. 34 ft. 
 
 Letters received and copies of letters sent, 
 
 memoranda, cost and work reports, committee 
 reports, reports on investigations, statements, 
 and instructions relating to the operation of the 
 Bureau and of its divisions and offices. Arranged 
 b'' classification number. 
 
 185. CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES 1. 
 
 BLAKSLEE. 1914-20. 1 ft. 
 
 Mr. Blakslee served as Fourth Assistant 
 Postmaster General from March 17, 1913, to 
 March 14, 1921. The correspondence relates 
 to the appointment of postmasters, clerks, and 
 rural mail carriers; post office quarters; rural 
 mail service; and deliveries of farm produce 
 by motor vehicle service. Arranged alphabeti¬ 
 cally by name of correspondent. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION 
 OF TOPOGRAPHY 
 
 The appointment of a clerk to act as topog¬ 
 rapher of the Post Office Department was 
 authorized by an act of July 2, 1836. Th ? Office 
 of the Topographer, originally under the Chief 
 Clerk, was redesignated the Division of Topog¬ 
 raphy on December 1, 1905, and was trans¬ 
 ferred from the Office of the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral to the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant 
 Postmaster General. On July 1, 1913, the 
 Division was absorbed by the Division of Supplies. 
 In accordance with a 1953 order of the Post¬ 
 master General, the Division of Supplies was 
 divided into the Division of Equipment and Sup¬ 
 plies and the Division of Topography. These 
 Divisions are parts of the Bureau of Facilities, 
 as the Bureau of the Fourth Postmaster General 
 has been known since 1949. 
 
 Although the Division of Topography is 
 mainly responsible for compiling, drawing, 
 revising, printing, and distributing post-route 
 maps (State, county, rural delivery, and air¬ 
 mail), it also prepares special-purpose maps 
 and organizational and fiscal charts. 
 
 186. LETTERS SENT. Oct. 15, 1901-Sept. 1, 
 
 1911. 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 Chiefly press copies of letters and memo¬ 
 randa relating to the organization of the Office of 
 the Topographer and to budget estimates and 
 expenditures, personnel, techniques of reproduc¬ 
 ing post-route maps, advertisement of proposals 
 for reproducing and furnishing post-route maps, 
 and the acquisition of supplies and equipment. 
 Included are annual and progress reports of the 
 Office of the Topographer and lists of rural 
 delivery service maps. Arranged chronologically 
 
 187. REPORTS OF SITE LOCATIONS. 1865- 
 
 1946. 292 ft. 
 
 Completed forms submitted by postmasters, 
 giving the location of their post offices and other 
 geographical information, to aid the Post Office 
 Department in the preparation of postal maps. 
 
 The forms contain the official name of the post 
 office, with local name or name changes; section, 
 township, range, and meridian in which the post 
 office was located; terminals of the nearest postal 
 route; mileage to the adjacent post offices, rivers 
 and creeks; number of feet or rods to the nearest 
 railroad tracks, railroad depot, or highway; and 
 a diagram or map of the location of the post of¬ 
 fice. The series includes a few reports dated as 
 early as 1837 and as late as 1950. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State, thereunder alphabetically 
 by county and post office, and thereunder by date 
 of report. 
 
 188. ATLAS OF POSTAL MAPS. 1839. 
 
 13 sheets. 1 in. 
 
 A published record copy of The American 
 Atlas Exhibiting the Post Offices, Railroads, 
 Canals, and the Physical and Political Divisions 
 
 of the United States of America Constructed 
 
 . . . Under the Direction of the Post Master 
 General by David H. Burr, Geographer to the 
 House of Representatives of the U. S. The atlas 
 
 contains maps of the United States and adjacent 
 countries, and maps of the following States 
 portrayed singly or in combination: Maine, New 
 Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode 
 Island and Connecticut, New York, New Jersey 
 and Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and 
 Delaware, North and South Carolina, Georgia and 
 Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and 
 Arkansas, Ohio and Indiana, Kentucky and Ten¬ 
 nessee, Illinois and Wisconsin, and Michigan 
 and part of Wisconsin Territory. 
 
34 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 189. POST-ROUTE MAPS. 1867-94. 47 items. 
 
 6 in. 
 
 An incomplete published set of intermediate- 
 scale maps of sections of the United States. The 
 maps were created under the direction of the 
 Topographer of the Post Office Department. They 
 show post offices, distances between offices, 
 frequency of service, and mail-carrying rail¬ 
 roads by name of railroad and include county 
 boundaries and principal drainage features. 
 
 They usually include from two to six States, ter¬ 
 ritories, or parts of States and territories. 
 
 Many of the maps have been corrected by hand 
 and the date of the correction is written on the 
 map. Arranged chronologically by date of publi¬ 
 cation. The maps are listed chronologically in 
 appendix IV. They antedate the post-route 
 (State) maps described in entry 190 and are dif¬ 
 ferent in format. Similar maps of this and 
 earlier periods are among the cartographic rec¬ 
 ords in Record Group 77, Records of the Office 
 of the Chief of Engineers. 
 
 190. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS. 1894- 
 
 1960. 448 items. 3 ft. 
 
 Published maps of individual States, ter¬ 
 ritories, and island possessions of the United 
 States, on an intermediate scale, showing in¬ 
 formation relating to post offices, postal routes, 
 mail-carrying railroads, rural delivery routes, 
 airmail routes, mail supply points, and method 
 and frequency of postal service, as well as county 
 boundaries and principal drainage features. 
 
 This series of maps, although different in for¬ 
 mat, is a continuation of the series described in 
 entry 189 and was designed to include all editions 
 of a given map. It is incomplete, however, for 
 the years before 1937. Some of the editions of 
 the maps, particularly for the years 1917 and 
 1935-40, have been annotated to show navigable 
 waters and coastal waters, and congressional 
 districts (see also entries 193 and 198). Ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by State, territory, or 
 island possession and thereunder chronologi¬ 
 cally by date of publication. 
 
 191. MANUSCRIPT MAPS. 1901-47. 63 items. 
 
 2 in. 
 
 Manuscript post-route maps of States, 
 territories, and island possessions, which were 
 used to prepare the published post-route maps. 
 Changes were made as necessary on the manu¬ 
 scripts, and each one is correct as of the last 
 date appearing on it. (Some of the earlier maps, 
 however, are not dated. ) These maps show 
 essentially the same detail as the published post¬ 
 route maps described in entry 190. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State or area. These maps are 
 listed in appendix V. 
 
 192. POSTAL-ZONE MAPS. 1913. 124 items. 
 
 1 in. 
 
 A series of published official parcel post 
 maps of the United States, with annotations of 
 unknown date showing boundaries of zones used 
 to determine parcel post charges. These maps 
 were prepared for use with the parcel-post guide. 
 There is also a map annotated to show parcel 
 post unit areas within each State. The maps are 
 arranged by zone number. 
 
 193. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS SHOWING 
 
 NAVIGABLE WATERS. 1917. 14 items. 
 
 Published post-route maps of States mainly 
 
 in the eastern United States, annotated with in¬ 
 formation relating to the navigable waters in the 
 particular State and to the coastal waters of those 
 States bordering on the Atlantic Ocean and the 
 Gulf of Mexico. Arranged alphabetically by name 
 of State. 
 
 194. CITY MAPS. 1912-35. 575 items. 3 ft. 
 Published, photoprocessed, and manuscript 
 
 maps of selected cities in the United States, an¬ 
 notated with information apparently relating to 
 delivery routes and locations of postal facilities, 
 business sections, sidewalks, and mail boxes. 
 Arranged by case number, thereunder alpha¬ 
 betically by State, and thereunder alphabetically 
 by city. 
 
 195. RURAL-DELIVERY-ROUTE MAPS. 
 
 1927-28. 600 items. 1 ft. 
 
 A representative sampling of the maps 
 prepared to show rural delivery routes through¬ 
 out the United States. These maps--generally 
 annotated blueprints--are each accompanied by 
 a carbon typescript of the official description of 
 the route, giving the stops to be made, the dis¬ 
 tance between each stop, and the total mileage 
 of the route. Arranged alphabetically by name 
 of post office. 
 
 196. RURAL-DELIVERY-ROUTE LOCAL- 
 CENTER MAPS. 1900-37. 600 items. 
 
 1 ft. 
 
 Manuscript maps of rural areas through¬ 
 out the United States, showing the rural delivery 
 routes servicing the areas. Arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by State. 
 
 197. RURAL-DELIVERY-ROUTE COUNTY 
 MAPS. n.d. 40 items. 3 in. 
 
 An incomplete set of photoprocessed maps, 
 probably of the 1930's, showing rural delivery 
 routes. Arranged alphabetically by State and 
 thereunder by county. 
 
BUREAU OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 35 
 
 198. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS SHOWING 
 
 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. 1935-40. 
 
 58 items. 4 in. 
 
 An incomplete set of published post-route 
 maps annotated to show the boundaries and the 
 numbers of the congressional districts within 
 the individual States. Arranged alphabetically 
 by State and thereunder chronologically by date 
 of publication of the base map. 
 
 199. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS ANNOTATED 
 
 WITH RED DOTS. 1935-40. 63 items. 
 
 4 in. 
 
 Published post-route maps, with annota¬ 
 tions in the form of red dots over certain cities 
 or towns. There is no key to these dots, which 
 appear to have been placed on the maps by hand. 
 They may identify first-class post offices. Ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by State and thereunder 
 chronologically by date of publication of the 
 base map. 
 
 200. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS ANNO¬ 
 TATED WITH NUMBERS. 1937-39. 
 
 3 items. 
 
 Published post-route maps stamped with 
 6-digit numbers, usually along railroad routes. 
 
 No key is given to these numbers. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE 
 
 Although there was an experimental auto¬ 
 mobile mail-collection service in Milwaukee, 
 
 Wis. , in February 1908, motor vehicle service 
 was not authorized by Congress until its inclu¬ 
 sion in the postal appropriations for the fiscal 
 year 1915. This service and the screen wagon 
 service (mail carried by wagon and later by 
 motortruck enclosed by a steel screen) were as¬ 
 signed to the Division of Post Office Services in 
 the Bureau of the First Assistant Postmaster 
 General on July 1, 1916. In September 1921 the 
 work relating to the operation of the Government- 
 owned motor vehicle service and the contract 
 vehicle service was transferred to the newly 
 created Division of Vehicle Transportation in 
 the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General. The Division was redesignated the 
 Division of Motor Vehicle Service on October 6, 
 1921, and was transferred back to the Bureau 
 of the First Assistant. During the latter part 
 of 1930 the Division was reassigned to the Bu¬ 
 reau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General. 
 The Division was mainly concerned with the 
 operation of the Government-owned motor 
 vehicle service and the pneumatic tube service. 
 
 201. GENERAL RECORDS. 1858-1939. 9 ft. 
 Advertisements, contracts, and corre¬ 
 spondence concerning the construction and opera¬ 
 tion of mail transportation vehicles. Also 
 included are materials relating to the claim of 
 
 H. C. McFarlin of Little Rock, Ark. , under a 
 screen-wagon contract. The records are ar¬ 
 ranged in rough chronological order. 
 
 202. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE 
 SHIPMENT OF FARM PRODUCE BY 
 POSTAL MOTORTRUCK SERVICE. 1919- 
 29. 1 ft. 
 
 Chiefly interoffice memoranda and corre¬ 
 spondence with postmasters, route agents. Mem¬ 
 bers of Congress, farmers, and merchants. 
 Arranged alphabetically by name of commodity. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 PNEUMATIC TUBE SERVICE 
 
 The transportation of mail by pneumatic 
 tubes was initiated in 1893 in Philadelphia with 
 the construction of an experimental line of 6-inch 
 tubes between the Main Post Office and the East 
 Chestnut Street Station. Because of demands to 
 extend the service in Philadelphia and to estab¬ 
 lish it in other cities, the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment in 1900 appointed a local and a general 
 committee to investigate the advisability of ex¬ 
 tending the service; and a formal report was 
 submitted to Congress on January 4, 1901. The 
 use of the service was authorized by an act of 
 April 21, 1902. Since July 1, 1904, provisions 
 for pneumatic tube service contracts for Boston, 
 New York City, Brooklyn, Chicago, and St. Louis 
 have been included in the annual appropriations 
 for the Post Office Department. 
 
 203. GENERAL RECORDS. 1892-1919. 27 ft. 
 Correspondence, reports, and contracts 
 
 relating to the establishment and operation of 
 the pneumatic tube service; correspondence con¬ 
 cerning the invention and ownership of pneumatic 
 tubes; correspondence, surveys, studies, and 
 blueprints relating to the extension of the serv¬ 
 ice from the New York General Post Office to a 
 station in Brooklyn, and from the Boston General 
 Post Office to the North Postal Station, the 
 South Terminal Railroad Station, the Essex 
 Street Postal Station, and the Back Bay Station. 
 Also included are statistics on the weight of 
 mail delivered; reports on the proposed extension 
 of services; advertisements for and correspond¬ 
 ence related to bids to carry mails by pneumatic 
 tubes; maps and blueprints of the routes to be 
 used; and reports on the installation of air-cooling 
 
36 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 apparatus in the Boston General Post Office. 
 Arranged by subject as listed. 
 
 204. REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE RE¬ 
 GARDING THE PNEUMATIC TUBE 
 SERVICE. 1908-51. 8 ft. 
 
 Included are exhibits. Arranged in rough 
 chronological order. 
 
 205. ORDERS. 1902-6. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Original orders authorizing the establish¬ 
 ment, change, or discontinuance of pneumatic 
 tube service in Boston, New York City, Phila¬ 
 delphia, Chicago, and St. Louis. The orders 
 include the name of the contractor, names of 
 stations along the route, mileage between sta¬ 
 tions, rate of pay per mile, and total amount 
 paid per year. Also included are advertisements 
 for contracts, proposals for carrying the mails 
 by pneumatic tubes or similar devices, and in¬ 
 structions to bidders. Arranged by route num¬ 
 ber. 
 
 206. RECORDS CONCERNING A COURT OF 
 CLAIMS CASE REGARDING PNEUMATIC 
 TUBES. 1903-53. 7 ft. 
 
 Relate to U, S. Court of Claims Case 
 No. 162-5 between the New York Transportation 
 Co. and the Post Office Department. Included 
 are transcripts of hearings, reports, and con¬ 
 clusions. Arranged in rough chronological 
 order. 
 
 207. RECORDS OF THE PNEUMATIC TUBE 
 
 COMMISSION. 1912-14. 1 ft. 
 
 The Commission To Investigate Pneumatic 
 Tube Postal Systems, usually known as the 
 Pneumatic Tube Commission, consisted of two 
 members of the House, two members of the 
 Senate, and the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General, Joseph Stewart. It was established 
 by Congress on August 24, 1912, to investigate 
 the desirability of Government ownership of the 
 pneumatic tube service then operated under 
 contract in New York, Boston, Chicago, Phila¬ 
 delphia, Brooklyn, and St. Louis. The Com¬ 
 mission's records include its minutes and final 
 report; reports, memoranda, and photographs 
 relating to the operation of the pnuematic tube 
 service; correspondence and memoranda on re¬ 
 lated patents; and copies of contracts. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 POST OFFICE QUARTERS 
 
 The responsibility for post office quarters 
 not in Government-owned buildings as shared 
 by the Office of the Postmaster General, the 
 
 Solicitor for the Post Office Department, the 
 Chief Inspector, and the Supervising Architect 
 of the Treasury Department until June 10, 1933, 
 when Executive Order 6166 assigned the respon¬ 
 sibility to the Division of Building Operations 
 and Supplies of the Bureau of the Fourth Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General. In October 1933 the 
 Postmaster General ordered this function trans¬ 
 ferred to the newly created Division of Post 
 Office Quarters. 
 
 This Division leased or rented quarters for 
 post offices, post office garages, and railway 
 terminals; authorized allowances for rent and for 
 light, fuel, water, and equipment required in such 
 quarters; and reviewed reports prepared by 
 postal inspectors relating to the quarters. 
 
 208. GENERAL RECORDS. 1916-42. 3 ft. 
 
 Correspondence, reports, and exhibits 
 
 relating to an alleged combination among equip¬ 
 ment companies to control prices; correspond¬ 
 ence and reports relating to the maintenance 
 and construction of post offices; administrative 
 issuances; and divisional work-progress reports. 
 Arranged by subject or type of record. 
 
 209. RECORDS RELATING TO LEASES. 
 
 1916-32. 3 ft. 
 
 Postal inspectors' reports relating to the 
 valuation of postal quarters (post offices, sta¬ 
 tions, branches, terminals, and garages); 
 postmasters' reports about local leases; hearings 
 of a Senate committee on post office leases; cor¬ 
 respondence and reports concerning leases for 
 the St. Paul Commercial Station and Chicago 
 Post Office; architectural specifications and 
 floor plans of the Boston Back Bay Station and 
 the Chicago Federal Building; and a 1916-25 
 register of leases approved by the Solicitor for 
 the Post Office Department. Arranged by type 
 of record and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 210. BLUEPRINTS, SKETCH PLANS, AND 
 
 ESTIMATES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION 
 
 OF POST OFFICE BUILDINGS OR EX¬ 
 TENSIONS. 1911-30. 12 ft. 
 
 Also included are copies of Form No. 1414, 
 which was prepared by postmasters and which 
 gives information about the space in and condi¬ 
 tion of Federal buildings and the number of em¬ 
 ployees in the buildings; questionnaires completed 
 by postmasters on the space accommodations nec¬ 
 essary for proposed Federal buildings; a few 
 city maps showing notations of old and proposed 
 postal stations and garages; a few reports on 
 leased property occupied by the Post Office De¬ 
 partment; and a few records relating to the ■ 
 construction of the Washington, D. C., City Post 
 
BUREAU OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 37 
 
 Office in 1912. The records are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of State. 
 
 211. RECORDS RELATING TO DEDICATIONS 
 
 OF POST OFFICE BUILDINGS. 1933-42. 
 
 12 ft. 
 
 Histories containing descriptions of newly 
 constructed post office buildings, name changes, 
 names of postmasters and dates of their appoint¬ 
 ments, statements of postal receipts, and dates 
 of establishment, discontinuance, and reestab¬ 
 lishment of post offices; correspondence with 
 postmasters and Congressmen relating to dedica¬ 
 tion ceremonies; copies of dedication speeches; 
 and postal inspectors' reports. Arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of State. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 
 
 In accordance with an order of the Post¬ 
 master General dated November 1, 1905, all 
 clerks in the Post Office Department engaged 
 in handling supplies and in related work were 
 transferred to the Division of Supplies under the 
 Bureau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral. The Division administered the appropria¬ 
 tion for all supplies purchased and furnished 
 directly to the postal service. 
 
 On July 1, 1913, the Division of Equipment, 
 which had operated the mailbag repair shops and 
 the mail-lock shop in Washington, D. C., was 
 transferred from the Bureau of the Second Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General to the Bureau of the 
 Fourth Assistant Postmaster General and com¬ 
 bined with the Division of Supplies. The name 
 of the Division was not changed until October 6, 
 1921, however, when it became known as the 
 Division of Equipment and Supplies and was made 
 responsible for the manufacture of mailbags. 
 
 In 1933, by order of the Postmaster General, 
 the Division of Equipment and Supplies was re¬ 
 designated the Division of Building Operations 
 and Supplies. The former title was restored 
 when the Postmaster General, on June 18, 1943, 
 reorganized the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant 
 Postmaster General. 
 
 The Division was mainly concerned with 
 the preparation of specifications for supplies and 
 equipment; the review of bids and subsequent 
 recommendations to purchasing agents; and the 
 receipt, storage, control, and issue of stock 
 and operating equipment. 
 
 212. COST REPORTS. 1915-24. 1ft. 
 
 Monthly reports of work performed in 
 
 mail-equipment shops, showing types of work, 
 number of employees and labor hours, and 
 
 labor and unit costs for each job. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 213. MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. 1868-1911. 
 
 3 ft. 
 
 Selected records illustrating the operations 
 of the Division. Included are bids, requisitions, 
 and contracts for equipment and supplies; memo¬ 
 randa relating to proposals for repairing and 
 maintaining post office buildings; applications for 
 positions; letters of recommendation; leave rec¬ 
 ords; lists of employees; and correspondence 
 concerning the disposition of waste material. 
 Interspersed among the other records are ref¬ 
 erences to records of the Disbursing Clerk re¬ 
 lating to acknowledgments of checks and vouchers, 
 payrolls, settlement of accounts, estimates of 
 appropriations for repairs, deficiency estimates, 
 contingent expense accounts, and receipts for 
 payments. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 DIVISION OF RURAL MAILS 
 
 Rural free delivery had been instituted on 
 October 1, 1896. It was established by an act 
 of April 28, 1902, as a branch of the Office of 
 the General Superintendent of Free Delivery 
 within the Bureau of the First Assistant Post¬ 
 master General. On May 9, 1903, the Post¬ 
 master General transferred the Division of 
 Free Delivery, the Superintendent of City-Free- 
 Delivery Service, and the Superintendent of 
 Rural Free Delivery to the Bureau of the Fourth 
 Assistant Postmaster General. The Office of 
 the General Superintendent of Free Delivery was 
 discontinued on May 27, 1903, and the remaining 
 offices and services of the Division of Free 
 Delivery were organized into separate divisions. 
 
 On April 30, 1910, the Postmaster General 
 directed that the star-route functions of the Di¬ 
 vision of Contracts in the Bureau of the Second 
 Assistant Postmaster General be transferred to 
 the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant and combined 
 with the Division of Rural Free Delivery under 
 the title of Division of Rural Mails. The Divi¬ 
 sion of Rural Mails was responsible for the 
 operation of rural delivery service and for the 
 appointment and supervision of rural mail car¬ 
 riers. The Division was transferred to the Bu¬ 
 reau of the First Assistant Postmaster General 
 in 1929, to the Bureau of the Second Assistant 
 Postmaster General in 1932, and back to the 
 Bureau of the First Assistant Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral on July 1, 1942, where it was coordinated 
 with the other delivery services in the Post 
 Office Service. 
 
38 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 A description of many of the early records 
 of the Division of Rural Mails can be found in 
 entries 93 and 94. 
 
 214. GENERAL RECORDS. 1915-34. 94 ft. 
 
 Letters received, copies of letters sent, 
 
 memoranda, postal inspectors' reports, cost 
 reports, orders, statements, instructions, 
 petitions, and some maps relating to the estab¬ 
 lishment, extension, and discontinuance of rural 
 mail routes and to the administration of the Di¬ 
 vision. Arranged in four groups as follows: 
 
 (1) by classification number, 1922-38; (2) alpha¬ 
 betically by State and thereunder alphabetically 
 by county, 1915-18; (3) alphabetically by State 
 and thereunder alphabetically by post office; and 
 (4) alphabetically by State, 1932-34. 
 
 215. RECORDS RELATING TO ACTS PROVID¬ 
 ING FOR FEDERAL AID TO POST ROADS. 
 
 Sept. 1912-Mar. 1917. 10 in. 
 
 Federal aid for the construction and im¬ 
 provement of post roads was provided under the 
 Post Office Department Appropriation Acts of 
 August 24, 1912, and March 4, 1913, and under 
 the Federal-Aid Road Act of July 11, 1916. 
 
 The records consist of correspondence 
 with the Department of Agriculture and State 
 and county governments concerning the distri¬ 
 bution of funds and plans for the construction, 
 improvement, and relocation of roads; surveys 
 and studies relating to post roads in Alabama, 
 Iowa, and Texas; and a chart showing "Opera¬ 
 tions on Post Roads Designated for Improvement 
 Under Act of August 24, 1912. " 
 
 216. FORMS. 1902-10. 2 ft. 
 
 Forms used for letters, interoffice and 
 serial memoranda, general orders, instructions. 
 
 questionnaires, and lists; and posting media 
 used by the Office of the General Superintendent 
 of Delivery System and the Division of Rural 
 Free Delivery. In three groups: (1) for 1906-10, 
 arranged by form number; (2) for 1902-7, ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically; and (3) for 1909. 
 
 217. RECORDS RELATING TO RURAL MAIL 
 
 CARRIERS. 1901-20. 11 ft. 
 
 Letters received, copies of letters sent, 
 applications, and petitions relating to the eligi¬ 
 bility, appointment, reinstatement, transfer, 
 promotion, bonding, and efficiency of rural mail 
 carriers; and correspondence concerning the 
 establishment and discontinuance of rural mail 
 routes, schedules, and changes in routes In 
 two groups: (l)for 1901-17, arranged alphabeti¬ 
 cally by name of post office and (2) "State Files- 
 Appointment Section, " for 1913-20, arranged 
 alphabetically by name of State and thereunder 
 chronologically. 
 
 218. ACCOUNTING RECORDS. 1906-19. 4 vols. 
 
 4 in. 
 
 Representative accounting records, includ¬ 
 ing (1) accounts of rearrangements, amendments, 
 and discontinuances in the rural delivery service, 
 1906-8; (2) accounts of various items paid (serv¬ 
 ice, substitutes, clerks in rural stations, tolls, 
 and ferriage) from the general appropriation for 
 rural delivery service, village delivery service, 
 and star service, 1908-16; (3) accounts for travel 
 and miscellaneous expenses in the postal serv¬ 
 ice office of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General, for clerks in charge of substations, 
 for rural carriers, and for toll and ferriage, 
 1906-7; and (4) accounts of star payments by the 
 New York, Chicago, and San Francisco subtreas¬ 
 uries, 1917-19. Arranged in the order listed. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF ACCOUNTS 
 
 The Office of the Comptroller of the 
 Treasury, by an act of September 2, 1789 
 (1 Stat. 66), was made responsible for the com¬ 
 pilation of audits and the settlement of accounts 
 for the General Post Office. These accounting 
 functions were transferred to the Fifth Auditor 
 of the Treasury on March 3, 1817 (3 Stat. 366), 
 and to the Sixth Auditor on July 2, 1836 
 (5 Stat. 81). 
 
 The functions remained within the Treasury 
 Department until the Bureau of Accounts was 
 established in the Post Office Department, in 
 accordance with the Budget and Accounting Act 
 of June 10, 1921 (42 Stat. 24). The Bureau, 
 comprising a Headquarters Office (also known 
 as the Office of the Comptroller) and the 
 
 Accounts, Cost Ascertainment, and Methods and 
 Procedures Divisions performed the following 
 duties: (1) examining all accounts of salaries 
 and incidental expenses, all postal and money 
 order accounts of postmasters, and accounts 
 relating to the transportation of mail; and (2) cer¬ 
 tifying quarterly to the Postmaster General an 
 accounting of postmasters' funds and of the gen¬ 
 eral expenses of the postal service. The Gen¬ 
 eral Accounting Office audited and preserved 
 these accounts, in compliance with legislation 
 regarding the fiscal operations of the Government. 
 
 The Bureau of Accounts was terminated by 
 the Postmaster General on June 12, 1953, Its 
 functions were at that time transferred to a newly 
 established Bureau of the Controller, which was 
 
BUREAU OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR 
 
 39 
 
 terminated on November 1, 1954. The functions 
 are now assigned to the Bureau of Finance. 
 
 219. GENERAL RECORDS. 1889-1924. 
 
 23 ft. 
 
 Letters received, copies of letters sent, 
 memoranda, reports, statements, bulletins, 
 and lists. Arranged alphabetically by subject 
 and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 220. LETTERS SENT, 1904-18. 20 vols. 
 
 2 ft. 
 
 Press copies of letters of the Auditor of 
 the Treasury for the Post Office Department con¬ 
 cerning mainly personnel and audits of postal 
 accounts. Interspersed among the letters are 
 lists of employees, the indebted postal accounts 
 of postmasters, requisitions for repairs and 
 supplies, and inventories of equipment. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 221. SEA POST OFFICE ACCOUNTS. 1891- 
 
 1914. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 222. GENERAL POST OFFICE ACCOUNTS 
 WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 1883-86, 
 1892-1903. 3 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Arranged by name of country and there¬ 
 under chronologically. 
 
 223. CLOSED TRANSIT STATEMENTS WITH 
 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 1893-98. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 The statements were prepared when bulk 
 
 mail was sent to a foreign country without being 
 opened enroute. Arranged alphabetically by 
 country and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 224. POSTAL-MONEY-ORDER ACCOUNTS 
 
 WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. July- 
 Aug. 1914. 4 vols. 8 in. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by country and 
 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 225. RECEIPTS OF PAYMENT FOR FOREIGN 
 MAIL TRANSIT BY SEA. 1900-1909. 
 
 3 vols. 3 in. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by country and 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 226. RECORDS OF PAYMENT OF MONEY 
 ORDER ACCOUNTS WITH FOREIGN 
 COUNTRIES. 1911-15. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 Arranged alphabetically by country and 
 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 227. POSTMASTERS’ ACCOUNTS. 1862-74. 
 
 360 vols. 30 ft. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by State, there¬ 
 under alphabetically by city, and thereunder 
 chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR 
 
 From the time the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment was established, the Postmaster General 
 employed the Assistant Postmasters General as 
 special agents to investigate the operations of 
 post offices. As early as June 14, 1790, the 
 Postmaster General prepared detailed instruc¬ 
 tions for reporting on irregularities discovered 
 during visits to post offices. The supervision 
 of this activity was assigned at about this time 
 to the Office of Instructions in the Office of the 
 Postmaster General. In 1830 the Office of In¬ 
 structions was redesignated the Office of Instruc¬ 
 tions and Mail Depredations and was made part 
 of the Office of the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General. 
 
 From 1835 to 1939 the responsibility for 
 the supervision of investigations of mail depreda¬ 
 tions was transferred by the Postmaster General, 
 successively, to the following units: Miscellane¬ 
 ous Division, Office of the Postmaster General; 
 Contract Division, Office of the Second Assistant 
 Postmaster General; Office of Mail Depredations, 
 Office of the Postmaster General; Division of 
 Special Agents and Mail Depredations, Office of 
 the Postmaster General; Division of Post Office 
 
 Inspectors and Mail Depredations, first in the 
 Office of the Postmaster General and later in 
 the Office of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General; and the Division of Post Office Inspec¬ 
 tors, Office of the Postmaster General. 
 
 On February 2, 1939, the Postmaster 
 General established the Bureau of the Chief In¬ 
 spector, comprising the Office of the Chief 
 Inspector and the Administrative Investigations, 
 Mail Investigations, and Financial Investigations 
 Divisions. The Bureau was authorized to 
 investigate all matters relating to mail depreda¬ 
 tions; to consider complaints of criminal offenses 
 against the postal service; to handle claims for 
 rewards granted for the prosecution of offenders 
 against postal laws; to supervise the Post Office 
 Inspection Service; and to inspect the finances, 
 property, and equipment of the Post Office 
 Department. 
 
 The director of the inspection agents of the 
 Post Office Department was known during various 
 periods as the Chief Post Office Inspector. Divi¬ 
 sion Superintendent, Division Chief, Chief Special 
 Agent, and Chief Inspector. When the Bureau of 
 the Chief Inspector was organized in 1939, the 
 
40 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Chief Inspector's functions included the general 
 supervision of the Bureau and the Post Office 
 Inspection Service; the development and adminis¬ 
 tration of inspection policies and programs; the 
 selection, assignment, and separation of depart¬ 
 mental and field personnel of the Bureau; and 
 the maintenance of liaison with the National 
 Archives, the Army, and the Navy. 
 
 228. LETTERS SENT BY THE CHIEF SPECIAL 
 AGENT, OFFICE OF MAIL DEPREDA¬ 
 TIONS. May 21, 1875-July 11, 1877. 
 
 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 Press copies of letters sent to special 
 agents of the Inspection Division in the field, 
 to postmasters, and to other postal officials 
 relating to irregularities in receiving, handling, 
 and dispatching mail. Arranged chronologically. 
 The volume is indexed by name of person, by 
 post office, and by State. 
 
 229. REGISTER OF ARRESTS FOR OFFENSES 
 AGAINST POSTAL LAWS. Aug. 1864- 
 Jan. 1876; Jan. 1878-May 1897. 13 vols. 
 
 2 ft. 
 
 Shows date of arrest, name of prisoner, 
 official position, where and by whom arrested, 
 alleged offense, and remarks. In some cases 
 the disposition of the case is written in over 
 the entry. Entries are arranged chronologically. 
 Each volume is indexed by name of person 
 arrested. 
 
 230. INDEX TO ARRESTS. Jan. 1, 1888- 
 Dec. 31, 1891; Jan. 1, 1895-June 30, 
 
 1899. 3 vols. 6 in. 
 
 Shows the names of the prisoner and ar¬ 
 resting agent and the date and place of arrest. 
 Each volume is divided into two parts; the 
 first part is arranged alphabetically by the 
 first letter of the surname; the second, alpha¬ 
 betically by field office division. 
 
 231. CASE FILES OF INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
 Nov. 1877-Dec. 1903. 157 ft. 
 
 Correspondence, reports, memoranda, 
 
 and other records relating to individual violators 
 of postal laws and regulations. A typical file 
 infludes the report of arrest, a photograph of 
 the violator, correspondence with post office 
 inspectors explaining the nature of the violation, 
 the report of indictment, exhibits, newspaper 
 clippings, and a report of the result of the trial 
 and the final disposition. The records for No¬ 
 vember 1877-June 1899 are arranged chrono¬ 
 logically; those for June 1800-December 1903 
 are arranged numerically. A name index to 
 the case files has been retained by the Office 
 
 of the Chief Inspector. A case file relating to 
 a mail robbery in 1838 is at the beginning of 
 the series. 
 
 232. STATEMENTS OF ARRESTS. Jan. 1881- 
 
 Dec. 1890. 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 Concern post office employees arrested for 
 violations of postal laws. Each statement shows 
 the date of arrest, name and official position of 
 the violator, where and by whom arrested, the 
 offense, and remarks. Arranged chronologically 
 by month. 
 
 233. RECORDS RELATING TO THE RAILWAY 
 MAIL SERVICE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 Feb. -May 1925. 1 ft. 
 
 Mainly correspondence and reports of an 
 investigation of the 15 divisions of the Railway 
 Mail Service, conducted in April and May 1925 
 in response to a request of February 3, 1925, 
 from, the Second Assistant Postmaster General. 
 The reports pertain to the status of work, methods 
 of operation, and morale of employees and in¬ 
 clude suggestions for improving the service. 
 
 A copy of the letter of February 3, 1925, and a 
 memorandum of instructions to inspectors are 
 filed at the beginning of the series. 
 
 234. ROSTERS. 1898-1909. 1 ft. 
 
 Rosters of post office inspectors and 
 
 clerks at Division headquarters, showing the 
 dates of original appointments, dates of promo¬ 
 tions, salaries. States where employed, methods 
 of appointment, and (where applicable) travel 
 commission numbers. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 235. ANNUAL REPORTS. 1905-35. 2 ft. 
 Submitted by the Office of the Chief In¬ 
 spector to the Postmaster General. Included 
 are correspondence and exhibits pertaining to 
 the preparation of the reports. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 236. BIMONTHLY GENERAL INTELLIGENCE 
 PRESS REPORTS OF THE JUSTICE DE¬ 
 PARTMENT. Nov. 1918-Jan. 1921; 
 
 Mar. 1921-May 1922. 1 ft. 
 
 Concern the activities of the radical press 
 in the United States. Each report is indexed by 
 name of publication or organization mentioned. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 237. RECORDS OF THE INSPECTION OFFICE, 
 ST, LOUIS, MO. Sept. 28, 1876-June 3, 
 1878. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Chiefly press copies of letters and reports 
 from the Special Agent in Charge to the Chief 
 Special Agent, Inspection Office, Washington, D.C. , 
 
BUREAU OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 33 
 
 The main duties of the Office were (1) the super¬ 
 vision and administration of the operations of 
 the Bureau and of its field offices, (2) the review 
 and approval of budget estimates and of journals 
 and allowances from appropriations relating to 
 the Bureau, and (3) the supervision of depart¬ 
 mental and field personnel. The Fourth Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General represented the Post¬ 
 master General at Government conferences and 
 on Federal committees relating to public buildings. 
 
 184. GENERAL RECORDS. 1905-32. 34 ft. 
 
 Letters received and copies of letters sent, 
 
 memoranda, cost and work reports, committee 
 reports, reports on investigations, statements, 
 and instructions relating to the operation of the 
 Bureau and of its divisions and offices. Arranged 
 bv classification number. 
 
 185. CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES I. 
 
 BLAKSLEE. 1914-20. 1 ft. 
 
 Mr. Blakslee served as Fourth Assistant 
 Postmaster General from March 17, 1913, to 
 March 14, 1921. The correspondence relates 
 to the appointment of postmasters, clerks, and 
 rural mail carriers; post office quarters; rural 
 mail service; and deliveries of farm produce 
 by motor vehicle service. Arranged alphabeti¬ 
 cally by name of correspondent, 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION 
 OF TOPOGRAPHY 
 
 The appointment of a clerk to act as topog¬ 
 rapher of the Post Office Department was 
 authorized by an act of July 2, 1836. Th^ Office 
 of the Topographer, originally under the Chief 
 Clerk, was redesignated the Division of Topog¬ 
 raphy on December 1, 1905, and was trans¬ 
 ferred from the Office of the Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral to the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant 
 Postmaster General. On July 1, 1913, the 
 Division was absorbed by the Division of Supplies. 
 In accordance with a 1953 order of the Post¬ 
 master General, the Division of Supplies was 
 divided into the Division of Equipment and Sup¬ 
 plies and the Division of Topography. These 
 Divisions are parts of the Bureau of Facilities, 
 as the Bureau of the Fourth Postmaster General 
 has been known since 1949. 
 
 Although the Division of Topography is 
 mainly responsible for compiling, drawing, 
 revising, printing, and distributing post-route 
 maps (State, county, rural delivery, and air¬ 
 mail), it also prepares special-purpose maps 
 and organizational and fiscal charts. 
 
 186. LETTERS SENT. Oct. 15, 1901-Sept. 1, 
 
 1911. 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 Chiefly press copies of letters and memo¬ 
 randa relating to the organization of the Office of 
 the Topographer and to budget estimates and 
 expenditures, personnel, techniques of reproduc¬ 
 ing post-route maps, advertisement of proposals 
 for reproducing and furnishing post-route maps, 
 and the acquisition of supplies and equipment. 
 Included are annual and progress reports of the 
 Office of the Topographer and lists of rural 
 delivery service maps. Arranged chronologically 
 
 187. REPORTS OF SITE LOCATIONS. 1865- 
 1946. 292 ft. 
 
 Completed forms submitted by postmasters, 
 giving the location of their post offices and other 
 geographical information, to aid the Post Office 
 Department in the preparation of postal maps. 
 
 The forms contain the official name of the post 
 office, with local name or name changes; section, 
 township, range, and meridian in which the post 
 office was located; terminals of the nearest postal 
 route; mileage to the adjacent post offices, rivers 
 and creeks; number of feet or rods to the nearest 
 railroad tracks, railroad depot, or highway; and 
 a diagram or map of the location of the post of¬ 
 fice. The series includes a few reports dated as 
 early as 1837 and as late as 1950. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State, thereunder alphabetically 
 by county and post office, and thereunder by date 
 of report. 
 
 188. ATLAS OF POSTAL MAPS. 1839. 
 
 13 sheets. 1 in. 
 
 A published record copy of The American 
 Atlas Exhibiting the Post Offices, Railroads, 
 Canals, and the Physical and Political Divisions 
 
 of the United States of America Construct^ 
 
 . . . Under the Direction of the Post Master 
 
 General by David H. Burr, Geographer to the 
 House of Representatives of the U. S. The atlas 
 
 contains maps of the United States and adjacent 
 countries, and maps of the following States 
 portrayed singly or in combination: Maine, New 
 Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode 
 Island and Connecticut, New York, New Jersey 
 and Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and 
 Delaware, North and South Carolina, Georgia and 
 Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and 
 Arkansas, Ohio and Indiana, Kentucky and Ten¬ 
 nessee, Illinois and Wisconsin, and Michigan 
 and part of Wisconsin Territory. 
 
34 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 189. POST-ROUTE MAPS. 1867-94. 47 items. 
 
 6 in. 
 
 An incomplete published set of intermediate- 
 scale maps of sections of the United States. The 
 maps were created under the direction of the 
 Topographer of the Post Office Department. They 
 show post offices, distances between offices, 
 frequency of service, and mail-carrying rail¬ 
 roads by name of railroad and include county 
 boundaries and principal drainage features. 
 
 They usually include from two to six States, ter¬ 
 ritories, or parts of States and territories. 
 
 Many of the maps have been corrected by hand 
 and the date of the correction is written on the 
 map. Arranged chronologically by date of publi¬ 
 cation. The maps are listed chronologically in 
 appendix IV. They antedate the post-route 
 (State) maps described in entry 190 and are dif¬ 
 ferent in format. Similar maps of this and 
 earlier periods are among the cartographic rec¬ 
 ords in Record Group 77, Records of the Office 
 of the Chief of Engineers. 
 
 190. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS. 1894- 
 
 1960. 448 items. 3 ft. 
 
 Published maps of individual States, ter¬ 
 ritories, and island possessions of the United 
 States, on an intermediate scale, showing in¬ 
 formation relating to post offices, postal routes, 
 mail-carrying railroads, rural delivery routes, 
 airmail routes, mail supply points, and method 
 and frequency of postal service, as well as county 
 boundaries and principal drainage features. 
 
 This series of maps, although different in for¬ 
 mat, is a continuation of the series described in 
 entry 189 and was designed to include all editions 
 of a given map. It is incomplete, however, for 
 the years before 1937. Some of the editions of 
 the maps, particularly for the years 1917 and 
 1935-40, have been annotated to show navigable 
 waters and coastal waters, and congressional 
 districts (see also entries 193 and 198). Ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by State, territory, or 
 island possession and thereunder chronologi¬ 
 cally by date of publication. 
 
 191. MANUSCRIPT MAPS. 1901-47. 63 items. 
 
 2 in. 
 
 Manuscript post-route maps of States, 
 territories, and island possessions, which were 
 used to prepare the published post-route maps. 
 Changes were made as necessary on the manu¬ 
 scripts, and each one is correct as of the last 
 date appearing on it. (Some of the earlier maps, 
 however, are not dated. ) These maps show 
 essentially the same detail as the published post¬ 
 route maps described in entry 190. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State or area. These maps are 
 listed in appendix V. 
 
 192. POSTAL-ZONE MAPS. 1913. 124 items. 
 
 1 in. 
 
 A series of published official parcel post 
 maps of the United States, with annotations of 
 unknown date showing boundaries of zones used 
 to determine parcel post charges. These maps 
 were prepared for use with the parcel-post guide. 
 There is also a map annotated to show parcel 
 post unit areas within each State. The maps are 
 arranged by zone number. 
 
 193. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS SHOWING 
 
 NAVIGABLE WATERS. 1917. 14 items. 
 
 Published post-route maps of States mainly 
 
 in the eastern United States, annotated with in¬ 
 formation relating to the navigable waters in the 
 particular State and to the coastal waters of those 
 States bordering on the Atlantic Ocean and the 
 Gulf of Mexico. Arranged alphabetically by name 
 of State. 
 
 194. CITY MAPS. 1912-35. 575 items. 3 ft. 
 Published, photoprocessed, and manuscript 
 
 maps of selected cities in the United States, an¬ 
 notated with information apparently relating to 
 delivery routes and locations of postal facilities, 
 business sections, sidewalks, and mail boxes. 
 Arranged by case number, thereunder alpha¬ 
 betically by State, and thereunder alphabetically 
 by city. 
 
 195. RURAL-DELIVERY-ROUTE MAPS. 
 
 1927-28. 600 items. 1 ft. 
 
 A representative sampling of the maps 
 prepared to show rural delivery routes through¬ 
 out the United States. These maps--generally 
 annotated blueprints--are each accompanied by 
 a carbon typescript of the official description of 
 the route, giving the stops to be made, the dis¬ 
 tance between each stop, and the total mileage 
 of the route. Arranged alphabetically by name 
 of post office. 
 
 196. RURAL-DELIVERY-ROUTE LOCAL- 
 CENTER MAPS. 1900-37. 600 items. 
 
 1 ft. 
 
 Manuscript maps of rural areas through¬ 
 out the United States, showing the rural delivery 
 routes servicing the areas. Arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by State. 
 
 197. RURAL-DELIVERY-ROUTE COUNTY 
 MAPS. n. d. 40 items. 3 in. 
 
 An incomplete set of photoprocessed maps, 
 probably of the 1930's, showing rural delivery 
 routes. Arranged alphabetically by State and 
 thereunder by county. 
 
BUREAU OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 35 
 
 198. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS SHOWING 
 
 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. 1935-40. 
 
 58 items. 4 in. 
 
 An incomplete set of published post-route 
 maps annotated to show the boundaries and the 
 numbers of the congressional districts within 
 the individual States. Arranged alphabetically 
 by State and thereunder chronologically by date 
 of publication of the base map. 
 
 199. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS ANNOTATED 
 
 WITH RED DOTS. 1935-40. 63 items. 
 
 4 in. 
 
 Published post-route maps, with annota¬ 
 tions in the form of red dots over certain cities 
 or towns. There is no key to these dots, which 
 appear to have been placed on the maps by hand. 
 They may identify first-class post offices. Ar¬ 
 ranged alphabetically by State and thereunder 
 chronologically by date of publication of the 
 base map. 
 
 200. POST-ROUTE (STATE) MAPS ANNO¬ 
 TATED WITH NUMBERS. 1937-39. 
 
 3 items. 
 
 Published post-route maps stamped with 
 6-digit numbers, usually along railroad routes. 
 
 No key is given to these numbers. Arranged 
 alphabetically by State. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE 
 
 Although there was an experimental auto¬ 
 mobile mail-collection service in Milwaukee, 
 
 Wis. , in February 1908, motor vehicle service 
 was not authorized by Congress until its inclu¬ 
 sion in the postal appropriations for the fiscal 
 year 1915. This service and the screen wagon 
 service (mail carried by wagon and later by 
 motortruck enclosed by a steel screen) were as¬ 
 signed to the Division of Post Office Services in 
 the Bureau of the First Assistant Postmaster 
 General on July 1, 1916. In September 1921 the 
 work relating to the operation of the Government- 
 owned motor vehicle service and the contract 
 vehicle service was transferred to the newly 
 created Division of Vehicle Transportation in 
 the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General. The Division was redesignated the 
 Division of Motor Vehicle Service on October 6, 
 1921, and was transferred back to the Bureau 
 of the First Assistant. During the latter part 
 of 1930 the Division was reassigned to the Bu¬ 
 reau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General. 
 The Division was mainly concerned with the 
 operation of the Government-owned motor 
 vehicle service and the pneumatic tube service. 
 
 201. GENERAL RECORDS. 1858-1939. 9 ft. 
 Advertisements, contracts, and corre¬ 
 spondence concerning the construction and opera¬ 
 tion of mail transportation vehicles. Also 
 included are materials relating to the claim of 
 
 H. C. McFarlin of Little Rock, Ark. , under a 
 screen-wagon contract. The records are ar¬ 
 ranged in rough chronological order. 
 
 202. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE 
 SHIPMENT OF FARM PRODUCE BY 
 POSTAL MOTORTRUCK SERVICE. 1919- 
 29. 1 ft. 
 
 Chiefly interoffice memoranda and corre¬ 
 spondence with postmasters, route agents. Mem¬ 
 bers of Congress, farmers, and merchants. 
 Arranged alphabetically by name of commodity. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 PNEUMATIC TUBE SERVICE 
 
 The transportation of mail by pneumatic 
 tubes was initiated in 1893 in Philadelphia with 
 the construction of an experimental line of 6-inch 
 tubes between the Main Post Office and the East 
 Chestnut Street Station. Because of demands to 
 extend the service in Philadelphia and to estab¬ 
 lish it in other cities, the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment in 1900 appointed a local and a general 
 committee to investigate the advisability of ex¬ 
 tending the service; and a formal report was 
 submitted to Congress on January 4, 1901. The 
 use of the service was authorized by an act of 
 April 21, 1902. Since July 1, 1904, provisions 
 for pneumatic tube service contracts for Boston, 
 New York City, Brooklyn. Chicago, and St. Louis 
 have been included in the annual appropriations 
 for the Post Office Department. 
 
 203. GENERAL RECORDS. 1892-1919. 27 ft. 
 Correspondence, reports, and contracts 
 
 relating to the establishment and operation of 
 the pneumatic tube service; correspondence con¬ 
 cerning the invention and ownership of pneumatic 
 tubes; correspondence, surveys, studies, and 
 blueprints relating to the extension of the serv¬ 
 ice from the New York General Post Office to a 
 station in Brooklyn, and from the Boston General 
 Post Office to the North Postal Station, the 
 South Terminal Railroad Station, the Essex 
 Street Postal Station, and the Back Bay Station. 
 Also included are statistics on the weight of 
 mail delivered; reports on the proposed extension 
 of services; advertisements for and correspond¬ 
 ence related to bids to carry mails by pneumatic 
 tubes; maps and blueprints of the routes to be 
 used; and reports on the installation of air-cooling 
 
36 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 apparatus in the Boston General Post Office. 
 Arranged by subject as listed. 
 
 204. REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE RE¬ 
 GARDING THE PNEUMATIC TUBE 
 SERVICE. 1908-51. 8 ft. 
 
 Included are exhibits. Arranged in rough 
 chronological order. 
 
 205. ORDERS. 1902-6. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Original orders authorizing the establish¬ 
 ment, change, or discontinuance of pneumatic 
 tube service in Boston, New York City, Phila¬ 
 delphia, Chicago, and St. Louis. The orders 
 include the name of the contractor, names of 
 stations along the route, mileage between sta¬ 
 tions, rate of pay per mile, and total amount 
 paid per year. Also included are advertisements 
 for contracts, proposals for carrying the mails 
 by pneumatic tubes or similar devices, and in¬ 
 structions to bidders. Arranged by route num¬ 
 ber. 
 
 206. RECORDS CONCERNING A COURT OF 
 CLAIMS CASE REGARDING PNEUMATIC 
 TUBES. 1903-53. 7 ft. 
 
 Relate to U, S. Court of Claims Case 
 No. 162-5 between the New York Transportation 
 Co. and the Post Office Department. Included 
 are transcripts of hearings, reports, and con¬ 
 clusions. Arranged in rough chronological 
 order. 
 
 207. RECORDS OF THE PNEUMATIC TUBE 
 COMMISSION. 1912-14. 1ft. 
 
 The Commission To Investigate Pneumatic 
 Tube Postal Systems, usually known as the 
 Pneumatic Tube Commission, consisted of two 
 members of the House, two members of the 
 Senate, and the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General, Joseph Stewart. It was established 
 by Congress on August 24, 1912, to investigate 
 the desirability of Government ownership of the 
 pneumatic tube service then operated under 
 contract in New York, Boston, Chicago, Phila¬ 
 delphia, Brooklyn, and St. Louis. The Com¬ 
 mission's records include its minutes and final 
 report; reports, memoranda, and photographs 
 relating to the operation of the pnuematic tube 
 service; correspondence and memoranda on re¬ 
 lated patents; and copies of contracts. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 POST OFFICE QUARTERS 
 
 The responsibility for post office quarters 
 not in Government-owned buildings as shared 
 by the Office of the Postmaster General, the 
 
 Solicitor for the Post Office Department, the 
 Chief Inspector, and the Supervising Architect 
 of the Treasury Department until June 10, 1933, 
 when Executive Order 6166 assigned the respon¬ 
 sibility to the Division of Building Operations 
 and Supplies of the Bureau of the Fourth Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General. In October 1933 the 
 Postmaster General ordered this function trans¬ 
 ferred to the newly created Division of Post 
 Office Quarters. 
 
 This Division leased or rented quarters for 
 post offices, post office garages, and railway 
 terminals; authorized allowances for rent and for 
 light, fuel, water, and equipment required in such 
 quarters; and reviewed reports prepared by 
 postal inspectors relating to the quarters. 
 
 208. GENERAL RECORDS. 1916-42. 3 ft. 
 
 Correspondence, reports, and exhibits 
 
 relating to an alleged combination among equip¬ 
 ment companies to control prices; correspond¬ 
 ence and reports relating to the maintenance 
 and construction of post offices; administrative 
 issuances; and divisional work-progress reports. 
 Arranged by subject or type of record. 
 
 209. RECORDS RELATING TO LEASES. 
 
 1916-32. 3 ft. 
 
 Postal inspectors' reports relating to the 
 valuation of postal quarters (post offices, sta¬ 
 tions, branches, terminals, and garages); 
 postmasters' reports about local leases; hearings 
 of a Senate committee on post office leases; cor¬ 
 respondence and reports concerning leases for 
 the St. Paul Commercial Station and Chicago 
 Post Office; architectural specifications and 
 floor plans of the Boston Back Bay Station and 
 the Chicago Federal Building; and a 1916-25 
 register of leases approved by the Solicitor for 
 the Post Office Department. Arranged by type 
 of record and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 210. BLUEPRINTS, SKETCH PLANS, AND 
 
 ESTIMATES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION 
 
 OF POST OFFICE BUILDINGS OR EX¬ 
 TENSIONS. 1911-30. 12 ft. 
 
 Also included are copies of Form No. 1414, 
 which was prepared by postmasters and which 
 gives information about the space in and condi¬ 
 tion of Federal buildings and the number of em¬ 
 ployees in the buildings; questionnaires completed 
 by postmasters on the space accommodations nec¬ 
 essary for proposed Federal buildings; a few 
 city maps showing notations of old and proposed 
 postal stations and garages; a few reports on 
 leased property occupied by the Post Office De¬ 
 partment; and a few records relating to the 
 construction of the Washington, D. C. , City Post 
 
BUREAU OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL 
 
 37 
 
 Office in 1912. The records are arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of State. 
 
 211. RECORDS RELATING TO DEDICATIONS 
 
 OF POST OFFICE BUILDINGS. 1933-42. 
 
 12 ft. 
 
 Histories containing descriptions of newly 
 constructed post office buildings, name changes, 
 names of postmasters and dates of their appoint¬ 
 ments, statements of postal receipts, and dates 
 of establishment, discontinuance, and reestab¬ 
 lishment of post offices; correspondence with 
 postmasters and Congressmen relating to dedica¬ 
 tion ceremonies; copies of dedication speeches; 
 and postal inspectors' reports. Arranged alpha¬ 
 betically by name of State. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF 
 EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 
 
 In accordance with an order of the Post¬ 
 master General dated November 1, 1905, all 
 clerks in the Post Office Department engaged 
 in handling supplies and in related work were 
 transferred to the Division of Supplies under the 
 Bureau of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral. The Division administered the appropria¬ 
 tion for all supplies purchased and furnished 
 directly to the postal service. 
 
 On July 1, 1913, the Division of Equipment, 
 which had operated the mailbag repair shops and 
 the mail-lock shop in Washington, D. C,, was 
 transferred from the Bureau of the Second Assist¬ 
 ant Postmaster General to the Bureau of the 
 Fourth Assistant Postmaster General and com¬ 
 bined with the Division of Supplies. The name 
 of the Division was not changed until October 6, 
 1921, however, when it became known as the 
 Division of Equipment and Supplies and was made 
 responsible for the manufacture of mailbags. 
 
 In 1933, by order of the Postmaster General, 
 the Division of Equipment and Supplies was re¬ 
 designated the Division of Building Operations 
 and Supplies. The former title was restored 
 when the Postmaster General, on June 18, 1943, 
 reorganized the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant 
 Postmaster General. 
 
 The Division was mainly concerned with 
 the preparation of specifications for supplies and 
 equipment; the review of bids and subsequent 
 recommendations to purchasing agents; and the 
 receipt, storage, control, and issue of stock 
 and operating equipment. 
 
 212. COST REPORTS. 1915-24. 1ft. 
 
 Monthly reports of work performed in 
 
 mail-equipment shops, showing types of work, 
 number of employees and labor hours, and 
 
 labor and unit costs for each job. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 213. MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. 1868-1911. 
 
 3 ft. 
 
 Selected records illustrating the operations 
 of the Division. Included are bids, requisitions, 
 and contracts for equipment and supplies; memo¬ 
 randa relating to proposals for repairing and 
 maintaining post office buildings; applications for 
 positions; letters of recommendation; leave rec¬ 
 ords; lists of employees; and correspondence 
 concerning the disposition of waste material. 
 Interspersed among the other records are ref¬ 
 erences to records of the Disbursing Clerk re¬ 
 lating to acknowledgments of checks and vouchers, 
 payrolls, settlement of accounts, estimates of 
 appropriations for repairs, deficiency estimates, 
 contingent expense accounts, and receipts for 
 payments. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE 
 DIVISION OF RURAL MAILS 
 
 Rural free delivery had been instituted on 
 October 1, 1896. It was established by an act 
 of April 28, 1902, as a branch of the Office of 
 the General Superintendent of Free Delivery 
 within the Bureau of the First Assistant Post¬ 
 master General. On May 9, 1903, the Post¬ 
 master General transferred the Division of 
 Free Delivery, the Superintendent of City-Free- 
 Delivery Service, and the Superintendent of 
 Rural Free Delivery to the Bureau of the Fourth 
 Assistant Postmaster General. The Office of 
 the General Superintendent of Free Delivery was 
 discontinued on May 27, 1903, and the remaining 
 offices and services of the Division of Free 
 Delivery were organized into separate divisions. 
 
 On April 30, 1910, the Postmaster General 
 directed that the star-route functions of the Di¬ 
 vision of Contracts in the Bureau of the Second 
 Assistant Postmaster General be transferred to 
 the Bureau of the Fourth Assistant and combined 
 with the Division of Rural Free Delivery under 
 the title of Division of Rural Mails. The Divi¬ 
 sion of Rural Mails was responsible for the 
 operation of rural delivery service and for the 
 appointment and supervision of rural mail car¬ 
 riers. The Division was transferred to the Bu¬ 
 reau of the First Assistant Postmaster General 
 in 1929, to the Bureau of the Second Assistant 
 Postmaster General in 1932, and back to the 
 Bureau of the First Assistant Postmaster Gen¬ 
 eral on July 1, 1942, where it was coordinated 
 with the other delivery services in the Post 
 Office Service. 
 
38 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 A description of many of the early records 
 of the Division of Rural Mails can be found in 
 entries 93 and 94. 
 
 214. GENERAL RECORDS. 1915-34. 94 ft. 
 
 Letters received, copies of letters sent, 
 
 memoranda, postal inspectors' reports, cost 
 reports, orders, statements, instructions, 
 petitions, and some maps relating to the estab¬ 
 lishment, extension, and discontinuance of rural 
 mail routes and to the administration of the Di¬ 
 vision. Arranged in four groups as follows: 
 
 (1) by classification number, 1922-38; (2) alpha¬ 
 betically by State and thereunder alphabetically 
 by county, 1915-18; (3) alphabetically by State 
 and thereunder alphabetically by post office; and 
 (4) alphabetically by State, 1932-34. 
 
 215. RECORDS RELATING TO ACTS PROVID¬ 
 ING FOR FEDERAL AID TO POST ROADS. 
 
 Sept. 1912-Mar. 1917. 10 in. 
 
 Federal aid for the construction and im¬ 
 provement of post roads was provided under the 
 Post Office Department Appropriation Acts of 
 August 24, 1912, and March 4, 1913, and under 
 the Federal-Aid Road Act of July 11, 1916. 
 
 The records consist of correspondence 
 with the Department of Agriculture and State 
 and county governments concerning the distri¬ 
 bution of funds and plans for the construction, 
 improvement, and relocation of roads; surveys 
 and studies relating to post roads in Alabama, 
 Iowa, and Texas; and a chart showing "Opera¬ 
 tions on Post Roads Designated for Improvement 
 Under Act of August 24, 1912. " 
 
 216. FORMS. 1902-10. 2 ft. 
 
 Forms used for letters, interoffice and 
 serial memoranda, general orders, instructions. 
 
 questionnaires, and lists; and posting media 
 used by the Office of the General Superintendent 
 of Delivery System and the Division of Rural 
 Free Delivery. In three groups: (1) for 1906-10, 
 arranged by form number; (2) for 1902-7, ar¬ 
 ranged chronologically; and (3) for 1909. 
 
 217. RECORDS RELATING TO RURAL MAIL 
 
 CARRIERS. 1901-20. 11 ft. 
 
 Letters received, copies of letters sent, 
 applications, and petitions relating to the eligi¬ 
 bility, appointment, reinstatement, transfer, 
 promotion, bonding, and efficiency of rural mail 
 carriers; and correspondence concerning the 
 establishment and discontinuance of rural mail 
 routes, schedules, and changes in routes In 
 two groups: (l)for 1901-17, arranged alphabeti¬ 
 cally by name of post office and (2) "State Files- 
 Appointment Section, " for 1913-20, arranged 
 alphabetically by name of State and thereunder 
 chronologically. 
 
 218. ACCOUNTING RECORDS. 1906-19. 4 vols 
 
 4 in. 
 
 Representative accounting records, includ¬ 
 ing (1) accounts of rearrangements, amendments, 
 and discontinuances in the rural delivery service, 
 1906-8; (2) accounts of various items paid (serv¬ 
 ice, substitutes, clerks in rural stations, tolls, 
 and ferriage) from the general appropriation for 
 rural delivery service, village delivery service, 
 and star service, 1908-16; (3) accounts for travel 
 and miscellaneous expenses in the postal serv¬ 
 ice office of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General, for clerks in charge of substations, 
 for rural carriers, and for toll and ferriage, 
 1906-7; and (4) accounts of star payments by the 
 New York, Chicago, and San Francisco subtreas¬ 
 uries, 1917-19. Arranged in the order listed. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF ACCOUNTS 
 
 The Office of the Comptroller of the 
 Treasury, by an act of September 2, 1789 
 (1 Stat. 66), was made responsible for the com¬ 
 pilation of audits and the settlement of accounts 
 for the General Post Office. These accounting 
 functions were transferred to the Fifth Auditor 
 of the Treasury on March 3, 1817 (3 Stat. 366), 
 and to the Sixth Auditor on July 2, 1836 
 (5 Stat. 81). 
 
 The functions remained within the Treasury 
 Department until the Bureau of Accounts was 
 established in the Post Office Department, in 
 accordance with the Budget and Accounting Act 
 of June 10, 1921 (42 Stat. 24). The Bureau, 
 comprising a Headquarters Office (also known 
 as the Office of the Comptroller) and the 
 
 Accounts, Cost Ascertainment, and Methods and 
 Procedures Divisions performed the following 
 duties: (1) examining all accounts of salaries 
 and incidental expenses, all postal and money 
 order accounts of postmasters, and accounts 
 relating to the transportation of mail; and (2) cer¬ 
 tifying quarterly to the Postmaster General an 
 accounting of postmasters' funds and of the gen¬ 
 eral expenses of the postal service. The Gen¬ 
 eral Accounting Office audited and preserved 
 these accounts, in compliance with legislation 
 regarding the fiscal operations of the Government 
 The Bureau of Accounts was terminated by 
 the Postmaster General on June 12, 1953. Its 
 functions were at that time transferred to a newly 
 established Bureau of the Controller, which was 
 
BUREAU OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR 
 
 39 
 
 terminated on November 1, 1954. The functions 
 are now assigned to the Bureau of Finance. 
 
 219. GENERAL RECORDS. 1889-1924. 
 
 23 ft. 
 
 Letters received, copies of letters sent, 
 memoranda, reports, statements, bulletins, 
 and lists. Arranged alphabetically by subject 
 and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 220. LETTERS SENT. 1904-18. 20 vols. 
 
 2 ft. 
 
 Press copies of letters of the Auditor of 
 the Treasury for the Post Office Department con¬ 
 cerning mainly personnel and audits of postal 
 accounts. Interspersed among the letters are 
 lists of employees, the indebted postal accounts 
 of postmasters, requisitions for repairs and 
 supplies, and inventories of equipment. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 221. SEA POST OFFICE ACCOUNTS. 1891- 
 
 1914. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 222. GENERAL POST OFFICE ACCOUNTS 
 WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 1883-86, 
 1892-1903. 3 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Arranged by name of country and there¬ 
 under chronologically. 
 
 223. CLOSED TRANSIT STATEMENTS WITH 
 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 1893-98. 1 vol. 1 in. 
 The statements were prepared when bulk 
 
 mail was sent to a foreign country without being 
 opened enroute. Arranged alphabetically by 
 country and thereunder chronologically. 
 
 224. POSTAL-MONEY-ORDER ACCOUNTS 
 
 WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. July- 
 Aug. 1914. 4 vols. 8 in. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by country and 
 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 225. RECEIPTS OF PAYMENT FOR FOREIGN 
 MAIL TRANSIT BY SEA. 1900-1909. 
 
 3 vols. 3 in. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by country and 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 226. RECORDS OF PAYMENT OF MONEY 
 ORDER ACCOUNTS WITH FOREIGN 
 COUNTRIES. 1911-15. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 Arranged alphabetically by country and 
 
 thereunder chronologically. 
 
 227. POSTMASTERS' ACCOUNTS. 1862-74. 
 
 360 vols. 30 ft. 
 
 Arranged alphabetically by State, there¬ 
 under alphabetically by city, and thereunder 
 chronologically. 
 
 RECORDS OF THE BUREAU OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR 
 
 From the time the Post Office Depart¬ 
 ment was established, the Postmaster General 
 employed the Assistant Postmasters General as 
 special agents to investigate the operations of 
 post offices. As early as June 14, 1790, the 
 Postmaster General prepared detailed instruc¬ 
 tions for reporting on irregularities discovered 
 during visits to post offices. The supervision 
 of this activity was assigned at about this time 
 to the Office of Instructions in the Office of the 
 Postmaster General. In 1830 the Office of In¬ 
 structions was redesignated the Office of Instruc¬ 
 tions and Mail Depredations and was made part 
 of the Office of the Second Assistant Postmaster 
 General. 
 
 From 1835 to 1939 the responsibility for 
 the supervision of investigations of mail depreda¬ 
 tions was transferred by the Postmaster General, 
 successively, to the following units: Miscellane¬ 
 ous Division, Office of the Postmaster General; 
 Contract Division, Office of the Second Assistant 
 Postmaster General; Office of Mail Depredations, 
 Office of the Postmaster General; Division of 
 Special Agents and Mail Depredations, Office of 
 the Postmaster General; Division of Post Office 
 
 Inspectors and Mail Depredations, first in the 
 Office of the Postmaster General and later in 
 the Office of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
 General; and the Division of Post Office Inspec¬ 
 tors, Office of the Postmaster General. 
 
 On February 2, 1939, the Postmaster 
 General established the Bureau of the Chief In¬ 
 spector, comprising the Office of the Chief 
 Inspector and the Administrative Investigations, 
 Mail Investigations, and Financial Investigations 
 Divisions. The Bureau was authorized to 
 investigate all matters relating to mail depreda¬ 
 tions; to consider complaints of criminal offenses 
 against the postal service; to handle claims for 
 rewards granted for the prosecution of offenders 
 against postal laws; to supervise the Post Office 
 Inspection Service; and to inspect the finances, 
 property, and equipment of the Post Office 
 Department. 
 
 The director of the inspection agents of the 
 Post Office Department was known during various 
 periods as the Chief Post Office Inspector, Divi¬ 
 sion Superintendent, Division Chief, Chief Special 
 Agent, and Chief Inspector. When the Bureau of 
 the Chief Inspector was organized in 1939, the 
 
40 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Chief Inspector's functions included the general 
 supervision of the Bureau and the Post Office 
 Inspection Service; the development and adminis¬ 
 tration of inspection policies and programs; the 
 selection, assignment, and separation of depart¬ 
 mental and field personnel of the Bureau; and 
 the maintenance of liaison with the National 
 Archives, the Army, and the Navy. 
 
 228. LETTERS SENT BY THE CHIEF SPECIAL 
 AGENT, OFFICE OF MAIL DEPREDA¬ 
 TIONS. May 21, 1875-July 11, 1877. 
 
 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 Press copies of letters sent to special 
 agents of the Inspection Division in the field, 
 to postmasters, and to other postal officials 
 relating to irregularities in receiving, handling, 
 and dispatching mail. Arranged chronologically. 
 The volume is indexed by name of person, by 
 post office, and by State. 
 
 229. REGISTER OF ARRESTS FOR OFFENSES 
 AGAINST POSTAL LAWS. Aug. 1864- 
 Jan. 1876; Jan. 1878-May 1897. 13 vols. 
 
 2 ft. 
 
 Shows date of arrest, name of prisoner, 
 official position, where and by whom arrested, 
 alleged offense, and remarks. In some cases 
 the disposition of the case is written in over 
 the entry. Entries are arranged chronologically. 
 Each volume is indexed by name of person 
 arrested. 
 
 230. INDEX TO ARRESTS. Jan. 1, 1888- 
 Dec. 31, 1891; Jan. 1, 1895-June 30, 
 
 1899. 3 vols. 6 in. 
 
 Shows the names of the prisoner and ar¬ 
 resting agent and the date and place of arrest. 
 Each volume is divided into two parts; the 
 first part is arranged alphabetically by the 
 first letter of the surname; the second, alpha¬ 
 betically by field office division. 
 
 231. CASE FILES OF INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
 Nov. 1877-Dec. 1903. 157 ft. 
 
 Correspondence, reports, memoranda, 
 
 and other records relating to individual violators 
 of postal laws and regulations. A typical file 
 includes the report of arrest, a photograph of 
 the violator, correspondence with post office 
 inspectors explaining the nature of the violation, 
 the report of indictment, exhibits, newspaper 
 clippings, and a report of the result of the trial 
 and the final disposition. The records for No¬ 
 vember 1877-June 1899 are arranged chrono¬ 
 logically; those for June 1800-December 1903 
 are arranged numerically. A name index to 
 the case files has been retained by the Office 
 
 of the Chief Inspector. A case file relating to 
 a mail robbery in 1838 is at the beginning of 
 the series. 
 
 232. STATEMENTS OF ARRESTS. Jan. 1881- 
 
 Dec. 1890. 1 vol. 2 in. 
 
 Concern post office employees arrested for 
 violations of postal laws. Each statement shows 
 the date of arrest, name and official position of 
 the violator, where and by whom arrested, the 
 offense, and remarks. Arranged chronologically 
 by month. 
 
 233. RECORDS RELATING TO THE RAILWAY 
 MAIL SERVICE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 Feb.-May 1925. 1 ft. 
 
 Mainly correspondence and reports of an 
 investigation of the 15 divisions of the Railway 
 Mail Service, conducted in April and May 1925 
 in response to a request of February 3, 1925, 
 from the Second Assistant Postmaster General. 
 The reports pertain to the status of work, methods 
 of operation, and morale of employees and in¬ 
 clude suggestions for improving the service. 
 
 A copy of the letter of February 3, 1925, and a 
 memorandum of instructions to inspectors are 
 filed at the beginning of the series. 
 
 234. ROSTERS. 1898-1909. 1 ft. 
 
 Rosters of post office inspectors and 
 
 clerks at Division headquarters, showing the 
 dates of original appointments, dates of promo¬ 
 tions, salaries. States where employed, methods 
 of appointment, and (where applicable) travel 
 commission numbers. Arranged chronologically. 
 
 235. ANNUAL REPORTS. 1905-35. 2 ft. 
 Submitted by the Office of the Chief In¬ 
 spector to the Postmaster General. Included 
 are correspondence and exhibits pertaining to 
 the preparation of the reports. Arranged 
 chronologically. 
 
 236. BIMONTHLY GENERAL INTELLIGENCE 
 PRESS REPORTS OF THE JUSTICE DE¬ 
 PARTMENT. Nov. 1918-Jan. 1921; 
 
 Mar. 1921-May 1922. 1 ft. 
 
 Concern the activities of the radical press 
 in the United States. Each report is indexed by 
 name of publication or organization mentioned. 
 Arranged chronologically. 
 
 237. RECORDS OF THE INSPECTION OFFICE, 
 ST. LOUIS, MO. Sept. 28, 1876-June 3, 
 1878. 2 vols. 4 in. 
 
 Chiefly press copies of letters and reports 
 from the Special Agent in Charge to the Chief 
 Special Agent, Inspection Office, Washington, D.C. , 
 
APPENDIXES 
 
 49 
 
 in. - -Continued. 
 
 Agreement for increasing limits for weight 
 and size of merchandise samples exchanged 
 by post, June 6, 1889 
 
 Parcel post convention, June 16, 1908 
 
 Japan 
 
 Postal convention, Aug. 6, 1873; detailed 
 regulations for execution of, July 15, 
 
 1874; additional agreement to, Feb. 8, 
 
 1876 
 
 Agreement on prepayment of postage, 
 
 Apr. 26, 1875; additional agreement to, 
 
 Feb. 8, 1876 
 
 Parcel post convention, June 30, 1904; 
 amendments to, Mar. 2, 1909, and 
 Oct. 10, 1912 
 
 Agreements on contents of parcePpost 
 packages, Nov. 4, 1915, and May 10, 1919 
 
 Leeward Islands 
 
 Parcel post convention, Apr. 3, 1889 
 
 Postal convention, Feb. 13, 1915 
 
 Mexico 
 
 Postal conventions, Oct. 20, 1884, and 
 June 21, 1887 
 
 Parcel post convention, Apr. 28, 1888; 
 amendment to. May 25, 1911 
 
 Agreement for establishment of system for 
 handling registered through-mail pouches, 
 to go into effect on Feb. 15, 1889 (not 
 executed) 
 
 Parcel post convention, Aug. 17, 1917 
 
 The Netherlands 
 
 Postal convention. Sept. 26, 1867; detailed 
 regulations for execution of, Nov. 26, 
 
 1867; additional convention to the conven¬ 
 tion, Jan. 10, 1870; amended article to 
 replace article 16 of detailed regulations, 
 May 23, 1870; additional article to con¬ 
 vention and additional convention, June 19, 
 1874 
 
 Amendment to parcel post convention, 
 
 Apr. 22, 1909 
 
 Parcel post convention, Nov. 16, 1926 
 
 Netherlands East Indies 
 
 Parcel post convention, Apr. 3, 1918 
 
 Parcel post agreement signed at Batavia 
 on Oct. 2, 1922, and at Washington on 
 Feb. 15, 1924 
 
 Netherlands West Indies. See Dutch Guiana and 
 Dutch West Indies. 
 
 Newfoundland 
 
 Postal convention, Nov. 20, 1872; additional 
 articles of agreement to. Sept. 15, 1873, 
 Sept. 22, 1876, and Oct. 23, 1877 
 
 Parcel post convention, Jan. 8, 1894 
 
 Articles of agreement, Feb. 13, 1909 
 
 See also Canada. 
 
 New South Wales 
 
 Postal convention, Jan. 15, 1874; amended 
 article to replace article 3 of, June 1, 1875 
 
 Postal convention, Dec. 3, 1890 
 
 New Zealand 
 
 Postal convention, Aug. 3, 1870; amended 
 article to replace article 3 of, Aug. 28, 
 
 1877 
 
 Parcel post convention, Feb. 12, 1900 
 
 Postal convention, Aug. 30, 1916 
 
 Nicaragua 
 
 Parcel post conventions. May 18, 1885; 
 
 Mar. 27, 1900 
 
 North German Union 
 
 Postal convention, Oct. 21, 1867; regulations 
 for execution of, June 30, 1868; additional 
 article to convention; additional convention, 
 Apr. 7, 1870, to the convention; additional 
 article to convention and to additional 
 convention. Mar. 31, 1871; regulations for 
 execution of convention and additional con¬ 
 vention, June 10, 1870 
 
 Norway 
 
 Parcel post conventions, Aug. 27, 1904; 
 
 Jan. 11, 1921; and Feb. 28, 1929 
 
 Panama 
 
 Postal convention, June 19, 1905; amend¬ 
 ment to, July 19, 1905 
 
 Paraguay 
 
 Parcel post convention, Dec. 15, 1919 
 
 Peru 
 
 Parcel post convention, May 28, 1906; 
 amendment to. Sept. 1, 1908 
 
 Netherlands Guiana. See Dutch Guiana. 
 
50 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 HI.--Continued. 
 
 Prussia 
 
 Postal convention, additional articles, 
 Aug. 29, 1885 
 
 Additional articles, Dec. 28, 1860, to 
 postal convention of July 17, 1852 
 
 Queensland 
 
 Postal convention, Dec. 8, 1875 
 Salvador 
 
 Postal convention, July 20, 1870 
 Parcel post convention, July 27, 1917 
 
 Siam 
 
 Parcel post convention, Oct. 15, 1921 
 Spain 
 
 Parcel post convention, Feb. 4, 1921 
 Parcel post agreement, Nov. 10, 1931 
 Postal convention, Nov. 10, 1931 
 
 Straits Settlements 
 
 Parcel post convention, Feb. 24, 1922 
 Parcel post agreement, Oct. 20, 1928 
 
 Surinam. See Dutch Guiana. 
 
 Sweden 
 
 Parcel post conventions, Nov. 14, 1905, 
 and Mar. 24, 1922 
 
 Switzerland 
 
 Postal convention, Oct. 11, 1867; regula¬ 
 tions for execution of, Nov. 28, 1867; 
 additional article to regulations. Mar. 6, 
 1869; additional convention to the conven¬ 
 tion, Feb. 7, 1870; second additional 
 convention to the convention. May 6, 1872; 
 additional articles of agreement to conven¬ 
 tion, Mar. 31, 1874 
 
 Agreement for increasing limits for weight 
 and size of merchandise samples exchanged 
 by post, Aug. 31, 1882 
 
 Parcel post convention, Dec. 15, 1922 
 
 Tasmania 
 
 Postal convention. May 31, 1886 
 
 Thailand. See Siam. 
 
 Trinidad and Tobago 
 
 Postal convention, Jan. 3, 1918 
 
 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 
 
 Additional articles, Aug. 10, 1853, to con¬ 
 vention of Dec. 15, 1848, to authorize 
 exchange of mail between U. S. ports and 
 British packet office at Panama 
 
 Articles agreed upon for executing convention 
 of Dec. 15, 1848; additional articles to 
 articles, Dec. 3, 1852, May 19 and Dec. 12, 
 1853, Mar. 20, 1856, June 17, 1858, 
 
 Jan. 11 and Nov. 23, 1859, June 28 and 
 Aug. 13, 1860, July 7 and Dec. 26, 1862, 
 Sept. 26, 1863, Aug. 6, 1864, and Oct. 23, 
 1865 
 
 Postal convention, June 18, 1867; detailed 
 regulations for execution of, Aug. 9, 1867 
 Postal convention, July 28, 1868 
 Postal convention, Nov. 7, 1868; detailed 
 regulations for execution of; additional 
 convention to, Dec. 3, 1869 
 Postal convention, Aug. 11, 1869 
 Special arrangement to fix transit charges 
 on British closed mails conveyed across 
 the United States, Oct. 6, 1876 
 Agreement for increasing limits for weight 
 and size of merchandise samples exchanged 
 by post, June 18, 1880 
 Postal convention, June 4, 1913 
 
 Uruguay 
 
 Parcel post convention, Feb. 10, 1908 
 
 Venezuela 
 
 Postal convention, July 19, 1865 
 Parcel post convention. May 1, 1899 
 
 Virgin Islands. See Danish West Indies. 
 
 West Indies. See Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, 
 Danish West Indies, Dutch Guiana, Dutch West 
 Indies, Haiti, Leeward Islands, and Trinidad 
 and Tobago. 
 
 Multilateral Conventions and Agreements 
 
 Universal Postal Union 
 
 Postal conventions concluded at Paris on 
 June 1, 1878 (designated the Lisbon 
 Convention); Rome, May 26, 1906; Madrid, 
 Nov. 30, 1920; Stockholm, Aug. 28, 1924; 
 and London, June 28, 1929 
 French ratifications of convention concluded 
 at Paris on June 1, 1878 
 Spanish-American postal convention signed 
 at Madrid on Nov. 13, 1920 
 
 Pan American Postal Union 
 
 Principal convention and parcel post con¬ 
 vention concluded at Buenos Aires on 
 Sept. 15, 1921 
 
 Principal convention and parcel post con¬ 
 vention concluded at Mexico City on Nov. 9, 
 1926 
 
APPENDIXES 
 
 51 
 
 IV. Special List of Post-Route Maps (Entry 189) 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of New Hampshire, 
 Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
 Connecticut and Parts of New York and 
 Maine. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 1867. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of New York and 
 Parts of Vermont, Massachusetts, Con¬ 
 necticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 
 Showing also the adjacent portions of the 
 Dominion of Canada. ” Scale 1 inch to 
 6 miles. 1868. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Pennsylvania, 
 New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland and 
 of the District of Columbia with adjacent 
 parts of New York, Ohio, Virginia and 
 West Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 
 1869. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Maine and of the 
 adjacent parts of New Hampshire and the 
 Dominion of Canada. " Scale 1 inch to 
 8 1/2 miles. 1873. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Michigan and 
 Wisconsin with adjacent parts of Ohio, 
 Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. " 
 
 Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 1873. 
 
 Part of "Post Route Map of the States of Illinois, 
 Iowa and Missouri with adjacent parts of 
 Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, 
 
 . . . and Arkansas. " Scale 1 inch to 10 
 miles. 1873. Much of Missouri is missing. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Pennsylvania, 
 New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland and 
 of the District of Columbia with adjacent 
 parts of New York, Ohio, Virginia and 
 West Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 
 1873. 
 
 "Preliminary Post Route Map of the State of 
 Texas with adjacent parts of Louisiana, 
 Arkansas and Indian Territory. " Scale 1 
 inch to 15 miles. 1874. 
 
 Eastern half of "Post Route Map of the State of 
 Texas with adjacent parts of Louisiana, 
 Arkansas, [and] Indian Territory . . . . " 
 Scale 1 inch to 15 miles. 187 8. Post routes 
 are not shown. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Colorado. " 
 
 Scale 1 inch to 11 miles. 1879. 
 
 Post-route map of the States of Virginia, 
 Maryland, and Delaware with parts of 
 adjoining States. Scale 1 inch to approxi¬ 
 mately 8 miles. 1879. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Oregon and Ter¬ 
 ritory of Washington. " Scale 1 inch to 
 12 miles. 1880. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Oregon and Ter¬ 
 rify of Washington. " Scale 1 inch to 10 
 miles. 1883. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Pennsylvania, 
 New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland and 
 of the District of Columbia with adjacent 
 parts of New York, Ohio, Virginia and West 
 Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 1883. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Illinois, Iowa 
 and Missouri with adjacent parts of Indiana, 
 Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas 
 and Arkansas. " Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 
 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Ohio and 
 
 Indiana with adjacent parts of Pennsylvania, 
 Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and West 
 Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 8 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Louisiana with 
 adjacent parts of Mississippi, Arkansas 
 . . . . " Scale 1 inch to 8 5/8 miles. 1885. 
 Dated Oct. 1, 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Louisiana with 
 adjacent parts of Mississippi, Arkansas 
 and Texas. " Scale 1 inch to 8 5/8 miles. 
 1885. Dated Dec. 1, 1855. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the Territories of New 
 
 Mexico and Arizona with parts of adjacent 
 States and Territories. " Scale 1 inch to 
 approximately 12 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of California and 
 Nevada. " Scale 1 inch to 12 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the Territories of Montana, 
 Idaho and Wyoming with parts of adjacent 
 States and Territories. " Scale 1 inch to ap¬ 
 proximately 15 miles. 1885. 
 
52 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 rV. --Continued. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the Territory of Dakota with 
 adjacent parts of Montana, Wyoming, 
 Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota and portions 
 of the Dominion of Canada. " Scale 1 inch 
 to 10 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Preliminary Post Route Map of the States of 
 Kansas and Nebraska with adjacent parts of 
 Missouri, Iowa, Dakota, Colorado, Texas 
 and Indian Territory. " Scale 1 inch to 10 
 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Colorado. " 
 
 Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Texas with 
 adjacent parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, 
 Indian Territory and of the Republic of 
 Mexico. " Scale 1 inch to 15 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Minnesota with 
 adjacent parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota, 
 Wisconsin and of the British Possessions. " 
 Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Florida with 
 adjacent parts of Georgia and Alabama. 
 
 Also the neighboring West India Islands. " 
 Scale 1 inch to 12 miles. 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Pennsylvania, 
 New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland and of 
 the District of Columbia with adjacent parts 
 of New York, Ohio, Virginia and West 
 Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 1885. 
 Corrected to June 1, 1885. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Pennsylvania, 
 New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland and 
 of the District of Columbia with adjacent 
 parts of New York, Ohio, Virginia and 
 West Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 
 
 1885. Corrected to Dec. 1, 1855. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Maine [and parts 
 of New Hampshire and the Dominion of 
 Canada]. " Scale 1 inch to 6 1/2 miles. 
 
 1886. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of North Carolina 
 and South Carolina with adjacent parts of 
 Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, West 
 Virginia and Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 
 8 miles. 1886. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the Territories of Montana, 
 Idaho and Wyoming with parts of adjacent 
 States and Territories. " Scale 1 inch to 
 15 miles. 1886. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Louisiana with 
 adjacent parts of Mississippi, Arkansas 
 and Texas. " Scale 1 inch to 8 5/8 miles. 
 
 1887. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Oregon and Ter¬ 
 ritory in Washington. " Scale 1 inch to 10 
 miles. 1887. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of North Carolina 
 and South Carolina with adjacent parts of 
 Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, West 
 Virginia and Virginia. " Scale 1 inch to 
 8 miles. 1887. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the Territories of Montana, 
 Idaho and Wyoming with parts of adjacent 
 States and Territories. " Scale 1 inch to 
 15 miles. 1887. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Kentucky and 
 Tennessee with parts of adjacent States. " 
 Scale 1 inch to 8 miles. 1887. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of New York and 
 parts of Vermont, Massachusetts, Con¬ 
 necticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 
 
 Also the adjacent portions of the Dominion 
 of Canada. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 
 
 1887. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of New York and 
 parts of Vermont, Massachusetts, Con¬ 
 necticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 
 
 Also the adjacent portions of the Dominion 
 of Canada. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 
 
 1890. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Oregon and 
 Washington with adjacent parts of Idaho, 
 Nevada, California and British Columbia. " 
 Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 1891. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Montana, Idaho 
 and Wyoming with parts of adjacent States 
 and Territories. " Scale 1 inch to 12 miles. 
 
 1891. Corrected to May 1, 1891. 
 
APPENDIXES 
 
 53 
 
 rV. --Continued. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of Montana, Idaho 
 and Wyoming with parts of adjacent States 
 and Territories. " Scale 1 inch to 12 miles. 
 1891. Corrected to June 1, 1891. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Arkansas and of 
 Indian and Oklahoma Territories with ad¬ 
 jacent portions of Mississippi, Tennessee, 
 Missouri, Kansas, Texas and Louisiana. " 
 Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 1891. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the State of Georgia and Out¬ 
 line Map of South Carolina with adjacent 
 parts of North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama 
 and Florida. " Scale 1 inch to 10 miles. 
 
 1894. 
 
 "Post Route Map of the States of New Hampshire, 
 Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
 Connecticut and parts of New York and 
 Maine. " Scale 1 inch to 6 miles. 1894. 
 
 Part of the map is missing. 
 
 Post-route map of parts of Virginia, Kentucky, 
 Tennessee, North Carolina, and South 
 Carolina, n.d. 
 
 Post-route maps of parts of Alabama, Georgia, 
 and Florida. Two editions, n.d. 
 
54 
 
 RECORDS OF THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 V. List of Manuscript Post-Route Maps (Entry 191) 
 
 Alabama: 1943 
 
 Alaska: 1939 
 
 Arizona: ca. 1910, 1947 
 
 Arkansas: 1939 
 
 California and Nevada: 1938 
 
 Canal Zone: Not dated 
 
 Colorado: 1942 
 
 Connecticut: See Massachusetts. 
 
 Cuba: Not dated 
 
 Delaware. See District of Columbia. 
 
 District of Columbia, Maryland, and Delaware: 
 
 Not dated 
 Florida: 1942 
 Georgia: 1939 
 
 Idaho: 1933. See also Montana. 
 
 Illinois: 1940 (two copies) 
 
 Indiana: 1933 
 Iowa: ca. 1910, 1934 
 Kansas: 1937 
 Kentucky: 1929 
 
 Kentucky and Tennessee: 1910 (two copies) 
 Louisiana: ca. 1910, 1947 
 Maine: 1939 
 
 Maryland. See District of Columbia. 
 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut: 
 1935 
 
 Michigan: 1941 
 
 Michigan and Wisconsin; ca. 1910 
 Minnesota: 1934 
 Mississippi: 1941 
 Missouri: 1942 
 Montana: 1939 
 
 Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming: ca. 1910 
 
 Nebraska: 1938 
 Nevada. See California. 
 
 New Hampshire. See Vermont. 
 
 New Jersey: 1937 
 New Mexico: 1943 
 New York: 1935 
 
 New York: Long Island, not dated 
 
 North Carolina: 1932 
 
 North Dakota: 1932 
 
 Ohio: ca. 1910 
 
 Oklahoma: 1937 
 
 Oregon: 1928 
 
 Pennsylvania: 1945 
 
 Pennsylvania: Philadelphia and vicinity, not dated 
 
 Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh and vicinity, 1944 
 
 Philippine Islands: Not dated 
 
 Puerto Rico: 1936 
 
 Rhode Island. See Massachusetts. 
 
 South Carolina: ca. 1910, 1936 
 
 South Dakota: 1932 
 
 Tennessee: 1938. See also Kentucky. 
 
 Territory of Hawaii: 1923 
 Texas: 1937 
 
 Texas: Dallas-Fort Worth area, 1937 
 Utah: 1939 
 
 Vermont and New Hampshire: 1941 
 Virginia. See West Virginia. 
 
 Washington: 1941 
 
 Washington: Seattle and vicinity (two maps), not 
 dated 
 
 West Virginia and Virginia: ca. 1910, 1939 
 Wisconsin: 1943. See also Michigan. 
 
 Wyoming: 1940. See also Montana. 
 
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For a list of other publications in this series, see the list 
 of National Archives publications, which maybe obtained upon 
 request from the Publications Sales Branch, The National 
 Archives, General Services Administration, Washington, 
 D.C. 20408. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 OF m RECORDS OF 
 
 3 0112 025267797