Chapter II
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
In the beginning of our present postal system there was not sufficient diversity of mail matter to require formal mail classification. In fact, the first rates in force after 1789 covered only "letters and packets." In the years to follow, however, other kinds of matter not at first mailable were admitted to the mails and additions and subdivisions eventually became identified with separate rates, which ultimately led to the designation in 1863 of mail by classes.
As letter mail has always ranked first in terms of revenue and number of pieces, it is fitting that when mail matter was first classified in 1863, letters were designated as the "first" class.
Bases for Computing Postage
The primary basis for letter postage between 1789 and 1863 was the "sheet" or "single letter." If a letter contained more than one sheet, additional postage was charged. The sheets of a letter were folded, sealed, and addressed on the back. This basis for computing postal charges became increasingly impractical, especially after the envelope came into wide use about the middle of the nineteenth century.2 In 1845 a letter or parcel not weighing more than a half ounce was deemed to be a "single letter" regardless of the number of sheets. Although, as shown in Table I, the "single letter" continued as the primary postage unit until 1863, the half-ounce weight-unit had, in effect, replaced it as a rate basis after 1845. In 1863 the term "single letter" was legally abandoned and a weight-unit adopted as the basis for computing postal charges. Between 1863 and 1885 the half-ounce unit was used. In 1885 the ounce unit was designated and has been used to the present time.
In the early period, letter rates varied not only on the number of "sheets" in a letter but also on the basis of distance. There was a constant tendency to reduce the number of distance gradations. By 1845 the move to a uniform rate was well under way when the five-zone schedule then in effect was reduced to two zones. Six years later the only distance differential remaining was under and over 3,000 miles. Finally, in 1863 a uniform rate regardless of distance was established.
2. The envelope was an innovation introduced from France about 1842. It was at first looked upon as a novelty, but its utility soon brought it into universal use.
Prepayment of Postage
It was the more common practice in the early days of the postal service for the recipient rather than the sender to pay the postage. This practice invited abuse of the mails by mailers who flooded the mails with solicitations. Also collecting and accounting for postage was a time-consuming task. To correct the situation, and especially after stamps were introduced in 1847,3 wide differentials in favor of prepaid postage were established around the middle of the century. Compulsory prepayment on all domestic letter mail was established by the act of March 3, 1885.
City Delivery Service
From 1789 to 1863, letter mail rates did not include city delivery service. Mail patrons had the option of using the service or not, as they saw fit. The carrier collected 2 cents for the delivery of each letter, and a similar fee was authorized for each letter received by the carrier for deposit in the post office. The proceeds collected accrued to the carriers. After 1863 city delivery service became a regular service included in the rates of postage.
Pioneer Transportation and Rates
The rates cited in the tables are for regular service. Actually, during the earlier years of the great westward expansion, mail service to the frontier localities depended upon both improvised transportation and rates until regular service and rates could be established. These localized and temporary departures from regular rate schedules are not detailed in the tables, but their occurrence should be noted as part of the trail-blazing phase of postal operations. An example of such service and rates was the famed "pony express" which operated between Missouri and California from 1860 to 1861. The letter rate was first $5 for a half ounce, reduced in May 1861 to $2 for a half ounce, and in July of the same year to $1 for a half ounce because of a Government subsidy.
Ship and Steamboat Letters
A considerable part of the mail was waterborne and subject to ship-letter rates during the early days of the Postal Service. These rates are summarized in Table II. The westward expansion of population and the improvements in roads and overland transportation facilities brought about the elimination of the need for and use of ships to carry domestic mails. The last rate legislation on ship-letter rates was in 1872. To this day a rate differential remains between waterborne and land-transported domestic mail, but for all practical purposes the water rates have no significance because of the little or no volume of domestic mail transported via water.
Postal Card
An important addition to first-class mail was the Government postal card, authorized in 1872. The original denomination was 1 cent. It was provided to afford convenience for unconfidential communications at a lower postage charge than on regular letters.
3. Adhesive postage stamps were authorized by the act of March 3, 1847. They were first placed on sale in the New York City post office July 1, 1847.
Changes in First-Class Rates
Since 1879 there have been relatively few changes in the rate structure of first-class mail. Among the most important were (1) the inauguration of a post card (private mailing card) service in 1898, (2) an increase in the weight limit in 1916 from 4 pounds to those applicable to fourth-class matter, and (3) the initiation of business reply cards and letters in 1928. With the exception of a brief interlude during World War I, nonlocal letters were carried at a rate of 2 cents an ounce between 1883 and 1932. In the latter year the rate was increased to 3 cents an ounce and has continued to the present time.