US Post Offices & Postmasters in 1866 - Perquimans County Page

jSALARIESAN ACT TO ESTABLISHFOR POSTMASTERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,AN ACT TO ESTABLISH SALAEIES FOB POSTMASTERS, ANDFOR OTFIER PURPOSESBe it enacted by the Senate and House of Representativesof the United States of America in Congress assembled,That the annual compensation of postmastersshall be nt a fixed salary, in lien of commissions, to bedivided into five classes, exclush ; of the postmaster ofthe city of New York. Postm iters of the first classshall receive not more than fo ir thousand dollars, norle^s than three thousand dollars; postmasters of thesecond class shall receive less than three thousand dollarsand not less than two thousand dollars; postmasters ofthe third class shall receive less than two thousand dollarsand not less than one thousand dollars ;postmastersAPPROVED, July 1, 1864.of the fourth class shall receive less than one thousanddollars and not less than one hundred dollars ;postmastersof the fifth class shall receive less than one hundreddollars. The compensation of the postmaster of New Yorkshall be six thousand dollars per annum, to take effect on.the first day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-four ;andthe compensation of postmasters of the several classesaforesaid shall be established by the Postmaster Generalunder the rules hereinafter provided. "Whenever the compensationof postmasters of the several offices (except theoffice of Ne?v York), for the two consecutive years nextpreceding the first day of July, eighteen hundred andsixty-four, shall have am.mnted to an average annualsum not less than three thousand dollars, such officesshall be assigned to the first class ; whenever it shallhave amounted to less than three thousand dollars, butnot less than two thousand dollars, such offices shall beassigned to the second class ; whenever it shall haveamounted to less than two thousand dollars, but not lessthan one thousand dollars, such offices shall be assignedto the third class ; whenever it shall have amounted toless than one thousand dollars, but not less than one hundreddollars, such offices shall be assigned to the fourthclass; and whenever it shall have amounted to lessthan one hundred dollars, such offices shall be assignedto the fifth class. To offices of the first, second andthird classes, shall be severally assigned salaries, in evenhundreds of dollars, as nearly as practicable in amountthe same as. but not exceeding, the average compensationof the postmasters thereof for the two years next preceding; and to offices of the fourth class shall he assignedseverally salaries, in even tens of dollars, as nearly aspracticable in amount the same as, but not exceeding,such average compensation for the two years next preceding; and to offices of the fifth class shall be severallyassigned salaries, in even dollars, as nearly as practicablehi amount the same as, but not exceeding, such averagecompensation for the two years next preceding, Whereverreturns showing the average of annual compensationof postmasters for the two years next preceding the firstday of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, shall nothave been received at the Post Office Department at thetime of adjustment, the same may be estimated by thePostmaster General for the purpose of adjusting thesalaries of postmasters herein provided for. And it shallbe the duty of the Auditor of the Treasury for the PostOffice Department to obtain from postmasters their quarterlyaccounts, with the vouchers necessary to a correctadjustment thereof, and to report to the Postmaster Generalall failures of postmasters to render such returnswithin a proper period after the close of each quarter.Seo. 2. And be it further enacted, That the PostmasterGeneral shall review oueo in two years, and in specialcases, upon satisfactory representation, as much ofteneras he may deem expedient, and readjust, on the basis ofthe preceding section, the salary assigned by him to anyoffice; but any change made in such salary shall not lakeeffect until the first day of the quarter next following suchorder, and all orders made assigning or changing salariesshall bo made in writing and recorded in -his journal,and notified to the Auditor for the Post Office Department.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That salaries of thefir»t, second and third classes shall be adjusted to takeeffect on the first day of July, eighteen hundred and sixtyfour,and of the fourth and fifth classes at the same time,or at the cominencemeut of a quarter as early as practicablethereafter.Seo. 4. And be it further enacted, That, at offices whichhave not been established for two years prior to the firstday of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, the salarymay be adjusted upon a satisfactory return by the postmasterof the receipts, expenditures, and business of hisoffice : Provided, That fifty per centum of the grossrevenue of such office shall be, in all cases, the largestamount allowed to such postmasters for their salaries,respectively, except in cases where it shall be a separatingor distributing office, as provided for in the sixth sectionof this act.Seo. 5. And be it further enacted, That at the postoffice of New York and offices of the first and secondclasses, the Postmaster General shall allow to the postmastera just and reasonable sum for the necessary eo*t.in whole or in part, of rent, fuel, lights and clerks, to beadjusted upon a satisfactory exhibit of the facts. Andat olfices of the third, fourth and fifth classes, such expensesshall be paid by the postmaster, except as in thesixth section provided ; it being intended that such allowancesshall be made in accordance with existing u-ages.Seo. 6. And be it further enacted, That the PostmasterGeneral may designate certain convenient offices, at theintersection of mail routes, as distributing offices, andcertain others as separating offices ; and where any suchoffice is of the third, fourth, or fifth class of the postoffices, he may make a reasonable allowance to such postmasterfor the necessary cost, in whole or in part, of clericalservices arising from such duties.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That all postagesand box rents at post offices, and all other receipts andemoluments at a post office, shall be received and accountedfor as a part of the postal revenues ; and anypart thereof which the postmaster ought to have collectedbut has neglected to collect shall be charged against himin his account, and he shall be liable therefor in the tamemanner as if the same had been collected ; and ho shallreceive no fees or perquisites beyond his salary.Seo. 8. And be it further enacted, That the uniformrate of Jnited States postage, without reference to distance,upon letters and other mailable matter addressedto or received from foreign countries, when forwardedfrom or received in the United States by steamships orother vessels regularly employed in the transportationof the mails, shall he as follows, viz. : ten cents per singlerate of half an ounce or under, on letters; two cents eachon newspapers; and the established domestic rates onpamphlets, periodicals, and other articles of printed mutter;which postage shall be prepaid on matter sunt, andcollected on matter received: Provided always, Thatthese rates shall not apply to letters or other mailablematter, addressed to or received from any foreign placoor country, to and from which different rates of postago