SPECIAL DELIVERY MESSENGERS.
Chance for Boys from Thirteen Years of Age to Enter Post Office
Service.
The Postmaster General may, in his discretion, require the
delivery of special delivery matter to be made entirely by special
messengers. In New York City, however, this is done solely by
employes in the service. At free delivery offices postmasters will,
from time to time, employ as many messengers as in their judgment
may be necessary to secure prompt delivery of special matter. None
but trustworthy boys over 13 years of age should be employed. The
force of special delivery messengers in each office should be so
arranged that a suitable number may always be on hand to secure
immediate delivery of all special delivery matter at any time
within the prescribed hour of the day.
Each messenger, before entering upon his duties, must take the
oath prescribed by law on the blank furnished. Substitute letter
carriers, when not on duty in place of regular carriers, may
be employed as messengers in the special delivery service, and
receive the same compensation as other messengers; but such
employment must not interfere with the work of the post office or
free delivery.
Where delivery of special delivery matter can not be promptly made
by regular special delivery messengers, postmasters may cause such
delivery to be made by any regular clerk or employe, who will
be allowed the same compensation, and be paid and give receipt
therefore in the same manner as regular messengers.
Any person employed to make immediate delivery of letters or
other mail matter, shall be deemed an employee of the Postal
Service, whether he may have been sworn or not, or temporarily
or permanently employed, and as such employee shall be liable to
any penalties or punishments provided by law for the improper
detention, delay, secretion, rifling, embezzlement, purloining or
destruction of any letter or other article of mail matter, or the
contents thereof, intrusted to him for delivery or placed in his
custody.
Combinations or arrangements between special delivery messengers
with a view to securing a division of the total permissible
compensation of the month are forbidden; and postmasters should,
by distribution of work and assignment of hours of duty, equalize
as far as practicable the compensation of messengers. A messenger
should not always be assigned to duty during the same periods of
each day; but changes will be made from time to time, whereby a
messenger employed during the busy hours of one day may be assigned
to the duller hours of another day.
Orderly conduct of special delivery messengers while in the
office and on their trips is strictly enforced; and no messenger
will be retained who is not diligent and well-behaved. A special
place is provided in the post office for the accommodation of the
messengers, and it is so arranged as to prevent their access to
other parts of the office, and to mail matter other than that in
which they are immediately concerned.
Special delivery messengers need not be uniformed, except in such
special cases as may be ordered, but they should all be decently
and comfortably clad. Substitute letter-carriers, when employed as
messengers for special delivery, may wear their carrier uniforms.
Messengers are paid at the rate of not exceeding eight cents for
each piece delivered, or attempted to be delivered.
Each messenger is furnished with a delivery book, in which must be
entered the number and address of each piece of matter received
for delivery, the date and hour of its receipt by the messenger,
and the amount of postage due thereon. The receipt of the person
to whom any special delivery matter is delivered must be taken in
the blank space provided for this purpose in the delivery book.
Delivery books will be kept in the post office when not in use,
and messengers must promptly return them to the office after every
tour. Whenever for any cause a book is no longer used, it will be
filed in the post office.