Chapter CIII. making Appropriations for the Service of the Post-Office Department during the Fiscal year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four
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Chap. CIII.— An Act making Appropriations for the Service of the Post-Office Department during the Fiscal year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four. March 3, 1853. *Be it enacted by the Senate and Bouse of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That the following sums beAppropriation. and the same are hereby appropriated for the service of the Post-Office Department, for the year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, out of any moneys in the Treasury arising from the revenues of the said department, in conformity to the act of the second of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and for other1836, ch. 270. purposes, viz.:
For transportation of the mails, five million and twenty-nine thousand dollars; For compensation to postmasters, two million and twenty-six thousand dollars; For ship, steamboat, and way letters, thirty thousand dollars; For wrapping-paper, fifty-two thousand dollars; For office furniture, in the offices of postmasters, eight thousand dollars; For advertising, seventy-six thousand five hundred dollars; For mail-bags, fifty-one thousand dollars; For blanks, fifty-five thousand dollars;
For mail-locks, keys, and stamps, twenty thousand dollars; For mail depredations, and special agents, fifty thousand dollars; For clerks in the offices of postmasters, five hundred and fifty-six thousand dollars; For miscellaneous items, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars; For postage stamps and stamped envelopes, fifty-five thousand dollars. Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted*, That there be and is hereby appropriated,Deficiencies. out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum not exceeding one million eight hundred thousand dollars, to supply any deficiency that may arise in the revenues of the Post-Office Department, to meet the foregoing appropriations, for the year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted*, That in all cases where the Postmaster-GeneralRestoration of stolen property or its proceeds. shall be satisfied that either money or property, stolen from the United States mail, shall have been exchanged for other money or property, and has been, upon the conviction of the thief, received at his Department, he shall have authority, upon satisfactory evidence that the same justly belonged to any individual, firm, or corporation, to pay over and deliver such money or property to the owner thereof.
Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted*, That section three of the act entitledAct of 1852, ch. III, respecting salary of route agents, repealed. “An act making appropriations for the service of the Post-Office Department during the fiscal year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, and for other purposes,” and approved the thirty-first of August, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, be and the same is hereby repealed. Sec. 5. *And be it further enacted*, That the Postmaster-General isProvision for safe delivery of letters sent to California. hereby authorized to make such arrangement as he may deem advisable, by causing letters sent to California and Oregon to be advertised free of expense to the United States, and by the issuing of circulars to postmasters, and causing the same to be published, to ensure, as far as possible, the delivery of letters sent by mail from the Atlantic States to California, to the individuals to whom they are directed.
Approved, March 3, 1853.