Chapter 3546. Making appropriations for the service of the Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, and for other purposes

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CHAP. 3546.— An Act Making appropriations for the service of the Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven, and for other purposes. June 26, 1906. [[H. R. 16953](/us/bill/59/hr/16953).] [[Public, No. 297](/us/pl/59/297).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and. 1louse of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Postal service appropriations. That the following sums be, and they tire hereby, appropriated for the service of the Post-Office Department, in conformity with the Act of July second, eighteen hundredVol. 5, p. 80. and thirty-six, as follows: office of the postmaster-general.

Postmaster-General. For advertising, three thousand five hundred dollars.Advertising. Salaries of post-office inspectors: For salaries of fifteen inspectorsPost-office inspectors.Salaries. in charge of divisions, at three thousand dollars each; ten inspectors, at two thousand four hundred dollars each; fifteen inspectors, at two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars each; fifteen inspectors, at two thousand dollars each; ten inspectors, at one thousand eight hundred dollars each: one hundred and thirty inspectors, at one thou-sand six hundred dollars each; one hundred and ten inspectors, at one thousand four hundred dollars each; and seventy-two inspectors, at one thousand two hundred dollars each; in all, five hundred and ninety-nine thousand one hundred and fifty dollars: *Provided,* That all persons*Provisos*.Rural delivery superintendents made inspectors. employed on the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred and six, as superintendents of division, rural delivery, shall, on July first, nine-teen hundred and six, be appointed as post-office inspectors of the grade of one thousand eight hundred dollars per year: *And provided further.* That all persons employed on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and six, as rural agents shall, on July first, nineteen hundredRural agents made inspectors. and six be appointed as post-office inspectors, except not to exceed oneLimit. hundred and forty-seven of such agents shall be so appointed as post-office inspectors.

For per diem allowance of inspectors in the field while actually travelingPer diem. on official business away from their home, their official domicile, and their headquarters, at a rate to be fixed by the Postmaster-General, not to exceed four dollars per day, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars: *Provided,* That the Postmaster-General may, in his discretion,*Provisos.*Temporary allowances. allow inspectors per diem while temporarily located at any place on business away from their home, or their designated domicile, for a period not exceeding twenty consecutive days at any one place, and make rules and regulations governing the foregoing provisions relating to per diem: *And provided further,* That no per diem shall beLimit. paid to inspectors receiving annual salaries of two thousand dollars or more. 468 For compensation to clerks and laborers at division headquarters,Clerks, etc. ninety-live thousand dollars.

For traveling expenses of inspectors without per diem, and of inspectorsTraveling, etc., expenses. in charge, expenses incurred by inspectors not covered by per diem allowance, and traveling expenses of the chief post-office inspector, seventy thousand dollars. For necessary miscellaneous expenses at division headquarters, sixMiscellaneous. thousand dollars. For payment of rewards for the detection, arrest, and conviction ofRewards, etc. post-office burglars, robbers, and highway mail robbers, twenty thousand dollars: *Provided,* That of the amount herein appropriated not*Proviso*.Obtaining information, etc. to exceed two thousand dollars may be expended, in the discretion of the Postmaster-General, for the purpose of securing information concerning violations of the postal laws, and for services and information looking toward the apprehension of criminals.

For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the postal service, officeTravel, etc. of the Postmaster-General, one thousand dollars. office of the first assistant postmaster-general. First Assistant Postmaster-General. For compensation to postmasters, twenty-four million dollars.Postmasters. For compensation to assistant postmasters at first and second classAssistant postmasters. post-offices: Two. at three thousand five hundred dollars each; twenty-five, at three thousand dollars each; five, at two thousand five hundred dollars each; two, at two thousand dollars each; twelve, at one thou-sand nine hundred dollars each; twenty, at one thousand eight hundred dollars each; fifty-five, at one thousand seven hundred dollars each; one hundred, at one thousand six hundred dollars each; ninety, at one thousand five hundred dollars each: one hundred, at one thou-sand four hundred dollars each; two hundred and ten. at one thousand three hundred dollars each; three hundred and fifty, at one thousand two hundred dollars each; three hundred and forty, at one thousand one hundred dollars each; two hundred and fifty, at one thousand dollars each; sixty, at nine hundred dollars each: sixty, at eight hundred dollars each, and sixty, at seven hundred dollars each; in all. not to exceed two million one hundred and twenty-three thousand eight hundred dollars.

For compensation to clerks in first and second class post-offices;Superintendent , clerks, etc. Superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendentsAt $3,200. of money order, and superintendents of registry, eight, at not exceeding three thousand two hundred dollars each; Auditors, two, at not exceeding three thousand dollars each;At $3,000. Superintendents of delivery and superintendents of mails, seventeen,At $2,700. at not exceeding two thousand seven hundred dollars each;

Cashiers, superintendents of delivery, and superintendents of mails,At $2,600. twenty-one, at not exceeding two thousand six hundred dollars each; Superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, and superintendentsAt $2,500. of stations, six, at not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars each; Assistant superintendent of delivery, assistant superintendent ofAt $2,400. mails, assistant superintendent of money order, assistant superintendent of registry, bookkeeper, cashiers, finance clerk, private secretaries, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, and superintendents of registry, twenty-six, at not exceeding two thousand four hundred dollars each;

Assistant superintendents of mails, bookkeepers, cashiers, chiefAt $2,200. mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, finance clerks, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendent of registry, and superintendents of stations, twenty-nine. at not exceeding two thousand two hundred dollars each; 469 Chief stamp clerks, night superintendents, superintendents ofAt $2,100. carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of inquiry, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, and superintendents of registry, sixteen, at not exceeding two thousand one hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $2,000. superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, bookkeepers, cashiers, examiners of stations, finance clerks, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, superintendent of inquiry, and superintendents of stations, seventy-seven. at not exceeding two thousand dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $1,800 superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, cashiers, chief mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, examiners of stations, finance clerks, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, sixty, at not exceeding one thousand eight hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $1,700. superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, cashiers, chief mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, examiners of stations, finance clerks, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, one hundred and eighteen, at not exceeding one thousand seven hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $1,600. superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, cashiers, chief mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, examiners of stations, finance clerks, foremen of crews, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, one hundred and five, at not exceeding one thousand six hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $1,500. superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, cashiers, chief mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, examiners of stations, finance clerks, foremen of crews, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, one hundred and twenty-two, at not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $1,400. superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, cashiers, chief mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, clerks, examiners of stations, finance clerks, foremen of crews, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superin-470tendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, three hundred and sixty-nine, at not exceeding one thousand four hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of delivery, assistantAt $1,300. superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of mails, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, cashiers, chief mailing clerks, chief stamp clerks, clerks, finance clerks, foremen of crews, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of delivery, superintendents of mails, superintendents of money order, superintendents of registry, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, four hundred and forty-five, at not exceeding one thousand three hundred dollars each;

Assistant cashiers, assistant superintendents of deli very, assistant superintendents of mails, assistantAt $1,200. superintendents of money order, assistant superintendents of registry, assistant superintendents of stations, bookkeepers, chief stamp clerks, clerks, finance clerks, foremen of crews, printers, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, superintendents of second-class matter, superintendents of stations, and machinist, one thousand eight hundred and twenty, at not exceeding one thousand two hundred dollars each;

Assistant superintendents of stations, clerks, printers, private secretaries,At $1,100. superintendents of carriers, superintendents of second-class matter, and superintendents of stations, one thousand seven hundred and twenty, at not exceeding one thousand one hundred dollars each; Assistant superintendents of stations, clerks, clerks in charge ofAt $1,000. stations, printers, private secretaries, superintendents of carriers, and superintendents of second-class matter, two thousand seven hundred and thirty-five, at not exceeding one thousand dollars each;

Carpenters, clerks, clerks in charge of stations, pressmen, printers,At $900. private secretaries, and oilers, three thousand four hundred and ninety, at not exceeding nine hundred dollars each; Carpenters, clerks, clerks in charge of stations, and pressmen, fiveAt $800. thousand and ten, at not exceeding eight hundred dollars each; Carpenters, clerks, clerks in charge of stations, janitors, laborers,At $700. messengers, porters, pressmen, and watchmen, four thousand five hundred and sixty-five, at not exceeding seven hundred dollars each;

Carpenters, clerks, clerks in charge of stations, janitors, laborers,At $600. messengers, porters, pressmen, and watchmen, four thousand, at not exceeding six hundred dollars each: *Provided,* That one hundred of*Proviso*.Additional for Chicago. the additional clerks of this grade shall be immediately available and designated for service at the Chicago office; Clerks, clerks in charge of stations, janitors, laborers, messengers,At $500. porters, and watchmen, nine hundred, at not exceeding five hundred dollars each;

Clerks, clerks in charge of stations, janitors, laborers, messengers,At $400. porters, and watchmen, three hundred and twenty-five, at not exceeding four hundred dollars each; Clerks in charge of contract stations, at a rate of compensation aboveContract-stations clerks. three hundred dollars each, and not to exceed one thousand dollars each, two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars; Clerks in charge of contract stations, at a rate of compensation notAt $300. to exceed three hundred dollars each, four hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars;

In all, twenty-two million seven hundred thousand dollars. And the appointment and assignment of clerks hereunder shall be soRestrictions. made during the fiscal year as not to involve a greater aggregate expenditure than this sum, and the assignment of the several gradesAssignments of grades. of compensation to the various offices shall be made, so far as practicable, in proportion to the amount of business transacted through such offices and the respective divisions thereof. 471 For compensation to substitutes for clerks at first and second classSubstitutes for clerks on leave. post-offices on vacation, one hundred thousand dollars.

For temporary clerk hire at first and second class post-offices, includingTemporary clerks. temporary clerk hire at summer and winter resorts, one hundred and fifty-two thousand dollars: *Provided,* That the Postmaster-General*Proviso*.During busy hours. may, in the disbursement of this appropriation, allow postmasters at first-class offices to employ temporary clerks at the rate of twenty-five cents an hour during the rush or busy hours of the day. For separating mails at third and fourth class post-offices, eightSeparating mails. hundred thousand dollars.

For unusual conditions at second, third and fourth class post-offices,Unusual conditions. one hundred thousand dollars. For allowance to third-class post offices to cover the cost of clericalClerks, third-class offices. services, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars: *Provided,* That no*Proviso.*Allotments. allowance in excess of two hundred dollars shall be made where the salary of the postmater is one thousand dollars, one thousand one hundred dollars, or one thousand two hundred dollars; nor in excess of three hundred dollars where the salary of the postmaster is one thousand three hundred dollars, one thousand four hundred dollars, or one thousand five hundred dollars; nor in excess of four hundred dollars where, the salary of the postmaster is one thousand six hundred dollars, one thousand seven hundred dollars, one thousand eight hundred dollars, or one thousand nine hundred dollars.

For rent, light, and fuel for first, second, and third class post-offices,Rent, light, and fuel. three million dollars: *Provided,* That there shall not be allowed*Provisos.*Limit. for the use of any third-class post-office for rent a sum in excess of four hundred dollars, nor more than eighty dollars for fuel and light in any one year: *And provided further,* That the Postmaster-GeneralTen-year leases. may, in the disbursement of this appropriation, apply a part thereof to the purpose of leasing premises for the use of post-offices of the first, second, and third classes, at. a reasonable annual rental, to be paid quarterly, for a term not exceeding ten years.

For necessary miscellaneous and incidental items directly connectedMiscellaneous. with first and second class post-offices and money-order service, including furniture, cleaning, and all other matters not specifically provided for in other appropriations, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For rental or purchase of canceling machines, including cost ofCanceling machines. power in rented buildings, motors, repairs to motors, and miscellaneous expenses of installation and operation, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

For compensation to ten assistant superintendents, salary and allowanceAssistant superintendents. division, at the rate of two thousand dollars per annum each, and for their per diem allowance when actually traveling on business of the Post-Office Department, at a rate to be fixed by the Postmaster-General not to exceed four dollars per day, and for other necessary official expenses, thirty-four thousand six hundred dollars. For pay of letter carriers and substitute letter carriers at officesCity delivery.Letter carriers. already established, and for pay of substitute and temporary letter carriers for holiday, election, emergency, and summer and winter resort service, city delivery service, twenty-two million two hundred and twenty-eight thousand dollars.

For pay of letter carriers and substitute letter carriers at new officesNew offices. entitled to city delivery service under existing law, fifty thousand dollars. For horse-hire allowance, seven hundred and twenty-five thousandHorse hire. dollars. For car fare and bicycle allowance, three hundred and forty thousandCar fare and bicycles. dollars. For compensation to twenty-two mechanics, at not exceeding nineMechanics. hundred dollars each, nineteen thousand eight hundred dollars. 472 For marine postal service, Detroit, Michigan, four thousand fiveMarine service, Detroit. hundred dollars.

For all incidental expenses of the city delivery service, includingIncidentals. freight and drayage on equipment, furniture, and supplies, painting, repairing, and erecting letter and package boxes and posts, repairing clocks and other equipments, maps, and miscellaneous items, forty thousand dollars. For car fare for special-delivery messengers in emergent cases, tenSpecial delivery.Car fare thousand dollars. For fees to specialdel ivory messengers, nine hundred and fifty thousandFees. dollars.

For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the postal service, office ofTravel, etc. the First Assistant Postmaster-General, one thousand dollars: *Provided,* That a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars may be used*Proviso*.Directories, etc. for the purchase of city directories and books of reference. office of the second assistant postmaster-general. Second Assistant Postmaster-General. For inland transportation by star routes, including temporary serviceTransportation.Star routes. to newly established offices, seven million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars: *Provided,* That no part of this appropriation shall*Provisos*.Discontinued if served by rural delivery. be expended for continuance of any star route service the patronage of which shall be served entirely by the extension of rural delivery service, nor shall any of said sum be expended for the establishment of new star route service for a patronage which is already entirely served by rural delivery service: *Provided,* That out of this appropriationAlaska service. the Postmaster-General is authorized to provide difficult or emergency mail service in Alaska, including the establishment and equipment of relay stations, in such manner as he may think advisable, without advertising therefor.

For inland transportation by steamboat, or other power-boat routes,Steamboat routes. eight hundred thousand dollars. For mail-messenger service, one million three hundred and fiftyMessenger service. thousand dollars. For the transmission of mail by pneumatic tubes or other similarPneumatic tubes, etc.Contracts. devices, nine hundred thousand dollars, and the Postmaster-General is hereby authorized to enter into contracts not exceeding, in the aggregate, one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, under the provisions of the law. for a period not exceeding ten years: *Provided, **Proviso*.Limitation to cities.That said service shall not be extended in any cities other than those in which the service is now under contract under authority of Congress, except the Borough of Brooklyn, of the city of New York, and the cities of Baltimore, Maryland;

Cincinnati. Ohio; Kansas City, Missouri; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and San Francisco, California. For regulation, screen, or other wagon service, one million two hundredWagon service. and twenty-seven thousand dollars. For mail bags, cord fasteners, label cases, and labor and materialMail bugs, etc. necessary for repairing equipment, and for incidental expenses pertaining thereto, four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For mail locks and keys, chains, tools, and machinery, and labor andLocks, keys, etc. material necessary for repairing same, and incidental expenses pertaining thereto, forty-five thousand dollars.

For rent of buildings for a mail-bag repair shop and lock repairRepair shop. shop, and for fuel, electric power, light, gas, watchmen, charwomen, oil, and repair of machinery for said shops, fourteen thousand dollars. For inland transportation by railroad routes, forty-three millionRailroad routes. dollars. That the Postmaster-General shall require all railroadsFines for delays. carrying the mails under contract to comply with the terms of said contract, as to time of arrival and departure of said mails, and it shall be his473 duty to impose and collect reasonable fines for delay, when such delay is not caused by unavoidable accidents or conditions.

For pay of freight or expressage on postal cards, stamped envelopes,Freight on supplies. newspaper wrappers, empty mail bags, furniture, equipment, and other supplies for the postal service, except postage stamps, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And the Postmaster-General shallWithdrawal of freight, etc., during weighing seasons. require, when in freightable lots and whenever practicable, the withdrawal from the mails of all postal cards, stamped envelopes, news-paper wrappers, empty mail bags, furniture, equipment, and other supplies for the postal service, except postage stamps, in the respective weighing divisions of the country immediately preceding the weighing period in said divisions, and such postal cards, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, empty mail bags, furniture, equipment, and other supplies for the postal service, except postage stamps, shall be transmitted by either freight or express.

And the Postmaster-General shall require a record from July firstRecord to be made of second-class free distribution and one cent a pound matter. to December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and six. of all second-class mail matter received for free distribution, and also at the one cent a pound rate, so as to show the weights in pounds, respectively by classes, of daily newspapers, weekly and other than daily newspapers, magazines, scientific periodicals, educational periodicals, religious periodicals, trade-journal periodicals, agricultural periodicals, miscellaneous periodicals, and sample copies of said newspapers, magazines, andReport to Congress. periodicals, and make report to Congress of such information by February first, nineteen hundred and seven, together with an estimate of the average length of haul of said respective classes above named.

And the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to cover the expense of com-piling such information. The chief officer of each of the several Executive Departments, independentRecord of penalty matter sent by Departments etc., in Washington. bureaus, and Government establishments, having headquarters in Washington, District of Columbia, shall maintain from July first to December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and six, a record of all mail entered at Washington by each under the penalty privilege during said period, so as to show the character and quantity of said mail by the several classes of mail as defined by law, and report to CongressReport to Congress. not later than February first, nineteen hundred and seven, the number of pieces and weight by the said several classes of mail, and the amount of postage which would have been required for each of said respective classes calculated at the. regular postage rates as provided by law.

For railway post-office ear service, five million eight hundred andPost-office car service. seventy-five thousand dollars. Railway mail service: One general superintendent, at four thousandRailway mail service.General superintendent. superintendents, clerks, etc. dollars; one assistant general superintendent, at three thousand five hundred dollars; one chief clerk, office of general superintendent, at two thousand dollars; one assistant chief clerk, office of general superintendent, at one thousand eight hundred dollars; eleven division superintendents, at three thousand dollars each; eleven assistant division superintendents, at one thousand eight hundred dollars each; live assistant superintendents, at one thousand eight hundred dollars each; nineteen assistant superintendents, at one thousand six hundred dollars each; one hundred and twenty-five chief clerks, at one thousand six hundred dollars each; two hundred and fifty-nine clerks, class six, at not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars each; one thousand two hundred and fifty clerks, class five, at not exceeding one thousand four hundred dollars each: five hundred and twenty-eight clerks, class five, at not exceeding one thousand three hundred dollars each; one thousand eight hundred and fifty clerks, class four, at not exceeding474 one thousand two hundred dollars each; one thousand seven hundred and fifty clerks, class four, at not exceeding one thousand one hundred dollars each: five thousand four hundred clerks, class three, at not exceeding one thousand dollars each; two thousand one hundred and seventy clerks, class two. at not exceeding nine hundred dollars each; nine hundred and five clerks, class one, at not exceeding eight hundred dollars each; in all, fifteen million dollars: *Provided,* That the Postmaster-General*Proviso.*Sick leave. may, in his discretion, under such regulations as he may provide, allow a clerk who is sick leave of absence with pay. his duties to be performed without expense to the Government during the period for which he is granted leave, not exceeding thirty days in any fiscal year.

And the appointment and assignment of clerks hereunder shall be soAppointments limited made during the fiscal year as not to involve a greater aggregate expenditure than this sum. In the assignment or transfer of clerks from the railway mail service,Assignments to office dutyPreference for civil war service. however, preference shall be given to the persons honorably discharged from the military or naval service who served in the civil war and who are now serving as clerks on the railway-mail cars in order that they may be transferred to clerical service in the Department or in the post-offices and relieved from service on said cars as rapidly as practicable, provided they are found to possess the business capacity necessary for the proper discharge of the duties of the offices to which they may be transferred.

For temporary clerk hire in classes one and two for emergencyEmergency service. service, fifty thousand dollars. For substitutes for clerks on vacation, fifty thousand dollars: *Provided,* Substitute clerks. *Proviso*. Annual vacation. That the Postmaster-General may allow railway postal clerks whose duties require them to work six days or more per week, fifty-two weeks per year, an annual vacation of fifteen days with pay. For acting clerks, in place of clerks injured while on duty, and toActing clerks.Allowance in case of death. enable the Postmaster-General to pay the sum of one thousand dollars, which shall be exempt from the payment of debts of the deceased, to the legal representatives of any railway postal clerk or substitute railway postal clerk who shall be killed while on duty or who, being injured while on duty, shall die within one year thereafter as the result of such injury, one hundred thousand dollars.

For actual and necessary expenses of general superintendent, assistantTraveling expenses general superintendent, chief clerk, and assistant chief clerk, office of general superintendent division of railway mail service, division superintendents, assistant division superintendents, and chief clerks, railway mail service, and railway postal clerks, while actually traveling on business of the Post-Office Department and away from their several designated headquarters, twenty thousand dollars.

For rent, light, fuel, telegraph, and miscellaneous office expenses,Miscellaneous. schedules of mail trains, telephone service, and badges for railway postal clerks, fifty-eight thousand dollars. For per diem allowance of assistant superintendents, twenty-sevenPer diem, etc., as sistant superintend ents. thousand live hundred dollars: and for their necessary official expenses not covered by their per diem allowance, not, exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars; in all, thirty thousand dollars: *Provided*, That*Proviso*.Allowance. assistant superintendents may receive a per diem allowance in lieu of actual and necessary traveling expenses at the rate of four dollars per day while actually traveling on business of the Department.

For inland transportation of mail by electric and cable cars, eightElectric and cable car service. hundred and seventy thousand dollars: *Provided,* That the rate of *Provisos.*Compensation.compensation to be paid per mile shall not exceed the rate now paid to companies performing such service, except that the Postmaster-General. in cases where the quantity of mail is large and the number of exchange points numerous, may, in his discretion, authorize pay-475ment for closed-pouch service at a rate per mile not to exceed one-third above the rate per mile now paid for closed-pouch service; and for mail cars and apartments carrying the mails, not to exceed the rate of one cent per linear foot per car mile of travel: *Provided, further, *Outside of cities.That the rates for electric-car service on routes over twenty miles in length outside of cities shall not exceed the rates paid for service on steam railroads: *Provided, however,* That one hundred and seventy-twoChicago, IllUnderground cars. thousand six hundred dollars of the sum in this item appropriated is hereby made available for the purpose of covering the cost of mail service by underground electric cars in the city Chicago, Illinois, now under contract.For necessary and special facilities on trunk lines from Washington to Atlanta and New Orleans, one hundred and forty-two thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight dollars and seventy-five cents: *Provided,* That the Postmaster-General shall not be authorized to use the money hereby appropriated, or any part thereof, unless it he necessary in order to provide the same or as good a service as is now provided.

For continuing necessary and special facilities on trunk lines fromKansas City, Mo., to Newton. Kans. Kansas City, Missouri, to Newton, Kansas, twenty-five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary: *Provided,* That no part*Proviso.*Condition. of this appropriation shall be expended unless the Postmaster-General shall deem such expenditure necessary in order to promote the interest of the postal service. For transportation of foreign mails, three million dollars: *Provided, *Foreign mails. *Proviso.* Clerks on steamships.That hereafter the Postmaster-General shall be authorized to expend such sums as may be necessary, not exceeding one hundred and five thousand dollars, to cover one-half of the cost of transportation, compensation, and expense of clerks to be employed in assorting and pouching mails in transit on steamships between the United States and other postal administrations in the International Postal Union, and not exceeding forty thousand dollars for transferring the foreign mail from incoming steamships in New York Bay to the steamship and railway piers, and for transferring the foreignPier transfers New York and San Francisco. mail from incoming steamships in San Francisco Bay to the piers.

For assistant superintendent, division of foreign mails, with headquartersAssistant superintendent. in New York, New York, two thousand five hundred dollars. For balances due foreign countries, one hundred and fifty-threeBalances due foreign countries. thousand dollars. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the postal service, office ofTravel, etc. the Second Assistant Postmaster-General, one thousand dollars: *Provided,**Proviso.*Directories, etc. That a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars may be used for the purchase of railway guides, city directories, and other books and periodicals necessary in connection with mail transportation. office of the third assistant postmaster-general.

Third Assistant Postmaster-General. For manufacture of adhesive postage stamps, special-delivery stamps,Stamps. and books of stamps, five hundred and fifty thousand dollars: *Provided, **Proviso*.Restriction on contracts.That no contract, for the manufacture of adhesive postage stamps, special-delivery stamps, or books of stamps shall be made by the Government with any Department or Bureau of the Government below the cost of such work to the Government. For manufacture of stamped envelopes and newspaper wrappers, one million seventy-five thousand dollars.

For pay of agents and assistants to distribute stamped envelopes andDistribution. newspaper wrappers,Stamped envelopes, etc. and expenses of agency, twenty thousand two hundred dollars. For manufacture of postal cards, two hundred and fifty thousandPostal cards. dollars.476 For pay of agents andDistribution. assistants to distribute postal cards, and expenses of agency, five thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars. For ship, steamboat, and wav letters, five hundred dollars.Ship, etc., letters For payment of limited indemnity for the loss of pieces of first-classIndemnity, lost registered mail. registered matter, five thousand dollars.

For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the postal service, office ofTravel, etc. the Third Assistant Postmaster-General, one thousand dollars. The appropriation for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and six ofSpecial counsel, second-class mail privilege suits.Vol. 33, p. 1090. twenty-five thousand dollars for the employment of special counsel to prosecute and defend suits affecting the second-class mailing privilege is hereby reappropriated and made available for the fiscal year nine-teen hundred and seven. office of the fourth assistant postmaster-general.Fourth Assistant Postmaster-General. supplies for postal service.Supplies.

For stationery, including all money-order offices, eighty-five thousandStationery. dollars. For official, registry, and dead-letter envelopes, two hundred thousandOfficial envelopes. dollars. The Postmaster-General is authorized to extend, for a period notEnvelope contracts.s exceeding six months, the contract for official, registry, and dead-letter envelopes for the postal service for the calendar year ending December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and six; and thereafter theEnvelopes for all Government service to be contracted for.

Postmaster-General shall contract, for a period not exceeding four years, for all envelopes, stamped or otherwise, designed for sale to the public, or for use by the Post-Office Department, the postal service, and other Executive Departments, and all Government bureaus and establishments, and the branches of the service coming under their jurisdiction, and may contract for them to be plain or with such printed matter as may be prescribed by the Department making requisition therefor: *Provided,* That no envelope shall be sold by the Government*Proviso*.Printed matter limited. containing any lithographing or engraving, nor any printing nor advertisement, except a printed request to return the letter to the writer.

For blanks, blank books, printed and engraved matter, binding andMoney-order blanks, etc. carbon paper for the money-order service, one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. For blanks, books, and printed matter of urgent or special character,Registry blanks, etc. including the preparation, publication, and free distribution by postmasters to the public of a pamphlet containing general postal information, intaglio seals, and other miscellaneous items of immediate necessity for the registry system, five thousand dollars.

Supplies for the city-delivery service, including letter boxes, packageCity-delivery supplies. boxes, posts, furniture, satchels, straps, baskets, time cards, time-card frames, time-recorder supplies, freight, package and cartage charges, maps and transfer designs and stencils, one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. For postmarking, rating, and money-order stamps, and repairs toPostmarking, etc., stamps. same, ink and pads for stamping and canceling purposes, and year blocks for old postmarking stamps, not to exceed four consecutive years for each stamp, thirty-five thousand dollars.

For letter balances, scales, and test weights, and repairs to same, andScales, etc. for tape measures, fifteen thousand dollars. For wrapping paper, thirteen thousand dollars.Wrapping paper. For wrapping twine and tying devices, two hundred thousandTwine. dollars. For packing boxes, sawdust, paste, and hardware, two thousandPacking boxes, etc. dollars.477 For facing slips, plain and printed, including the furnishing of paperFacing slips, etc. for the same; also for card slide labels, blanks, and books of an urgent nature, sixty-five thousand dollars.

For rubber stamps and type, metal-bodied rubber type, dates, figures,Rubber stamps, etc. and holders, and inking pads for rubber stamps, six thousand dollars. For the purchase or exchange of typewriting machines, envelopeMiscellaneous supplies. opening machines, computing machines, and for the purchase of copying presses, numbering machines, and for miscellaneous articles purchased and furnished directly to the postal service, twenty-live thou-sand dollars. For pay of letter carriers and clerks in charge of substations of ruralRural delivery.Carriers, etc. delivery service, twenty-eight million two hundred thousand dollars: *Provided,* That not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars of the amount,*Provisos.*Substation clerks. hereby appropriated may be used for compensation of clerks in charge of substations. *Provided further,* That rural letter-carriers after twelve months’Annual leave. service be allowed annual leave, with pay, not to exceed fifteen days; the, substitutes for carriers on vacation to be paid during said service at the rate of six hundred dollars per annum: *And provided further, *Power boats.That, in the discretion of the Postmaster-General the pay of any rural carrier on a water route who furnishes his own power boat and is employed during the summer months, may be fixed at an amount not exceeding seven hundred and twenty dollars in any one calendar year.

Supplies for the rural-delivery service, including collection boxes,Supplies. furniture, satchels, badges, straps, freight, packing and cartage charges, repairing satchels, repairing, erecting, and painting collection boxes, map supplies, and for the making of maps, and tolls and ferry charges in the rural-delivery service, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the postal service, office ofTravel, etc. the Fourth Assistant Postmaster-General, one thousand dollars.

That hereafter no article, package, or other matter, except postagePenalty privilegeLimited to strictly mail matter. stamps, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, postal cards, and internal-revenue stamps, shall be admitted to the mails under a penalty privilege, unless such article, package., or other matter, except postage stamps, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, postal cards, and internal-revenue stamps would be entitled to admission to the mails under laws requiring payment of postage.

That hereafter it shall be unlawful for any person entitled under theFranks.Loans to committees unlawful. law to the use of a frank to lend said frank or permit its use by any committee, organization, or association, or permit its use by any person for the benefit or use of any committee, organization, or association: *Provided,* That this provision shall not apply to any committee composed*Proviso*.Committees of Congressmen excepted. of Members of Congress. That there shall be appointed a joint commission of Congress, consistingSecond-class mail matterJoint commission to investigate and report on. of three Senators, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and three Members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, whose duty it shall be to investigate, consider, and report, by bill or otherwise, to Congress its findings and recommendations regarding the second class of mail matter.

The said joint commission shall have power to employ clerks andPowers, etc. stenographers, administer oaths, send for persons and papers, and do all things necessary for the carrying out or its objects. For the paymentAppropriation for expenses. of such actual and necessary expenses as may be incurred by the said joint commission in traveling and for the rental of quarters, printing, and other miscellaneous expenses of the joint commission the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be paid out on the order of the chairman of the joint commission.

That the appropriations herein made for the officers, clerks, and persons employed in the postal service shall not be available for theNo payment to permanently incapacitated persons. 478 compensation of any persons permanently incapacitated for performingPension roll etc., prohibited such service. The establishment of a civil pension roll or an honorable service roll, or the exemption of any of the officers, clerks, and persons in the postal service from the existing laws respecting employment in such service is hereby prohibited.

That if the revenues of the Post-Office Department shall be insufficientAppropriation to meet deficiencies. to meet the appropriations made by this Act. a sum equal to such deficiency of the revenue of said Department is hereby appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to supply said deficiencies in the revenues for the Post--Office Department for the year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven. Approved, June 26, 1906.