the regulations as to the delivery of mail matter will apply to the delivery of such matter by letter carriers, except where inapplicable or as otherwise modified.
carriers must be careful to deliver mail to the persons for whom it is intended, or to some one authorized to receive it. they will, in case of doubt, make inquiry with the view of ascertaining the owner. failing in this, the mail will be returned to the office, to be disposed of as the postmaster may direct. carriers must not deliver mail matter to patrons in the street, unless such delivery can be made without unreasonable delay. mail matter must not be delivered by carriers in boxes or other receptacles which are not occupied in whole or in part by the addressees unless expressly ordered by the postmaster.
carriers must not throw mail matter into windows or halls, unless specially instructed to do so. they must ring the bell, wait a reasonable time for an answer, and deliver the mail to some one of the household[146] in the habit of receiving it. patrons who repeatedly fail to respond promptly to the carrier’s ring must be reported to the postmaster. carriers must not enter any house while on their trips, except in the discharge of their official duties. mail matter must not be delivered by carriers which has not passed through the post office or station with which they are connected. mail matter intrusted to carriers must not be exhibited to persons other than those addressed, except on the order of the postmaster or some one authorized to act for him. letters for delivery must not be carried by carriers in their pockets. carriers must not deviate from the respective routes. carriers must not stop for their meals while on their trips. carriers must not throw away or improperly dispose of mail matter, however trifling or unimportant it may appear to them. stamps must not be removed from mail matter of any class whatever intrusted to carriers for delivery or collected by them for mailing.
mounted carriers must dismount and deliver the mail at the doors of residences, except in cases where the patrons on their routes consent to respond to their call and receive the mail at the sidewalk. carriers are not required to deliver mail at residences where vicious dogs are permitted to run at large. persons keeping such dogs must call at the post office for their mail.
[147]
carriers must collect and promptly return to the postmaster all postage due on mail intrusted to them for delivery, as indicated by the postage-due stamps attached. such mail matter must not be delivered until the postage due shall have been paid.
when carriers making collections from letter boxes find that it will be impossible on any one trip to carry to the post office the contents of all the boxes on their routes, preference must be given to mail matter of the first class. newspapers and packages placed on the tops of letter boxes should be collected when it can be done without overloading the mail sacks and preventing the prompt collection of mail matter properly deposited in the boxes.
carriers must, while on their routes, receive letters with postage stamps affixed, handed them for mailing, but they should not delay the deliveries by waiting for such letters. money to pay postage on letters handed them for mailing must not be accepted, except as provided for in the use of the stamp-selling envelope in connection with house-to-house delivery and collection boxes.
carriers should also receive other small articles of mailable matter with postage properly prepaid, but they should refuse to receive packages that are cumbersome on account of size, shape or weight, especially[148] when the carrying of such packages would interfere with the prompt delivery of mail and the collections from letter boxes.
carriers must receive and register all letters and packages of first-class matter that are not cumbersome on account of size, shape or weight, and properly offered them for registration, and must give the regulation receipt therefor. carriers must encourage the registration of valuable first-class matter by patrons on their routes.
postmasters may permit carriers to sell postage stamps or stamped envelopes in limited quantities; but their deliveries or collections must not be delayed in making change.
carriers must not return, under any circumstances, to any person, any letter or letters, said to have been deposited in a letter box, or which have come into the custody of the carrier in a regular way. an applicant for the return of such mail should be directed to the postmaster.
after the last daily delivery carriers must return to the post office or station with which they are connected their satchels and all mail that can not be delivered. carriers may be permitted to take their satchels home with them direct from their routes[149] when, in the opinion of the postmaster, the interests of the service will be promoted thereby, but undelivered mail matter remaining in satchels must first be deposited in the nearest letter box.
