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[151] 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[152] 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[153] 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.