Fourth-class post office

They were also in many cases the backbones of the hamlets and rural communities where they were located, as they provided a local gathering place and center of civic activity.

In 1864, the 38th United States Congress passed legislation establishing five classes of postmasterships, based on the commission income the postmasters had received over the previous two years.

[7] Many fourth-class postmasters accordingly sought to boost their commissions by taking advantage of their ability to sell stamps at below the official price.

[10] The income from fourth-class postmasterships was low, averaging $200 per year in 1899, but those postmasters who were also businesspeople benefited from the increased traffic to their businesses.

[14] Mail traveled to and from fourth-class post offices by way of star routes operated by private contractors, frequently either on stagecoach or horseback.

[17] In 1908, by executive order, Theodore Roosevelt brought 15,000 fourth-class postmasters in the East and Midwest into the federal civil service.

[18] Initially this impact was geographically limited; fourth-class post offices became rarer in the East and Midwest but continued to expand dramatically in the West where rural free delivery was not yet available.

[23] Fourth-class postmasters and star route operators organized petition drives against the introduction of RFD in their territories and were often successful in slowing its advance.

[24] However, pressure from rural residents seeking the convenience of home mail delivery ultimately outweighed the postmasters' influence.