50¢ Rate Prexie - 2x25¢ Mckinley

(Hit the post button too fast)

While there is no "Return Receipt Requested" handstamp, it may have been done by attached request?? Could the return request have been attached with the staple? (otherwise it's 7¢ overpaid)

Any other posibilities.

Don't think PO would overcharge over the counter.

I'm thinking someone forgot to pay their PG&E bill and wanted it there ASAP.

Pat

From Stamp Smarter Rate / Usage PDF


10 mile trip


Mailed / Received same day.

Can't answer the reason for the extra mailing expense, but looking at the building on Google Maps, it is of significant size with stores on the first floor and apartments on the second, so maybe the landlord was late in paying and the renters were getting upset in getting notices from PG&E. I lived in Eureka 1940-1962 and the mail would have gone around the nine mile eastern side of the bay on 101 as the bridge shown on the route map wasn't built until 1971. Small ferry boats were used before then and one (Madaket) is still in operation as a tourist trip around the bay.

BaldEagle - Thanks for the personal perspective on how it may have traveled.

Any sense that the ferry boats would have been used for the mail?
Pat

That is what Special Delivery service provided. Registration did not do anything for speed of service.




Likely just a normal payment by cash, which is one reason Registration exists, mailing of currency.




Yes.

I agree with the rate analysis offered so far of 3+40+7=50 (with a slight correction that the 40 cent registry covered up to %5.00 indemnity)

I also agree with parcelpostguy that the receipt was stapled to the envelope. To add, identical in general format to earlier versions, here is the April 1954 edition of Form 3811, without any adhesive to lick at the sides. It had to be attached with a staple, paper clip, etc.



In anticipation of Certified Mail in mid-1955, Form 3811 was revised in April 1955 to add a line for the certification number AND the water-activated gum added to the rouletted ends:



Its distribution relating the certified mail was noted in Postal Bulletin #19843, dated May 17, 1955. Copies of old editions of Form 3811 continued to be used for registered and insured mail until their supplies were exhausted, as seen on the first pair of example used in the fall of 1955 and 1956.

It is actually < $5.00, with no indemnity set at a 30 cent fee.

A check, for any amount really has no value but the cost to stop payment and reissue would cost, and cost less than $5.00.

However, in my opinion, the sender wanted in hand confirmation that a likely payment was received by PG&E (gas and electric provider in region) and that could only be done with a Return Receipt which was only available for first class matter (no merchandise enclosed) in combination with registration. EDIT: On the date of mailing.

PPG,
The tables in Beecher/Wawrukiewicz seem clear for Jan 1, 1952 and after at 30 cents for no indemnity and 40 cents for up to $5.00. What am I missing here?

A penny.




B/W uses "< $5" in the table.


The coverage is $5.00 or less, which is different than less than $5.00 or up to $5.00 both of which do not include the value of $5.00. Thus the indemnity at 40 cents is for an amount < $5.00 read as less than or equal to five dollars.

When giving a range B/W for space, writes $X up to $Y with the next step $Y.01 up to $Z with the reader then to deduct take the fee for exactly $Y coverage is included in the up to $Y, not the $Y.01 up to.... This was a space consideration, as "up to" was shorter than "up to and including" and in the B/W tables space was a concern.

It is like the common thought that the first ounce of postage is for matter weight less than an ounce and the second ounce for letters more than an ounce up to two ounces. Well, what if it weights exactly one ounce, 1.00 oz? It is included in the first ounce rate which is really a rate of 1 ounce or less, the second ounce is for matter over one ounce and up to and including exactly two ounces.

I retract my statement: I understand the damn penny. My fault. I understand that. I don't need the lengthy lecture in math. I have reread my post above which stated:


(with % corrected to $) If I go to the store and am willing "to pay up to $5 for a bag of apples", clearly in common sense English language, this includes my willingness to include exactly $5.00 as a possible price. Thus when I stated "up to $5 in indemnity, it would clearly include up through the exact amount of $5, but not a penny more. Thus I do not accept the mathematical lecture as necessary. Nothing to get ones knickers in a twist.

My point was the 30 cents vs 40 cents error in *your* first post.

So, it's on rate in period.
Thanks to you both.

pat

Quote: BaldEagle - Thanks for the personal perspective on how it may have traveled.

Any sense that the ferry boats would have been used for the mail?

Don't remember seeing any mail on the ferry boats. It would be more logical to use the eastern route as it is a direct truck route between Arcata and Eureka post offices, while the western route would have taken a transfer from truck to ferry at Samoa and a second transfer from ferry to truck to the Eureka post office. Depending on the ferry schedules it could have added several hours to the trip.