112 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



BATES OF POSTAGE. 



Letters. Prepaid by stamps, 2 cents each 

 ounce or fraction thereof to all parts of the 

 United States and Canada ; forwarded to an- 

 other post office without charge on request of 

 the person addressed ; if not called for, re- 

 turned to the writer free, if indorsed with that 

 request. If the stamp is omitted the letter is 

 forwarded to the Dead-Letter Office and re- 

 turned to the writer. For registering letters 

 the charge is 8 cents additional. Drop let- 

 ters at letter-carrier offices, 2 cents per ounce 

 or fraction thereof ; at other offices, 1 cent per 

 ounce or fraction thereof. On insufficiently 

 prepaid matter mailed in Canada, 3 cents per 

 i ounce or fraction thereof. Stamped postal 

 cards, furnished only by government, 1 cent 

 each ; if anything except a printed address slip 

 is pasted on a postal card, or anything but the 

 address written on the face, letter postage is 

 charged. Postage on all newspapers and peri- 

 odicals sent from newspaper offices to any part 

 of the United States, to regular subscribers, 

 must be paid in advance at the office of mailing. 



Second-Class Matter. Periodicals issued at 

 regular intervals, at least four times a year, 

 and having a regular list of subscribers, with 

 supplement, sample copies, 1 cent a pound ; 

 periodicals, other than weekly, if delivered by 

 letter carrier, 1 cent each ; if over 2 ounces, 2 

 cents each. When sent by other than publish- 

 ers, for 4 ounces or less, 1 cent. 



Third - Clans Matter (not exceeding four 

 pounds). Printed matter, books, proof-sheets, 

 corrected or uncorrected, unsealed circulars, 

 inclosed so as to admit of easy inspection 

 without cutting cords or wrappers, 1 cent for 

 each 2 ounces. 



Fourth-Class Matter. Not exceeding four 

 pounds, embracing merchandise and samples, 

 excluding liquids, poisons, greasy, inflammable 

 or explosive articles, live animals, insects, etc., 

 1 cent an ounce. Postage to Canada and British 

 North American states, 2 cents per ounce ; must 

 be prepaid ; otherwise, 6 cents. 



Pontage Rales to Foreign Countries. To the 

 countries and colonies which, with the United 

 States, comprise the Universal Postal Union, 

 the rates of postage are as follows : Letters, 

 per 15 grams ( ounce) , pre-payment optional, 

 5 cents ; postal cards, each, 2 cents ; news- 

 papers and other printed matter, per 2 ounces, 



1 cent. Commercial papers First 10 ounces 

 or fraction thereof, 5 cents ; every additional 



2 ounces, 1 cent. Samples of merchandise 

 First 4 ounces, 2 cents ; every additional 2 

 ounces, 1 cent. Registration fee on letters or 

 other articles, 10 cents. Ail correspondence 

 other than letters must be prepaid at least 

 partially. 



Printed matter other than books received in 

 the mails from abroad under the provisions of 

 postal treaties or conventions is free from 

 customs duty. 



Dutiable books forwarded to the United 

 States from the Postal Union are delivered to 

 addresses at post offices of destination upon 

 payment of the duties levied thereon. 



Postal Money Orders. Limit of single order 

 Fees: not exceeding $10, 8c. ; $10 

 to 825, 10c., etc. ; $100, 45c. 



To Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Portu- 

 gal, Canada, Newfoundland, Italy, France, 

 Algeria, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasma- 

 nia, New Zealand, Jamaica : Fees, not ex- 

 ceeding $10, 15 cents. To Great Britain, Ire- 

 land, and adjacent islands : Fees, not exceed- 

 ing $10, 25 cents. To British India : Fees, 

 not exceeding $10, 35 cents. 



THE NATIONAL BANK LAW. 



In towns of a population of 3,000 or less the 

 minimum capital allowed is $25,000. In towns 

 of between 3,000 and 6,000 people the min- 

 imum capital allowed is $50,000 ; and in cities 

 and towns having a population of G,000 or 

 more but not exceeding 50,000, the minimum 

 capital must be $100, 000; while in cities of 

 over 50,000 people the bank must have a cap- 

 ital of at least $200,000. There is no limit to 

 the amount of excess capital. 



Every national bank must purchase and 

 deliver to the Treasurer of the United States 

 registered U. S. bonds to an amount not less 

 than $50,000, except banks with a capital of 

 $150,000, or less, the minimum amount of 

 bonds required is one quarter of the capital. 



The Government then issues and delivers to 

 the bank circulating notes in denominations of 

 $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, as desired, in 

 total amount equal to the par value of the bonds 

 deposited. A bank may deposit bonds and 

 receive circulating notes to an amount equal to 

 its capital. 



Each bank is required to make a sworn 

 statement of its condition to the Comptroller 

 of the Currency at Washington at least five 

 times a year, and to publish the same in a news- 

 paper. Two examinations a year are made In- 

 capable men employed by the Government as 

 national bank examiners, their visits being 

 always without notice. 



Requirement is made in the National bank 

 act for the accumulation of a surplus by each 

 bank from its earnings as an additional protec- 

 tion above its capital to the depositors. The 

 depositors are further protected against loss by 

 the liability of each stockholder to. the pay- 

 ment of an amount equal to the par value of 

 the stock held, in event of failure of the bank. 





