The Hazard Family Letters 1832-1950
1855 Cover to Roland Gibson Hazard - Peace Dale, Rhode Island
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September 21 1855 Columbus, GA CDS & 10 Cent Double Rate Marking

The Postal Act of March 3, 1851, (effective June 30, 1851) set postal rates at 3 cents for mail traveling under 3000 miles if prepaid and 5 cents if not prepaid. Mail traveling over 3000 miles was 6 cents prepaid and 10 cents if not prepaid.

The new law stated that all mail from this time forward shall be prepaid by stamps or charged double rate. This letter was sent unpaid and would have been charged at the 5 cent rate if it had been a single unpaid letter; therefore it must have been a double letter and was charged at the 10 cent unpaid rate for double letters traveling less than 3000 miles.

Part of this Cover has been torn off and the reverse inside of the cover has been used for accounting purposes to record mill products, prices and quantities.

See: Reverse of Cover with Accounting Information

See: 1840 Roland G. Hazard Cover for Biographical Information.