Cover of the Month

One Cent rate

This letter was originally mailed from Albany, New York to West Arlington, Vt. There is no dateline on the letter, but the postage rate of 10 cents (30-80 miles) indicates that it was mailed prior to 1845.

The following is my opinion as to the mailing of the letter. After the first addressee, Carolyn Judson, read the letter, she decided to send it to Sophia Deming. Since the city and state were not changed it would appear that Miss Deming also lived in West Arlington, Vt. The West Arlington P.O. crossed off the 10 cent rate, added their manuscript post office, and a new rate of 6 cents. However, someone at the P.O. decided that since the letter was going to the same city, it would be a "drop rate" letter, and changed the 6 to a 1. Drop rate letters were letters that were mailed and received at the same P.O.

Very interesting series of changes.