completion of the Hudson River Railroad, and
of the New York and Erie Railroad in 1851, gave us direct railroad
communication with New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, and
the completion of the Buffalo & State Line Railroad and other roads in
or before 1852, gave us further railroad service for the supply of the
Buffalo office.

As the receipts of our post-office are, to a large extent, determined by
the rates of postage charged, especially of letter postage, which
probably constitutes nine-tenths of those receipts, a very brief
statement in regard to the rates of letter postage since the post-office
of Buffalo Creek was established, will form the concluding portion of
this paper.

From 1792 until 1845 the single rate of letter postage was charged on
each single letter, and an additional single rate on each additional
piece of paper; and if a single or other letter weighed an ounce or more
it was charged four single rates for each ounce. During this period of
fifty-three years--from 1792 to 1845--the changes in the rates of inland
letter postage were very slight. There were generally from five to eight
different single rates, according to the distance the letter was
carried, the lowest being, at different times, six or eight cents, and
the highest uniformly twenty-five cents, except for a short period,
near the close of the War of 1812, when, in consequence of the expenses
of the war, the rates were temporarily increased fifty per cent.

From 1816 to 1845 the rate for a single letter carried not over thirty
miles was 6-1/4 cents; over thirty and under eighty miles, 10 cents;
over eighty and under one hundred and fifty miles, 12-1/2 cents; over
one hundred and fifty and under four hundred miles, 18-3/4 cents; and
over four hundred miles, 25 cents.

By an Act of Congress passed in 1845, the rate of inland letter postage
(after the 1st of July in that year), was fixed, irrespective of the
number of pieces of paper contained in a letter, as follows: For a
letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight, carried under three
hundred miles, 5 cents; over three hundred miles, 10 cents, and an
additional rate for every additional half ounce or fraction of half an
ounce. Drop letters and printed circulars were by the same Act, to be
charged 2 cents each. This was considered by the Post-office Department
as an average deduction of 53 per cent. from the previously existing
rates.

In 1851 an Act was passed which re