| Existing comment:
In 1863, Joseph Briggs organized City Free Delivery Service in 49 Northern cities, using 449 letter carriers. The service was very popular. By 1869 City Free Delivery produced ten times its cost in new revenues as more and more people began to send letters. The service also provided employment for Civil War veterans as letter carriers. By the end of the 19th century, nearly 10,000 letter carriers were employed in over 400 cities. |