SPECIAL  RE-DELIVERY

Dec. 10-11, 1956 -- Registered, Special Delivery, $1.04 paid: 9c first-class letter rate (3 x 3c/oz.) + 75c registry fee ($50.01 to $75.00 indemnity) + 20c special delivery fee.

[ Roland  Austin  Collection ]

Back stamps and manuscript markings indicate the article arrived at the Seattle Terminal Annex at 10:00 a.m. and special delivery was attempted that morning but "no response," thus, it was returned to the receiving post office and no longer regarded as entitled to special delivery.  Not strictly legal, a second, successful attempt to special deliver this letter was made and charged an additional special delivery fee, paid by a vertical pair of 10c postage due stamps, since violet "Fee Claimed by Office of First Address" and the pencilled manuscript "Redeliver 20c Due."

Why this letter was special redelivered is unknown; perhaps because it was registered, or the postmaster or postal clerk knew the addressee and was sure of payment, or possibly the addressee called and requested redelivery as a favor.

This violet auxiliary marking is rare on modern postal history, as special delivery messengers became salaried on July 1, 1945, and markings such as "Fee Claimed, etc." were no longer necessary.  It was applied in this case because of the redelivery charge.

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