The Development ofAmerican Postal System

In the early days ofthe United States,postalcharges were paid by the recipient and charges varied with the distancecarried.In 1825,the United States Congress permitted local

postmasters to giveletters to mail carriers for home delivery,but these carriers received nogovernment salary and their entire compensation depended on what they were paid

by the recipients ofindividual let-ters.In 1847,the United States Post Office Department adopted theidea of a postage stamp, which of course simplified the payment for

postal service butcaused grumbling by those who did not like to prepay.Besides,the stamp coveredonly delivery to the post office and did not include carrying it to a private

address.In Philadelphia,forexample,with a population of 150,000,peo- ple still had to go to the postoffice to get their mail.The confusion and congestion of individual

citizens looking fortheir letters was itseff enough to discourage use of the mail.It is no wonderthat,during the years of these cumbersome arrangements,private letter-carrying

and expressbus-mnesses developed.Although their activities were only semi-legal,theythrived and actually adver-tised that between Bostonand Philadelphiathey were half-

day speedier thanthe government mail. The government postal service lost volume to privatecompetition and was not able to handle effi-ciently even the business it

had.Finally,in1863,Congress provided that the mail carriers who delivered the mail from the postoffices to private addresses should receive a government salary, and that

there should be noextra charge for that delivery. But this delivery service was at first confinedto cities,and free home delivery became a sing of urbanization.In 1890,of the

75 mul-lion peoplein the United States,fewerthan 20 million had mail delivered free to their doors.The rest,nearly threequarters of the population,still received no mail

unless they went totheir post office.What does theword“cumbersome”mean?

A.Convenient.

B. Efficient.

C. Awkward.

D. Stupid.