St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-06-01
The Key TO the Situation.

To-day friday a new ruling goes
into effect at the postoffice which will
create no little annoyance to the post
master as well as to bOX-renters. The
ruling of the department makes it per
emptOry with the postmaster in every
office where lock boxes are used to
charge the holders of such boxes fifty
cents each for tine box keys-the usual
price heretofore having been twenty
five cents. The sum received by the
pOstmasters for the keys is accounted
for by them to the department, and is
there held as special deposit to Sc
cure the value of the boxes. The key
of the bOX-holder is his receipt for the
money paid by him, and when he gives
up his box and key the money is re-
turned to him. Postmaster Carpenter
was averse to enforcing the provision,
and so wrote the department but he
was left no discretion in the matter
and was ordered to have the ruling 90
into effect at once. Printed slips have
been placed i'll the boxes, and while the
ruling is an arbitrary one, allowing the
postmaster no option, boX-renters
should cause as little annoyance to the
postmaster as possible, who regrets as
much as they the necessity for the pro
mitigation and enforcement of the or
der. The following is the order and
ruling bearing on this matter:
! Postmasters at offices not located in
government buildings will report the
sums deposited with them fol- keys to
postOffice boxes, which is fifty cents for
each key, i'll their quarterly account
current, as postal funds ; and on the
return of the keys they will refund the
amount from the postal revenues, tax
ing receipt from the party to whom
it is paid, and claim credit on their ac-
count, attaching the receipt as a vouch-
er.
Certain pOstmasters have protested
against circular 1884 and ruling II37
as an injustice, on the assumed ground
that sin letting boxes the money de-
posted for keys simply replaces t.
them what they have paid" The
money deposited with "a postmaster
upon receipt of key to a postOtfice
box is trust fund deposited with hin
as postmaster, to be returned to the
depOsitOr upon return of the kew. He
receives the deposit in his official ca
; pacity. Some pOstmasters have uti
| lied this deposit to reimburse them
selves for the expenses incurred il
putting up, keeping in repair, or re,
placing keys, of boxes. Many post
, masters have gone out of office leaving
large sums of money due to numerous
depOsitOrs. Complaint has been mad,
against the department because it ha
not placed itself in a position to pro
t tect the public. If key is lost by
bOx-holder, it is the business of til,
boXhOlder to replace it or furnish til,
postmaster the money to do so for him
+ The idea that the department has n,
| control over boxes in the pOstoffice, al
: though put in by the postmaster, an,
. will permit postmasters to improperly
apply deposit made to secure the re
t turn of keys, cannot for moment b.
2 entertained. Postmasters will in flu
: ture be allowed expenses for reasOna
bic necessary repair OF boxes, for til
. return of keys to which the deposit
have been accounted for as postal rev
e enue, such repair being limited to de
q tects occurring after such accounting
Money can only be refunded by post
master who has himself received de
: pOsit from the person returning til
d key.
:, Private individuals have no right t