The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-23
IN AND ABOUT THE CITY.
THE NEW MAIL BOXES.
Savannah in Need Of Them Right
Away.

Savannah in Need of Them Right
Away.
The new street corner mail boxes adopted
by the postoffice department are attracting
good deal Of attention over the country.
A MORNING NEWS reporter called on Post
master Lamar to find out what Savannah's
chance is for obtaining its share of the new
boxes aud when it is likely to get them.
The postmaster said that he is not apprised
Of any such good fortune for Savannah.
The boxes, he said, are needed badly here,
but he is doubtful if any city will get a
supply OF the boxes before December, when
congress meets He is inclined to believe
that an appropriation will have to be mado
for the purchase Of the boxes before they
can be put in service.
The box is an invention that is needed
badly. Postmaster Lamar said that when
the boxes become full Of mail the letters can
be extracted by means OF a wire manipulated
through the opening at the end of the box
The new box is designed to admit of the
| reception OF larger packages than can be
put into the present one, at the same time
that1s affords perfect protection against pill
ferers. 1t greatly resembles the old box,
| except that the letter slot or door is on the
deinstead of the end. This works with a
lever at the side, and unless one i, &C
| quainted with the box it is difficult to find
the opening. Not only is it very simple
and strong, but IL is arranged so at it is
| impossible for robbery TO be perpetrated.
The box has pivoted plate at one side.
| near the top. When the handle is pressed
down the plate swings up past the fange.
| The curved segment swings out, making
an opening between its end and the roof of
the box, through which the mail can be
| put. AS the plate, or what might be-
called shelf Is then up, the letter or
newspaper rests on it until the handle is
| released, when it is dropped into the
body of the box. There is an opening at
the lower side for the postman to unlock
and get the mail. At the side beneath the
| slot, is square, which gives the hours for
| collection. The roof overlapping the top
prevents the rain from entering. The most
i portant item in its construction, prob
| ably, is the fact that the opening is large
| enough TO admit newspapers as well as let
tiers. This will bs appreciated by the peo-
! pie who have heretofore had TO mail paDers
at the postoffic5, or take weather and other
chances by placing them on the top of the
| boxes.
Savannah has several hundred of the old
bOxe-, which will be removed when the
others are received. The postoffice depart
ment has complete record of every box
which Savannah has, and tho time it
was sent here, and the department will
require that every box be returned. 1t is
| likely that the old boxes will be made up
into new boxes.
the greatest postofiice invention re-
Gently brought to the notice of the public,
| and which has caused so much comment
| said Postmaster Lamar, "is tue machine
for stamping letters and canceling the
stamps" The postmaster explained that
the invention to which he referred Will re-
move for the large postoffice five or six
men, who stamp and cancel letters.
Ii is operated by a pedal and the
letters are placed in q hopper and are
| ground out, as it were Each one is stamped
in the right place every time, and no mis-
takes occur. The machine has a capacity
| of 900 or 600 letters a minute and is Cper-
ated by one man. There has recently been
squabble over one Of the instruments
which has been in use in the Boston post
| office, and just now the patent stamper is
undergoing an investigation, 1t appears
that the machine used in the Boston office
IS an infringement upon the regular
patent. The machine has not yet
been presented to the department
for adoption and will not 20 probably for
some time yet Postmaster Lamar said
that he is favorahly impressed with The
electric mail car, which has been tested SO
satisfactorily in New York. He believes
that it will only be matter Of time when
mail from the north will be received here
| by electric cars