The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-24
KRYLEss PosroFFICR BOXES.
The Latest Improvement in the Postal
Service.
ErOyn the Omaha Rec

Il would take volume to describe in de-
tail the numerous improvements that have
been recently effected In equipments for the
postal service One of the latest and prob
ably most important inventions affecting
postoffice business, and one that is Of in
terest not only to postmasters themselves,
but also to the general public. is the combi-
nation or key less lock-box manufactured
exclusively in our own state. While the
factory at Seward has only been In existence
for the last three years, it has within that
time introduced this box into nearly every
state In the union. 1t has 50 revoluuionized
postolfice work and is such novelty that a
description of 1t cannot fail to be of interest
There are probably very few merchants
and business men who have not at some
time experienced The annoyance aud noted
the expense connected with the use of an or
binary letter-bOx IN a poStotiice. The ex-
pense to the postofiice department, or to the
postmasters themselves, In the lse of small
offices, OF keeping the reports rendered neces-
sary when key-boxes are used. and the
other incidental expenses necessitated by
this system, such as the replacing Of lost
keys keeping IA stock of duplicate keys on
hand, repairing locks. etc, mas practically
made the renting of boxes an expense
rather than a source of revenue. 1t was to
obViate all these objections to the key boXes
that the keylesS lock-bOx was invented.
The combination keyless lock is con-
structed on the simplest plan that has ever
been devised for IA lock, aud it seems almost
Incredible that the principle should not have
been discovered before. 1t has no tumblers
an therefore no intricate movement liable
TO get out OF order 1t has two dials and all
thai it is necessary to remem Der in order to
open the box Is two letters of the alphabet
50 that a child capable of being trusted to 20
for the mail can open the box quite as
readily as grown person. For instance, IL
the combination was set ON the letters A T.,
all that Is required is TO turn one Of the
dials to A and the other to +, and the box
can be opened. Over three thousand combi-
nations are possible, s. that every box may
be set on a different combination. IL case
person should happen TO forget she combi-
nation, which is not very probable, since he
only has 10 remember two simple letters,
the box can be opened by the postmaster
touching spring on the inside, and as soon
as the door is opened, the renter imme-
dlately sees the two letters forming his
combination.
ANY number of persons that may be do
sired can have access 70 the b4x, AID new
renter can always feel secure for the reason
that by changing the comb alton which
Is very easily effected In q few seconds by
any one, there is no possibility Of former
renter having "A key ~ the box aid access
10 bis mail There being NJ tumbiers oF
anything 10 indicate from tue outside how
the cDmbinatlOl is set the LOCK Is absolutely
proof against being opened by any me who
does not know the eomoi lation. Both dias
must De SET properly before tue b.x eau be
opened aud there Is 10 p lsslble way u dis
covering the combination uuless bOth dlals
are SOL correctly
Tic salary aud allowances for clerical