The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-26
FRoNT-DOOR PosToFFICEs.
Every Citizen Soon to Mail His Letters
on His Own Step.

correspondence. WI the house-to.
house method of delivering mails was
adopted a few years ago everybody
thought it the ultimate achievement of a
perfected postal system. Postmaster Gen.
eral Wanamaker is about to take a step
beyond, in the establishment of a scheme
for collecting letters, papers and packages
from dwelling to dwelling and from shop
to shop, so that no one need ever be
obliged to go outside of his domicile for
the purpose of sending such matter in
Uncle Sans care. The new plan will be
put into operation early in the coming
year.
Last October circular was issued by the
department asking the inventors of the
country to exercise their wits in devising
a suitable letter box for attaching to each
citizens door IN every town and city in
the Union. 1t was explained that the Oh
Ject was 10 save the postman's time in
waiting for an answer to the bell, and to
render the delivery Of mail as convenient
to the recipient as possible. Requirement
was made that the receptacle should be
cheap, neat in appearance, simple OF oper-
alton, secure against thieves, and so con-
structed that its contents should be pro-
tected against rain, sleet, snow and dust
Furthermore, the mail was not to be &C.
cessible at the same time to the post
man and the recipient.
In response to this advertisement 400
models were submitted; but none of them
was deemed satisfactory and so a second
circular to similar effect was sent out Ten
hundred and thirty-tive models rewarded
this second appeal, and among the nun
Der several designs were thought deserving
of commendation by the commission
appointed for judging competition. 0nly
one, however, was recommended, and this
pattern will undoubtedly receive the
official approval of the postmaster general
some time within the next few days. 1t is
mechanical marvel, at once beautiful in
its simplicity and admirable in its effective
ness for the purpose contemplated.
The continuance looks somewhat like an
ordinary lamp-post letter-box on a small
scale. 1t is attached to the front door and
is rather decorative than otherwise. The
postman comes along with mail matter to
deliver. He thrusts the letters into the
box from beneath, and they are retained
in such manner that it is impossible to
Withdraw them. They can only be taken
out from above by the householder. who
has key for that purpose. However, it
is not necessary for the latter to open
the receptacle every time that he wishes to
ascertain If 1t contains anything. There
is a spring at the bottom which Yields
readily to touch if the box is empty;
otherwise, supposing that even a postal
card is inside, ii is immovable Surprising
that the intended recipient is inside the
door, he Is not obliged to go outside In or
der to investigate, tor a little knob projects
through the door panel, which he has
merely to pull in order to inform himself
on the point. If it fails to yield, there is
letter; otherwise there is none. In
word, the owner, upon reaching home or
at any time while within doors, can learn
by simply touching button whether there
is mail for him.
But this wonderful box is not onIv a re-
ceptacle for mail; it also delivers letters to
the carrier for posting. If the owner has
any missives to send, he drops them in
through slot at the top of the box. He
can only do this after first lifting into view
little target bearing a red disk
two inches in diameter, and the target
cannot be shut down again so long as any-
thing remains In that compartment. The
postman can see the exposed red disk very
''Here is mail to collect" He opens side
door and takes out the letters. A string
attachment serves to hold newspapers.
The whole device only costs $1IO.
Several other kinds of boxes are com.
mended. One looks from the street like a
uOOT-pldte WIN Il STU IN 1t. Letters
dropped through the slit fall into recep-
tacle inside. A second receptacle holds
mail intended for collection, and the put
ting of it in lifts sign which is visible
from without. The postman nuts
his key into lock, turns it, swings the
whole door-plate open, and takes out
whatever has been left for him. Another
box is attached to the jamb of the front
door. by the shutting and opening of
which il is locked and unlocked Sill an
other is intended to be built into the wall
of house, so that it cannot be stolen. Yet
another, very highly approved, has an
electric attachment. When the postman
drops the mail a bell IS set to ringing.
Furthermore, If an occupant of the sixth
story wants to know if there is a letter in
the receptacle, he can touch bell AT his
elbow and find out. 1t will not ring I'M
less there is something in the box. This
device can be fixed in connection with a
simple slot in the door, so as to give notifi-
cation of the arrival of mail.
1t is not surprising that among the
one thousand five hundred and odd boxes
submitted many should have been utterly
nonsenslcal, Owing TO the fact that
"house letter boxes" were advertised for.
thirteen different contestants sent in
models made in the shape of houses One
OF these is a small cottage, the chimney
of which can be lifted on a hinge to re- |
ceive letters, which fall so as to he seen
through a window of the miniature edifice.
Another curiosity Is a complicated |
arrangement of machinery. including
pulleys, chains, weights and bells The !
commission has sought in vain to dis |
cover its purpose. Still another contriv- |
ance is IN the shape of a book. hollow in |
side, and labelled. Holy Bible" for at
tachment outside the front door Yet |
another is in the form of the American |
eagle, painted in bright colors. An eccen- |
triCity worth mentioning is a tin hox |
painted black and as big as an ordinary |
bath tub.
Reports thus far circulated resnectins |
these new boxes of Mr.. Wanamaker's |
seem 70 have conveyed TO the public the |
impression that the postotfice department |
Will pay for them. On the contrary. each |
householder Will be expected TO buy his |
own. AT present there is no law by which |
an individual can be compelled 10 adont /
such a receptacle and attach il 10 his front |
door; but II has been suggested that con- |
greSs may decree that any one who refuses |
shall be Obliged 10 go to the general de- |
livery window for his mail. Another |
question Is whether it will be demanded |
that any given style of receptacle shall be |
used. On the whole, it may be taken for /
granted that the citizen Will be per- |
mltted to use box or not. as he !
ple2ses. and that he will bnv the |
kind which suits him best. There will |
be 100 patterns on the market as soon az |
the new arrangement has gone into effect. |
and he can suit himself as TO price from |
y cents upward. No prize was offered in |
the competition. save the glory of apnro- |
val by the department, which would neces- /
sarliy be a big advertisement. Manufac- |
turers will presumably 90 the repairing at |
a cheap rate. One result of the move! de- |
st-ats- 10,