Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-11-12
A MECHANICAL MARVEL.


An Ingenious Invention for the Collection
Of Mail.
A circular was lately issued by the
department asking the inventors of the
country to exercise their wits in de-
vising q suitable letter box for attach
ing to each citizens door in every town
and city in the union 1t was explained
that the object was to save the post
mans 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 operation. secure
against thieves, and SO constructed that
its contents should be protected against
rain, sleet, snow and dust Further
more, the mail was not to be accessible
at the same time to the postman and the
recipient.
In response to this advertisement,
says the Washington Star, four hum
dred models were submitted. but none
Of them was deemed satisfactory, and
so q second circular to similar effect
was sent out Ten hundred and thirty
Eve models rewarded this second ap-
peal, and among the number several
designs were thought deserving of COM
mendation by the commission appointed
for. judging the competition Only one.
however, was actually recommended,
and this pattern will undoubtedly re-
ceive the official approval of the post
master general some time within the
next few days. 1t is a mechanical mar
vel. at once beautiful in its simplicity
and admirable in it's effectiveness for
the purpoSe contemplated
The continuance looks somewhat like
an ordinary lamp-post letter-box on a
small scale. It is attached to the front
door and is rather decorative than 9TH
erwise The postman comes along
with N all 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 nee
esssxry for the latter to open the recep-
tacle every time that he wishes to as
certain if it contains anything. There
is a spring at the bottom which yields
RAPIDLY to a touch if the box is empty;
otherwise. supposing that even a postal
ca I'd is inside. it is immovable. Suppos-
Ill tildt ClIC I0tCIOSO ICClpiShG ID IuolStC
the door. he is not obliged to go outside
in order to investigate, for 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 other words, the owner
upon reaching home, or at any time
while indoors, can learn by simply
touching button whether there is mail
for him.
But this wonderful box is not only a
receptacle for mail, it also delivers let
tiers to the carriers for posting. If the
owner has any missive to send he drops
them in through a slot at the top Of the
! box. He can only do this after first
lifting into view a little target bearing
a red disk two inches in diameter and
| the target cannot be shut down again
| so long as anything remains in that
/ compartment. The postman can see
the exposed red disk very easily from
across the street. 1t says: Here is
| mail to collect He opens side door
| and takes out the letters. A spring at
tachment serves to hold newspapers
The whole device only costs one dollar
J and ten cents.