Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-11-30
A MECHANICAL MARVEL.
An IoReoious Invention for the Collection
OF Mail.


An IoReoious 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 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 us 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, slcet, snow and dust Further
more, the mail was not to be accessible
ut the SHINE time to the poStman and the
recipient.
In response to this advertisement
says the Washington Star, four hun
dred models were submitted, but none
of them was deemed satisfactory, and
SO n second circular to similar effect
was sent ont Ten hundred and thirty
five models rewarded this second ap-
peal, and among the number several
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 n mechanical mar
vel, ut once beautiful in its simplicity
and admirable in its effectiveness for
the purpose contemplated
The contrlvlnce looks somewhat like
m ordinary lamp-poSt lcttcr-boX on Il
small scale. 1t is attached to the front
door and is rather decorative than 9th
erwise. The postman comes along
with mail matter to deliver. lie thrusts
the letters into the box from beneath,
and they are retained in such n manner
that 1t 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
rssary for the latter to open the recep-
tacie every time that he wishes to as
certain If it contains anything. There
Is spring at the bottom which yields
rapidly to touch if the box is empty:
otherwise, supposing that even 4 postal
card is inside, it is immovablc. Suppos-
ing that the intended recipient is inside
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 n letter, otherwise there
is none. In other words, the owner
upon reaching home, or at any time
while indoors, can learn by simply
touching Il button whether there's mail
for him.
But this wonderful box is not only n
receptacle for mail, it also delivers let
tors to the carriers for posting. If the
owner has any missive to send he drops
them in through n slot at the top of the
box. He can only do this after first
lifting into view Il little target bearing
- 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: "ITcre is
mail to collect" He opens side door
and takes ont the letters. spring at.
tachment serves to hold newspapers
The whole device only costs one dollar
and ten cents.