The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-04

called attacks OF future postinaster.gen-
erals upon deienseless vested fiGhtt.
One.cent letter postage, thrGc.Cent
telephone messages and tcn.cent tcle-
graph messages are all near possibilities
under All enlightened aud compact pos
tai System, using tho newest Geographic
inventions. The advantage OF tyingthe
rural postoiice by n telephone wirc re.
-quiring no operator to tho railroad sta
ton must be obvious. Tho benefits
arising from tclcpaonic connections
with the p~ostolices will easily suggest
themselves In n hundred ways 10 those
who want tho entire people to share in
common privileges. The rural popula-
ton would be the greatest gamer. A
telephone message from tho postotlico
10 tho'railroad station miles away to u.s.
certain II expected freight had come
would save the farmer many n needless
wagon trip over bad roads; news OF APP
proaghins frostS could be promptly
spread over country districts and fruit
growing regions, and many o valuable
crop saved.
Tho days market prices for cattlo and
grain and wool and produce may be OBJ
tanned by the farmers direct by inquiry
from others than the buyer who drives
up to tho farm in his buggy. All these
may seem homcly purposes TO dwcllors
in cities, but country lie would lose
some OF its drawbacks by tho extension
OF such facilities to those who bear
their full share OF tho burdens Of tho
government, and receive, in postal re-
spects nj least, less than their share oil
its benefits.
1t is not chimerical 10 expect n three
cent telephone rate; the possibilities OF
chcaponing tho management OF these
new facilities aro very great. All
account keeping could be abolished by
uso OF stamps or "nickel-in-thc-slot"
attachments. Collection boxes every
where in the cities, and many places in
the country towns, would receive tele-
phone and telegraph messages written
on stamped cards like postal cards.
Old soldiers and others could find en-
ploymen. as collectors, and frequent
collections would abolish tho present
expensive mcssenger-boy systcm, that
adds . cents to the cost OF 30 per cent Of
city kilograms. In New York City
thoro are thirty-th.cc collections from
lcttcr-boSes every day, aud at certain
hours in the most thickly settled bust
ness part OF tho city tho letter boxes
arc cmptied every ten or fifteen
minutes.
The delivery by lcttcr-carriers held TO
strict coun, would also DO an i'm
p%roycincnt over the present system OF
messengers, who rarely hurry except in
pictures. Who has not lost 4 train or
missed meeting u friend by q message
that started in ample time being de-
layed in delivery? The system recon-
mendcd would not forbid private tcle-
phones or telephone exchanges in cities
any, moro than it would exclude the
use OF the telegraph by railroads having
their own lines. The plan contemplatcs
only the convenience OF tho people in
the use in common Of their own post
office as the peighborhood station
for telephoning and tc~lcgraphing. They
have q right to claim this, as not a
penny OF additional expense is ncces-
sary for rents, heat, light, or attendants
for telephone services.
For telegraphing only an operator is
needed when business justifics it. other
wise q telegraph message would be for
warded by phone to the nearest telc.
graph station.
rSEUMATlC TUBES RECOMMENDED.
Mr.. Wanamaker describes the pneu-
matic-tube system OF Berlin and Lon
don, and strongly recommends their
adoption in this country. lie insists
that they would pay, and records sew
cral attempts at beginning such 4 SER
vice. A wonderful canceling machine,
which prevents the delay Of letters in
the postollices in stamping. have been
employed, and 4 still more wonderful
automatic electric stampcr is in process
OF examination. The postmaster gen.
eral urges the necessity OF a new build
ing, and the consequent reconstruction
OF the service in New York city.
LETTER o AT EVERY DOOR,.
OF the door letter-box question, the
postmaster general says:
1t was decided to commend to the at
tention Of the public, first, Il slot; sec
ond, q slot with an inside box to receive
mail; third, = slot with an inside box to
receive mail and in which mail may be
deposited to DO collected from the out
side; fourth, an outside box to receive
mail; fifth, an outside box to receive
mail and from which mail mayb be COL
lcctedi sixth, a box to be placed in the
walls OF buildings during their process
OF construction.
1t is evident that, ii the problem OF
cxpcditing deliveries were the only
consideration, boxes could be found
readily enough; for ii, as is estimated,
the quarter part OF tho time OF tho car
ricr is wasted waiting for persons TO
come 10 doors or windows to receive
mail matter, the number OF deliveries
in q glren town could be increased by Il
quarter, or surely by 4 fifth, which
would DO q considerable gain. But this
is not tho whole problem. The depart
ment cannot put tho boxes in for the
householder gratis. 1t probably could
not properly put the boxes in If it had
money OF its own TO spend, and ii the
householder, on his part, wanted the
department to do. tior him at its own
expense. It must be an act perfectly
voluntary and personal ON the part OF
the householder and entirely without
cost to the department.
My plan for the introduction OF the
house letter boxes would be somewhat
as follows: | would have the depart-
ment accept an offer, or offers, which, I
have reason TO believe, will be made by
one or two, ii not by the whole six, OF
tho inventors, whose devices are TO be
commended, to furnish 4 sufficient
number OF boxes to supply six given
cnrrinr IL lNunhs..