Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-14
HOUSE LETTER BOXES.
Success Of the Test of Their Efficiency I'm
This City.

Inls lily.
IfNE SAVED BIT TIE CARRIER on WHOSE Ro-yrE
THE BOXES HAVE BEEN Placed NEW IDEA
BIT WHICH THE CARRIER CAN FURNISH THOSE
ON ELS ROUTE WITH STAMPS.
At the present rate of progress in postal mat
ters il viii not be long before every citizen who
resides In q repusabie-sppearing dwelling will
have post Office literally ct his or her door.
Officially, Postmaster Sherwood makes no dis
tinction between. the sexes as to collection and
delivery.
just the postmaster and Superintendent
Bell, chief Of the city delivery division, are
very much interested in the Taylor letter boxes
which have been affixed to the doors of 1I3
houses in this city. These 113 houses are on
one carriers route, and that particular route
was selected because it was believed to be
thoroughly Representative. The consent of
house owners was secured before anything else
was done, and when that step had been made
without any difficulty the boxes were fitted into
the door panelsr-ready TO receive mail either
from the letter carrier or the householder, or
both.
BEsULT OF THE TEST.
Thencame the test, and as il has now been
proceeding for nearly month, the authorities
feel as though they had a right to say whether
the proposition IL or is not a failure. There
was . fear that the new system would cause a
serious loss Of time in collecting because II would
be necessary for the carrier to collect from
every box displaying the collection signal,
whether be had any mail to deliver at that box
or not This fear was without reasonable
foundation, for experience has demonstrated
that enough time Is saved in delivery-no wait
Ing for some one to answer the door bell-to
more than balance the expenditure OF minutes
on collection Half an hour Is saved on each of
the first two trips-which are invariably
heavy-but on the third trip-ordinarilv
hgh'.httle or no time is saved This saving
of half an hour Is not Of advantage to the gov
eminent only; it means that the people on the
latter end Of the route get their mail half an
hour sooner under the Individual box system
than would otherwise be practicable
TIME SAVED IN DELIVERY
The first delivery is now concluded on the
test route between o'clock and slJ: il used 10
be o'clock and sometimes later Now. there
are on this route-as there necessarily vould he
on all other routes in this city-the residences
OF large number of department employees
Before the box experiment they we're accus-
toned to wait, with more or less patience until
they returned to their homes in the afternoon
These clerks now get their mail before leaving
for their Office in the morning and are envied
by those of their fellow-men and womsa whose
routes have not been equipped with the new
boxes.
Some of the officials who have watched the
incoming of the box were inclined to argue that
not one person in fifty would have any Use for
a collection box right a. the door, but the CUES,
was erroneous, for single trip the collections
have been rs high 81 fifty per cent o: the boxes
In no instance has the simple mechanism IF
any one of the receptacles got ont of order: the
only trouble comes from those good people who
are not fortunate enough 70 have their doors
decorated With the very useful devices to which
this story refers
NEW -DzA
Out of the success of these boxes has sprung
new idea-the gale of stamps by carriers
through the medium of the boxes. II is be
heved that plan be- perhaps Is formu-
hted By which each carrier can supply all the
folks who want stamps and can paw for them
without delaying his work OF collection and dis
frl5utlon more than three or four minutes on a
trlp- To do this properly called for a great
deal OF ingenuity. MANY requirements had to
be met In tte plan. which provided for the sale
OF stamps In connection with a system of house
to-kou~e collection Of mail These require
hicnts. which IT Ii believed have been met. we're:
REGUIEEMENIs Tor STAMPS.
fi-st. The buyer should be enabled to order.
Iay for and receive stamps without the neces-
sity Of seeing the carrier. this would necessi-
tate watching for his arrival and oftentimes re-
suit IN undue DELAY TO the work Of the carrier
Second. The delivery of stamps should be
made BY the carrier az the time the order, with
money to cover the same Is received bv him
thus avoiding any delay to the buyer and
making 10 unnecessary for the carrier to return
TO the box on another trip 70 make a delivery
of the stamps. II is obvious. too that imme-
diste exchange Of stamps for money would re-
duce to a minimum the liability of loss or error
and The amount Of time and labor that would
be required to effect the transaction
Third The purchaser should be enabled to
buy stamps in stated amounts only in order
that the Carrier may be prepared to effect the
Transaction readily. And to this same end the
buyer should be required to furnish the exact
change to cover his order.
Fourth. The purchase money for stanps
should be delivered to the carrier in such a
manner that he may readily and with the use
Of but one hand be enabled 10 verify the
amount.
Fifth. II The carrier should find q SHORTAGE
IN the money presented In payment for stamps
ordered he should be protected against a posi-
BILE charge Of having removed or taken the
missing money.
SIXTH For the protection of the purchaser
stamps should be delivered in such form and
manner that If there should be an error or
shortage In thsm the purchaser could establish
this fact
Seventh. Provision should be made against
the liability Of stamps becoming damaged
through being carried about, thus avoiding in
convenience or loss to either the buyer. post
Office or CARRIER.
Eighth Provision should be made against
liability OF error which might occur through a
CARRIER taking an order from box unknown
lnsiy. This might easily happen where an or
Ger was deposited with other matter for collec-
ton unless some provision for making the fact
apparent 10 The carrier were made.
A practical test Of the new device will prob
ably be made In the near future.
THE G. A. n. ENCAMPMENT.
Additional Posts That Have Been Provided