Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-27
EVERYONE TO HAVE A POSTOFF|CE
A Great Improvement Proposed
in City Mail Delivery.
The Post Boxes Which HOuseholders
Can Make Use Of.
People Can Post Their Letters without
Going to the Office and Can
Also Purchase Stamps at
Their Own Door.

| AAA0'J h"No VIC PilNdto leGteE DOA BY EbSIu.
AS previously stated in the HERALD,
these boxes are to be introduced in all
cities having free delivery system.
This includes cities having more than
5000 population.
This improvement enables every per-
son having a private box to mail his
own letters, newspapers and packages
without going out OF his dwelling. At
the same time he can purchase stamped
envelopes in any quantities he desires
without leaving his house.
| Let it be supposed that Mr.. A, who
owns box, has written letter at his
home. Having no stamp he drops it
with 2 cents into the collection compart-
ment OF the box on the inside of his
front door. The act of lifting the lid of
this compartment to put in the missive
automatically raises into view target
on the outside Of the door which bears
the word Mail" in big letters. Pres
emily the postman comes along, sees the
target displayed, uDlocks the compart-
ment from the outside and takes out the
letter and the money. Very likely he
has letters to deliver, in which case he
unlocks lower compartment, intended
Tor the reception of mail. and drops
them in. Nothing appears on the out
side of the door but slot and two kew.
holes. The occupant of the dwelling
has his own keys for opening the COM
partments from within.
If he wants to procure stamps or
stamped envelopes, he encloses the
money for them in an envelope with an
order indicating the number and de-
nominations required. He drops this
envelope into The collection compart-
ment, addressed to the carrier, who
takes it to the postofice, where the
order is filled. On his next trip he de-
livers the stamps, two 2-cent clamps
being retained and Cancelled for the serv-
ice. This system is profitable to the
postoffice department as we'll as to citi.
zens.
Thus every house-owner can have a
complete postoffice at his own door, and
he need not care whether the postoffice
is out on South Main, Broadway, or on
Boyle Heights.
To have the boxes put in, two-t thirds
OF the householders on a route must
agree to buy them. 1t is expected that
when a few citizens on O route have
made up their minds that they desire
boxes, they will voluntarily canvass
their neighbors in order to secure the
requisite lwo-thirds of them as SUBJ
scribers.
Another point in favor of the house
box system is that it will practically do
away with the robbing of letter boxes.
Patterns of the boxes will be made with
two horizontal slits in the door plate
above and below the mail slot. By this
device a'person's name and number can
be- put on his plate in few moments,
each metal letter having a double flange
on the back of it like q patent paper
fastener. which is thrust through the
sit and spread behind the plate go as to
secure the letter. The owners name is
quickly spelled out with letters attached
equidistent along the slit. With num-
bers it is the same way. 1t has been
suggested that luminous targets shall be
used to catch the postman's eye after
dark.
Many builders in eastern cities are al
ready introducing provision for letter
boxes into their specifications for dwell
ings and business Offices to be erected.
1t is anticipated that before long they
will De feature of the construction OF
Nuuses SoHeTdliy. LIZ desired thev can
be built into the wall.
The private letter box is several steps
towards postal telegraphy. 1t may be
illustrated in this way: Mr.. Boom
lives in Los Angeles and his wife is Wis.
iting her dear mamma" in New York.
He wishes to know by what train she
will return. Instead OF going to tels-
graph Office several blocks distant and
sending message at the cost CT 50, he
writes postal telegraph letter and
drops it into box in his own
house. Not having stamp be
deposits with the letter cents
for postage and & sufficient additional
Gum to cover the coat of telegraphipg,
low rates having been established by the
government, of which he is informed by
a simple tariff sheet pasted inside of his
letter-box lid. The postman collects the
letter and delivers it to the operator at
the postofice, who telegraphs il to the
New York postoffice, whence it is de-
livered by the first carrier to the box on
Mrs. Boom's mothers door. Mrs. B.
writes postal telegram in reply, and
deposits in her mothers box. Being q
woman, che is trfle more anxious to
make cure of speedy delivery at the end,
so she puts 10 cents addition in the box,
which insures special delivery as under
the present system. On the same day
Mr.. E., in Los Angeles, finds the answer
to his letter in his box, and blesses the
postoffice department, having saved in
oiJopto11,, c1 co