The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-26
A BIG MAIL REFORM.
The Postmaster General Urges the
Adoption of House Letter Boxes
IN AN ADDRESS TO POSTMASTERS
The New Feature Will Facilitate the Col
lection and Delivery Of Mail and is
Protection Agdinst Robbers-Tried
Successfully I'm st. Louis.

For several months past the post Office
officials at Washington have been consid
ering the feasibility of urging upon the
public the adoption of house letter boxes
for the facilitation.of the collection and
delivery OF mail matter. The question
was discussed from all points of view and
resulted In the issuing of n general order
by the Postmaster General to the post
masters in the free delivery cities, towns
and rural communities throughout the
country, to put up house letter boxes.
The order authorizes the putting In of
the boxes wherever two-thirds of the
householuers on given route desire it.
Acting upon 4 hi It that such an order
had been issued, n News reporter went to
the post Office this morning and sought
an interview with Postmaster George.
He was not In, but Assistant Pos ostmaster
Williams was seen aud talked about the
order
he stated that be. had but just received
the order, but was a2reeably impressed
with 1t. He thought that the work of
the carriers would be facilitated by the
adoption OF the boxes, and stated further
that he would Immediately send for
samples Of the boxes recommended by the
department. When these arrive they
will be displayed to the public.
The order affects nearly 100000 resi-
dences- The letter boxes tested In ST.
Louis and Washington were selected
after two years of examination among
some 1000 models and in st. Louis
especially. where the practical test of the
collection and delivery box was tried
under the most unfavorabie conditions
possible in that or any other free delivery
place, have the results been especially
gratifying.
ba taat ohnuyo fb,s cotIonx;-
as deliveries are possible without any
loss of time on the average, and that
where circumstances are favorable, as on
compactly settled routes, time is actually
saved, which may be devoted, OF course.
TO putting on extra deliveries at the
proper time.
1t is remarkable thing to have dis.
covered that this new double service,
that of delivery without delay to safe re-
ceptacles at everybody's door, and of col
lections without delay from safe places
aud upon all the regular deliveries, ut
houses where the little disk indicates
that mail Is TO be collected are now pos
sible; and all this is without any appre.
ciable change OF the carrier force, and
without exLsnse to the department..
There are important incidental advan-
tages in the house-to-hous collection sy,-
TEN. The chief one is, perhaps, that the
safety of the mail would be much greater.
The chance of securing booty enough to
pay for the risk would be too small for a
mail robber, with practically all the mail
dropped at house doors, and the chance of
detection would be practically sure
Street letter boxes would, af course, be
patronized just the same, but in degree
one hundred times smaller, perhaps, and
the same reasons would prevail why it
would not be safe for robbors to break
them open. Another advantage is that
the householder would be able through
the medium Of the carrier directly to
purchase stamps.
The postmaster general proposes to
supplement his first order TO the post
masters in free delivery places with more
detailed directions for placing the boxes,
as soon rs the boxes are ready to be
placed. and that will be very soon.