The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-28

Another bIE Improvement IN the postal
service In all free delivery Cltlca Is about
TO be lnauEuratCd by the government, II
the system introduced In Washington
proves successful. 1t Is nothing less
than keeping Il branch postolice Mt
home. for the privilege OF which g 20
VIII be charged. II 1t Is finally adopted
by the postoGlCc department Wheeling
viii naturally he n large customer.
The famIIy branch pogtoillcc will be
made OF cnamcled steel. You can have
your name and house number stamped
upon It for Il mcagrc sum. It will be an
ornament to the entrance Of your house.
II your taste IS luxurious or beyond the
mediocre. You may purchase more clab-
crate styles for varying priccg, running
up to a maximum OF six dollars and six
;y cents. The highest grade Is of solid
bronze and Is adorned with ar;istIcally
moulded designs.
But the most interesting and novel
feature OF this new system Is the private
mail pouch, through which you will
transact with the main post0fllce all
business requiring the exchange OF mon
cy. Il will be made of transparent cel-
iulold, the edges being bound With n
thin sheet OF composite metal. It will be
SIX inches long and three and one-half
lnChca wide. being fat like an ordinary
envelope. Pasted against the inside OF
one face will be q printed list Of insiruc-
tlons. carefully prepared by the post
office department, explaining every de-
tall OF the new system 10 the user.
Through the transparent cellulOld form
Ing the other face Will he visible what at
first might he mistaken for 4 blanket
ballot. This will lie neatly printed Upon
n slip Of opaque cclluloid, such US used
for making washable memorandum tab
lets. The end OF the slip Will protrude
fraction Of an inch from the open end OF
the pouch and may be pulled out or slip
ped in, like the cover OF Photographic
plate-holder The indellble printing on
the movable slip consists principally of
five lines. Indicating different quantities
and denominations OF stamps. Your
purchase Is limited to five two-cent,
twenty-five two-ccnt. two iivc-cent, five
une-cent or twenty-five one-Cc stamps.
Opposite each line n 4 little hollow
square or frame \ cross made in one
or more OF these indicates that stamps
Of the number and denomination in the
opposite line are ordered.
After making tho crosses. according TO
your wants. you will sign your name and
add your address in appropriate spaces
at the bottom. You will next inscr; the
slip into the pouch, printed side up. so
that It may be read through the trans
parent face. You will then take from
your purse q sum. in exact change, COR
responding 10 the worth Of your order.
and insert It through the end Of the
pouch. 1t must rest between the order
slip and the transparent piece OF ccliu-
loId, in order that It may be distinctly
seen from outside. though protected by
the pouch. The end OF the slip Will fold
over. forming n SOrt OF valve, preventing
the money from falling out. The other
end IS folded in like manner that the
money may be pulled out with the slip.
Your next step will be to drop Your
pouch through the lid Of your private
branch postoilicc. which IS similar 10 the
valve lid OF the ordinary letter box. Be-
fore you can do this, however, You must
work a merhanism which rises ubove the
top OF a metallic signal, bobbinE UP from
inside and containing the word MALL"
Some OF these signals will be supplied
with dishes OF phosphorous, which will
be conspicuous in the dark. On his next
round, the poStmaIl. noticing that the
signal Is raised, will unlock the door,
;akc out the pouch. note whether 1t con-
tains the proper amount OF money and
proceed with It on his round. If the cor
rect change Is not inclOsed he deposits
the pouch in the box again, together
with such mail Us lie may leave for the
same address
Suppose You have an important letter
to be mailed Immediately, but that you
have used all the stamps left yesterday
In the little pouch. Your wife Is in San
Francisco and YOU are here IN Wheel
Ing. It Is showing severely and you
would so two squares to the nearest
drugstore at great sacrifice OF comfort,
and probably TO the dctrlmcnt OF your
health. Under ordinary circumstances
your wife would have to wait for her let
ter. thereby suffering probable disap-
pointmcnt But you have provided
yourself with n house collection and de-
livery box and have become your own
Sub-poStma5trr, lSy purchasing cheap
box for paltry two dollars ana 4 half
you engage Uncle Sans services as
messenger boy FOR all such emergencies.
You find your cullclOid pouch. draw out
the washable order slip and wipe on the
old order for yesterdays supply Of
stamps. You observe at the top IS print
cd: "l;ncloscd find s. cents postage on
- unsllmpCd letters" You mark In
the appropriate spaces the number OF
stamps desired and the number Of let
tcrs IL br mailed. You ncNt glance down
the list OF purchasahl2 stamps described
above and make your cross In the little
square block opposite the proper line.
Let us say that You order five twO;. You
enclose twelve cents and write yOur
name and address upon the appropriate
space at the bottom Thus YOU have
paid two cents for = stamp to he placed
upon your letter ut the p0stOnicr and
have enclosed ten cents more for the
pOStman tO bring you five twos. Nou in-
Scrt the pouch, with slip and money en-
closed. into tho collection compartment
OF your box after raising the carriers;
signal As described. The carrier notices
thiG oil his next "trip. and after deliver
lug your mail, II hr had amy for yau. into
the delivery compartment, unlOckS the
box. examines the order and money
through the transparent face Of the
pouch. and. II the proper change Is III
closed. stra iEhtwHy takes your unstamr-
cd letter ana accompanying pouch with
him, dcpOsitlnG both with the proper
official In tho poStOillCcC later. The oin-
clni takes out the money, Inserts the pro-
N,.NVs NF pgn 4 l,n