The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-20
EVERY Man A POSTOFFICE.
Elaborate Experiment to Be Tried
By Department.
HOUSE TO HOUSE DELIVERY COL
LECTION AND SALE OF STAMPS.

Portland One of tho Cities Where the Eek.
pertinent Is to be Tried-Eophones for
the Navy-Portland Captains Testi-
mony in Their Favor.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J
Washington. February 19.-The city
post office in Washington has begun the
house to house collection of mails and
sale of stamps, etc., which is to bs insti-
tuted very soon by the post Office depart
ment in several leading cities of the
country, including Portland, Me. The
conditions of the esta blishment of this
great convenience is that the householder
who wishes TO avail himself of it shall
provide himself with door or fence let
ter box Of one of two styles approved by
the Post Office Department..
The two styles Of letter box approved
by the department are. First: A comhi-
nation box for inside use. This box re-
ceives the carriers deliveries, and enables
householdsrs to post letters. magazines,
newspapers, small packages, and such
other matter as is ordinarily carried by
letter carriers, without going out of the
house. The postmaster at ST. Louis
when this box was tested, stated in his
report that it can be adapted to almost
any situation. 1t can be placed outside
as well as inside. 1t is adjustable to
doors, porch rails, and may be co instruct
ed in the walls of houses during or after
con struction.
livery box to be placed on the exterior of
walls, fences and other like supports, for
the reception of mail and delivery by car
riers. and in which householders can de-
posit mail to be collected by carriers.
In practical application this system
has been found to work very satisfao-
torily. the carriers being able to unlock
the boxes and get the mail at the same
time that they are delivering letters, and
do it all quicker than theyScan ring bells
and wait for people to appear and gst
their mail. The householders also are
delighted for the reason that it enables
each to have postoffice in his own
house.
The sale OF stamps through the house
letter boxes is to be conducted as follows:
The Department has devised an official
stamp selling envelope to be supplied
and used in this way. The numbers and
denominations of the stamps are to be
SO regulated that even money will always
be required and so there will be no both
er of making change.
The envelope will bear the following
directions. which explain the whole sys-
TEN. *
''This envelope is the property of the
United States. une. Two and Five cent
postage stamps, in the following quanti-
ties, only, viz:
Five One'a, Twenty five Ones
Five Two's, Twenty five Tw0's,
Two Five's,
will be delivered by letter carriers to
users Of tho officially adopted House
Collection and Delivery boxes, when Or
de-ed in this envelope according to the
following directions: Mark with cross
the square (thus X ON order slip, oppo
site the number and denomination Of
stamps you want delivered to you; or it
you wish to post unstainped matter, in
dioate that in the place provided, In the
same.manner. Write plainly name and
address on lines indicated on order slip.
Place in this envelope the order slip,
with the exnct amount of money to pay
for stamps ordered, and in such aman-
ner that carrier can read order and count
money, without removing either from
the envelope. Fasten end of order slip
to the envelope front In the manner pro-
letter. box as you would all ordinary let |
ter. The carer will deliver the stamps
in the regulation envelope on first trip
after the collection IF order; and where
unstamped matter is posted with money
to pay postage for same as above directed
he will collect same on first trip and post
age will be affixed to 1t at the postoffce,
and it will be forwarded by first mail. |
If money found in your envelope. will not
correspond with cost of stamps ordered,
the carrier will Immediately return the
envel ,pe. toithe delivery compartment of
your box. Unstamped matter will be
collected by carriers, when found in box, |
together with any regular order for
STAN and an excess Of money equal b to
the hostage of the unstamped matter. |
Carriers cannot make change, and must
not be detained in the conduct of this
business.
Although in the last days of its exis-
tence the House of Representatives is still
considering at frequent intervals con
tested election cases. 1t seems odd that |
the right off, man to his seat in legis- |
Istive body should be allowed to be held |
in allegiance until the very last day of
the body to which hesoaims to be elected. |
Yet such has become the immemorial.cus- |
tom of the house, aud has become SO of |
necessity. There were over thirty seats |
contested at the beginning CT this Con- |
gress. In order to dispose of them as
soon as possible Speaker Reed devised |
the plan of having three instead Of one |
elections committee. Yet even with this |
treble force. the cases have dragged on |
till this time. The work has been done |
very impartially, yet there is considerable |
criticism. In the Fifty-frst Congress,
when the Repu Dllcan majority was mar
row the Democrats made use Of that fact |
to cast prejudice against the republicans. |
Yet the election cases of that Congress |
were decided as fairly as ever before in |
Congress. The casa over which there was
the greatest howl. that of tho Vest Viz |
ginia contest, was one in which the most /
unblushing frauds were practised by |
4oia L. -, ho