The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-10-27
LOCAL FAST MAILS.
Trolleys to Snap up Mails by a Mail
Catcher OH Electric Cars.


ME NirSinian is in receipt of let
tor from Il pittsburS inventor c.. Il.
McAllisicr, who states that he will soon
lay before the postoilice department Il
new plan for facilitating mail dis
patch TO cities by means Of the street
cars. lie claims it is entirely feasible,
pE the aid of suitable contrivance
Whicn has been subjected to several
satisfactory tests. no adapt our street
cars TO the collection of mail while the
cars are III transit, in the same man.
ner as that in which mail bags are col
lected by railway postal cars, that is,
while the cars are in motion
y suitable mail catcher. on the car
VIII take up the letters from n letter
noN specially designed for such use and
paced on similar pole to that now
used, but which will stand by the side
OF the car track. 1t is designed Ia
place this box Immediately by the side
GU the tagging crossing by which the
prhiic pass across the street 4 dis
,ithce oi eight inches from the track,
so mat IN posting letters therein the
pubic would only have to exercise the
clihe care as to passing vehicles as
they do now in going over the way TO
use one OF the existing corner boxes.
ne DoN, however, will be Surmoun ed
oE an inGcniously arranged guard Z"
Niter lGtorS arc posted in this box the
hrSt car passing on it's way TO the
'ostotiice. would, in Il momentary con-
'act between the mail catcher" on il
ana me box so containing the letters.
eaten up the letters automatically in
Just the same way as the mail bag is
taken up by she postal car
Within the mile radius that consti-
.u'eS the centre OF city, these boxes
would not Ire used. In that small terri
Tory the public would use the existing
poNeS as now, from which three or four
c"liectors would collect continuously
ana drop the letters continuously into
| inc receptacle known as the Catcher
ON the passing cars. II is claimed thot
| WIN the myriads of car lines and Tho
ever running cars in the central SOC.
ti"n This would insure to the business
| quarter collections about every five n,
| ten minutes
| ne inventor proposes TO further fol.
i"W out Inc analogy furnished by postal
! operations on The steam railways by
| having n general system of transfer.
| ing the mail from one road To another
RMS VIII he done by transfer agents mi
| me functions OF such roads as do mol
pass me postolllce. In this way, som,
one line say. passing directly hy The
noStofli"ce door. would ultimately dc.
ilEer all the mail collected on all the
'HnSr ines in or out of the city, at thu
iolh': IN ms way, it is said. that let
ters In the central section would acr
tne poStoiice in Il very few minutes
att|r being posted. Letters i'm The eli,
at large would get TO the sorting tablf
IN about ten 10 thirty minutes, and 10y.
terS from the rcmotest adjacent towns
| would he IN the mail pouches for out OF
town dispatch far more quickly than
! ce'a'rll letters are now. The collec.
IONS themselves would he continually
taxing place, night and day, by IN,
! ever speeding cars. which would tbus
practically he minute collections. 1t is
| CANNED that this would immensclv
s,Nh''ia'e the special delivery branch d,
/ 'he postoilice service by rendering i,
possible to post n special at any limo
! "l ihe day or night IN one OF the cleo
| tEic ears, which would carry II irmnd-
l'tne'F 20 Inc postoiiice. where the post
! Once messengers could immcdiatnlr
! :!"ard n car with it and deliver il NJ
It's destination.