Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-09-29
THE RURAL DELIVERY.
Extension of the BrattlebOrO Cir
cult into DummerstOn.

Rules Call for Boxes 20 Receive the
Boxes which Are Used In OIher
Places.
Mention was made last week that z. F Hutches,
a special agent Of rural free delivery. had been
in town to look over the route OF the local car
rier, established year and half ago in districts
/ and q, resulting in his decision to recommend to
the department certain changes Of the present
route, and such extension north from the town
line as would include delivery to a dozen or more
families, who though residents of Dummerston
township, receive their mail through the Brattle
boro post-office 1t is understood that his report
will advise the extension OF the route to j. +.
Houghtons and Lewis Lynde's, thence westerly
TO the "Nourse farm" corner and Scott farm,
meeting the present limit at b. S. Baestier's; by
this circuit doing away with the present doub
ling over the same roads, from Mrs. Miller's and
Baiester's to the Waite corner, and yet leaving
the total dist nee travelled by carrier well inside
the 20 mile average of rural routes, as demon
strated by measurement The carrier & compensa
ton was few months ago increased from the
original $500 TO $500 per year.
Mr.. Hutches expressed surprise that so few Of
the patrons have complied with the rule of the
department and provided proper roadside boxes
to receive their mail and directed the carrier to
notify them that some sort of a receptacle must
be located in places convenient for the car
rer on the highway, failure to do so
to be regarded as an Indication that
the service rs not desired General cOtnpl-
ance with this requirement will allow the carrier
the needed time In which to serve the additional
district contemplated.
1t is expected that people on side roads or be-
yond the limits of the route will take advantage
of the service by putting boxes at convenient
places on the main roads Travelled by the carrier,
boxes which will protect the mail from inclem-
ent weather.
Mr. Hutches says that in many places visited,
while all the patrons do not have locked boxes, a
great many have them. Many do not especially
need locks on they are within sight of the resi-
dences Of owners. They are usually homemade
wooden boxes that can be constructed on the
farm, erected on a post or tree near the road and
reasonably safe, serving their purpose very we'll
considering The mail stays in tn box a very little
while. They are often made with sloping covers,
to shed rain, with hinges, and arranged to open
either at the side or top, with holes in them 70
receive mail
In one small Michigan town there are IS boxes
on one Of the routes and 81 on the other, and In
many of these two, three and even four families
have mail placed In WATERFOWL, n Y, retail
| druggist and a clothing merchant supply boxes
| to all those patrons who will take them. They
provide a wooden box m lde of three-quartei
| inch pine lumber, is inches long by by
inches, outside measurement; the top projects
| over the end, having the opening about three
| inches. hese dealers paint the boxes and also
| their card on the side, and present them to the
patrons. They very substantial box, anC
| the patrons are very anxious to possess one
J Special Agent Hutches has also recommends
the erection of iron collection box, furnished
| by the department, at the Waite corner on thu
| Putney road.