Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-25
FREE DELIVERY.

postoffice appropriation bill on Mon
day, Senator Tillman secured the
adoption of an amendment, "requiring
the collection of mail from and the
deposit of mail in boxes located along
the route where the mail is carried by
contractors, the boxes to be erected
and maintained ,at the expense OF the
persons so served" This is the same
amendment that was offered in the
house by Congressman Stokes, and the
understanding is that it will now be-
come a law.
This amendment means great deal
for the convenience of the people OF
the rural districts of this section.
There is nothing new in the idea.
People. who have given attention to
such matters have had it in mind for
years. The ENQUIRER had CORES
pondence with Congressman Hemphill
about it years ago, and then afterward
with Senator Butler. But that CORES
pondence was not very encouraging.
The postoffice officials either did not
understand what was desired, or were
determined not to make the change
that was asked for. The following,
sent by Senator Butler in reply to one
of the last letters that we wrote on
the subject will show how the depart
meut looked at the matter, as far back
as 1894:
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF
THE SECOND ASSISTANT PosTMAsTER
GENERAL,
WASHINGTON, D. G., 5tb Feb'y, 1894.
Hon. NJ. C. BUTLER, United States SEN
ate, Washington, D. c.:
SIR have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of letter addressed to you on
the lst instant by Mr.. w. D. Grist, OF
York vile, s. c., and by you referred to
this office, relative to incorporating feat
ures of the free delivery into star route
service.
In reply submit a copy of letter re-
Gently written by me in answer to
similar suggestion. 1t reads as follows:
. n
"You suggest scheme which contem-
plates the erection of mail boxes by the
department along the lines of star routes,
at intervals of one mile, in which the
public may deposit their mail, to be col
iected by the mail carrier and delivered to
the next postoffice on the route; also that
the public shall place other boxes at vari-
Gus convenient points along the route IN
which the carrier is to deposit mail ad-
dressed to them that he has brought from
the preceding postoffice.
"The department has heretofore had
under consideration similar plans which
have been suggested, and while at first
glance they may seem to have some mer-
It, am of the opinion that it would be
impracticable to put such an one into
effect. One of the principal objections to
il is that it would, to very great extent,
deprive mail matter of the security which
now surrounds it and which is such an
important essential in mail transportation.
The carrier ON the star route would have
access to large part of the mail passing
over the route, j. g. {: to all mail which be
took from a postoffice outside of the
pouch to place in the boxes, and to all
mail which he collected from the boxes
and carried outside of the pouch to the
next Office.
ut must be remembered that mail car
riers on star routes are, as a class, unlike
the letter carriers in our cities. The latter
are employees of the department selected
by examination under the civil service
commission with reference to the duties
of their positions, and must possess d
higher degree of intelligence and educa-
ton than is necessary in star carrier, and
are under bond tor the faithful discharge
of the trust imposed in them.
"a star carrier is contractor; or, more
often, an employe Of contractor with
the government for the transportation OF
the mail in locked pouches between post
Offices. Thousands Of carriers have the
qualifications necessary for their present
positions who are not fitted for the duties
of the service suggested by you. If the
department were to apply to star carriers
the same requisites as to qualifications
that are exacted of city letter carriers, it
would undoubtedly result in very large
increase in the cost of the star service.
"Again, under your plan, every carrier
on route must have key to the govern
ment box, which would give him access
not only to the boxes on his route, but to
the boxes on any other route unless it
were attempted to have different set OF
locks and keys for each star route, OF
which there are about 10000.
ut will also be seen that all the people
or families in any neighborhood would
expect to have keys to the box in which
the carrier was to deposit the mail for that
neighborhood. Thus each of such resi-
dents would have access to the mail mat
ter contained in the box addressed to any
of his neighbors.
"Then there is the item of equipment
for such service. A box to be furnished
by the government for every mile of star
service would mean 25O,OOO boxes, an
equal number of locks Of different pat
terms or combinations, besides the Keys;
and this does not include the boxes, locks,
and keys that you propose to have the
public furnish.
II believe that upon reflection you will
agree with me that the plan you suggest
would open the door to an extent of losses
and depredations to mail matter that
would be inconsistent with a proper hand
ling of the mails, and that private mail
matter would be given publicity that
would be exceedingly unsatisfactory TO
the public"
1 believe that the most practicable way,
of supplying rural districts for the pres
ent is through postoffices established in
communities where they are needed, the
postotfices to be provided with such SER
vice as the cost of route, productiveness
of office, and other circumstances may
warrant.
l return herewith Mr.. Crisis letter as
requested by you.
Yours respectfully,
J. LAMM BELL,
Second Asst. P. NJ. General.
The suggestions contained in the