The evening times., 1900-02-09

"The Postofice Deps=t.nent is making
| progress in every direction" said high
Official Of the PostofHce today, both in de-
livering and collecting mail One Of the
great drawbacks to the department has
been the manner in which the mails are
/ collected. The system now in vogue is a
/ time consuming ard costly one.
1t takes a man great deal Of time to
| cover "a long route and open and shut every
/ letter box on it and then il takes him some
| time 10 return 10 the Office. The letter
/ boxes are a temptation to mail robbers
and it is exceedingly difficult 10 catch a
man in the act although when one is
/ caught robbing letter box the penalty is
/ the same as If he entered a Government
/ Postohice. From what I have said IL is
readily seen that the letter box system Of
/ quicker method.
This fact has been known TO the depart
ment for many years and numerous rene
dies have been sugges Ted, hut until recent
/ ly none Of them have proved feasible
/ Strange 20 say the system which when gem
CARLY used viii be Of such great service
I to both the users and handlers Of mail was
thought OF some fifteen years ago by an
attache Of the Postofice Department at
that time
Owing TO the scarcity OF rapid transit
/ street cars it could not then be used. How
ever. the plan was not relegated to the
dusty shelf and there lost sight Of for the
postal authorities realized the value OF such
an idea and il was carefully put away 20
be used when practicable
The system is this A letter box is TO
be placed on eCct car. The boxes which
are Of the ordinary type found on street
corners arc placed just inside the yestibule
by the controller stand. an opening being
made in the side Of the car large enough
TO slip letters through, The side Of the
box from which carriers remove the mail
is next the vestib,le door enabling collec-
1 lions 10 be made without entering the car
The street car companies viii issue di-
/ recuons 10 their employees stating that
while they are not required TO stop at all
street corners for the deposit OF letters in
the boxes, mere therc are no passengers
who wish 10 get on or on they are es-
pected 70 do 50 If they can maintain their
schedule time.
Every courtesy is to be shown the peo-
pie in their use. The boxes are TO be lock-
ed every night by an official Of the Postof-
nee and the postal authorities viii ar
range 20 make collections from every box
on eac'. zip az its nearest point TO the
postoGi e.
We have been experimenting with this
system now FOR about two years and dur
ing that period the time, money. and la
Dor saved by this method has been more
than satisfactory. AZ first the railway
companies charged little or nothing for the
use OF their cars. for having a mail box
attached % each car was great protection
/ 20 their property ia case OF a strike.
''As yet no rate has been agreed 20 which
: is satisfactory TO the street car companies
and the -Postoflce Department though it is
/ thought that an agreement VIII soon BE-
made. The companies VIII be paid for
their aid IN eypediung the collection OF
mails rs the Government does not expect
/ or receive gratuitous service from any
corporation. The street+railWay companies
are paid FOR running mail car trailers.
Il cannot say definitely when this sys-
/ TEN will be inaugurated in Washington
! but the time is not Tar distant Here as
/ in other large cities most OF the car lines
run within couple squares OF the Post
I office, and that is why this innovation is
I so convenient, cheap, and rapid. II will
| be as easy TO make the collections in wet
as well rs in dry weather. and the out
/ lying districts Of Washington as well as
| other cities will be greatly benefited by
I this plan. BY this method e takes about
/ 80 per cent less time than with the old
system.
The collection wagons and automobiles
| used in the collection OF mail in the busi-
/ ness portion Of the city has been Of great
] help TO the department but the routes
I covered by these wagons are necessarily
/ limited while a route covered by the cars
/ is much larger ana is done almost as
! quickly.
The business man has a great many
advantages in the collection and delivery
OF mail, and with a letter box on each
car We can extend these advantages to the
! citizens whose homes are far away from
the POstofice and the business centre OF
the CITY"
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