The Somerset reporter., 1900-03-29
Star Route Box Delivery.
fKennebec Journal

The most recent advance in the postal
service l. the establishment Of " hat j.
called the star route box delivery a. All
improvement Of the present system Of
carrying mails in country districts aud
10y stages, which are generally denom,-
mated by the government as star routes.
| Congressman Burlrigh. who thorough.
| ly understands the requirements Of hi
rural constituents and Is always alert TO
obtain advantages for his district that
the government will give 10 any part OF
the country. and who believes that the
voters Of the third district are entitled to
the very best, obtained one of the first
routes of this kind ever established
which went into effect the first of the
present month.
Arrangements have been made IN
various sections and instruction issued
! that:
ANY person living CD or near any
Star Route in the State who desires his
mail deposited In box on the line Of
the route by the carrier on said route
may provide and erect suitable box on
the roadside, located in such manner
as to be reached as conveniently as prac-
ticable by the carrier, and such person
shall file with the postmaster at the
postoffice to which his mail Is addressed
| (Which shall be one of the two post.
Offices on the route on either side OF and
next to the box) a request In writing for
the delivery of his mail to the carrier on
the route for deposit in said mail box, at
the risk of the addressee.
ut shall be the duty OF the postmaster
at every such postoffice, upon written
order from any person living on or near
| . ha 1alf -,
ma carrier for that route any mail
matter, except registered mail, with in
structions as to the proper mail box into
which said mail matter shall be deposit.
ed; but no mail matter so delivered to a
carrier for deposit shall be carried past
another postUtfice on the route before
being deposited in mail box.
The carrier on the Star Route will be
required TO receive from any postmaster
on the route any mail matter that may
be intrGsted to him, outside of the usual
mail bag, and shall carry such mail mat
ter TO and deposit it in the proper boxes
placed on the line of the route for this
purpose; such service by the carrier to
be without charge TO the addressed.
"fhe law provides that every carrier
of the mail shall receive any mail matter
presented to him, if properly prepaid by
stamps, and deliver The same for mailing
at the next postof1iee at which he arrives
but that no fees shall be allowed hin
therefor.
1t Is probable that advertisements fol-
the new contracts on the star routes il
the State of Maine will be advertised al
an early date, and Congressman Burleigl
has already been consulted by the dc
partment relative to the practieabilty OF
this extension being made general il
such contracts. II already exists TO
limited degree by parties erecting thes,
boxes in front of their houses. as will bt
seen on every country road; but this i!
merely a matter of mutual accommoda
ton by the mail carrier and the patron
} of the office, for which the latter pays
the carrier gratuity. Congressman
Burleigh, however, has endorsed the
project so that it is hoped it will becom,
general in this district; and instead of {
private payment of fees the work will b,
, done at government expense and will b,
very general.
By this arrangement it will be seel
that almost all the good work of tn,
rural free delivery is performed by thu
star route carrier. 1t is safe TO conclud
that whatever advantages can be obtain
ed in the postal service in the third dis
trict will he looked after closely "A
Washington and as far as possible OBJ
tanned.