The Washington times., 1901-12-29
MAIL COLLECTION
TO BIZ EXPEDITED
AUTOMOBILES TO Be EMPLOYED,
Horse and Wagon Now Used TO BE
ReIcGatcd 10 the Rear-Waiting
for The Perfection of
Suitable Vehicle.
Wonfers viii never cenee.

The Postoffiee Department is actually
contemplating replacing the small. anti
quated. dilapIdaied, odily-shaped and Pc
culiarly propelled mail collection wagons,
which take up mail from letter boxes all
over the city, by up-to-date electric au-
tomoblles, built according TO twentieth
century methods. Experiments In the
kind OF wagon desired by the Department
arc now being conducted, and one model,
which suits the officials in charge, has
been tested and-proyed unsatisfactory.
But the inventor. Who lives in Chicago,
is still trying. and Major James L. Bell,
superintendent OF carriers of the city
postoflce, is in hopes that ultimately he
Will be successful.
The rickety little collection wagons
which have been used at the Capital sc
long as to have become a permanent FIX.
ture Of tho place, are among the most
characteristic sights of the city, and tc
remove them-maLe them go way back
and retire into oblivion, together with ths
bob-tailed, mule drawn horse" car-i,
held by persons to whom the memsSy Of
the past is so dear a thing to be it'll,
less than high-handed outrage. But the
Postofice Department is progressive. i
must go forward.
Automobiles Wanted.
Automobiles IT must have, ana automo.
biles it VIII have. just SO surely as som,
man with the proper creative genius car
/ be found TO contrive one. He must be
! peculiar man. for the vehicle he will b,
called upon to invent viii be 4 peculiai
/ contrivance. In spite of the motto OF tn,
/ Postofiice Department. which IS in effec
| never 10 go backward. the big carryin,
! branch of the Government is a curious
mixture Of progress and Chinese exclusion
/ OF progress.
II must have a collection wagon mod
| eled upon TIE lines of the present one
/ The reason for this is that the letto
carrier, on tours Of collection. must b
! constantly getting in and out Of hi
| wagon, ut every corner or so, and, Q
course. the department points out, /
would be impossible for the men to us
a vehicle s-......- upon The lines OF 4 hanssI
/ cab
Uncle Sam has not been brought to tn
realization that this is actually the az
Of progress. and that collection Of mai
should not be done by man power. bu
1 by electricity. or some kindred force Thi
f.. in effect the proposition OF some maj
IN Montana. who has written the Depart
ment upon the matter. graycly suggcstin
a scheme Tor automatic collection q
nails.
Defects Of Orc Design.
The collection wagon designed by tn
Chicago man. which pleased Suyerintcnd
ent Bell. had one great defect. and it i
feared that this one thing may prcyen
the plan being put into execution. Tn
defect is that on account OF the number G
stops necessarily made In the course Of
tour OF collection the power stored UP 1
the vehicle IS rapidly exhausted, and N
wagon in consequence is apt TO be lei
STRANDED far from the central Office.
II was demonstrated by experiment
that more power is necessary TO opcrat
one OF these wagons over a fairly sma
mail route than would be required I
propel the vehicle Gfteen miles In
straight direction without stops. So iaan
stops are made and the speed must be 20
up so many times in succession that hi
plan viii no doubt be abandoned. The yt
hicle in question WIS operated BY clol
| tricity. II is pCrsible that gGsoleDe ma
be tried with better success, and Il 1T
wagon which shall meet all the require
ments may be evolved.
Relic of Former Days.
The present collection wagon in use
a relic OF former days. which. howeve
continues to be satisfactory. No thoi
oughbred draws 1t along the streets upo
its failing wheels. but. on the contrary,
shaggy, placid beast. content to amb
gently along through April showers al
December SHOWS with the same innai
resignation.
1t is at night when the click OF the le
ter box Is heard, that one peering throug
the darkness may observe the ghost
chaise and pair, one horse and one lett'
carrier, moving along in the shadows, co
lecting letters and papers. and gre
punches OF Congressional documents. n
shaggy horse knows the route, as the hun
cry hobo knows the free-lunch Stands
and he follows IL without guidance.