Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-14
BOX DELIVERY.
The Details Of a Great improvement: in Countr,
Mail Delivery.

The immense success of the rur,,
free delivery and the satisfaction NJ ;ts
patrons all over the United States. has
caused such demand for it's OK
tension that although Congress an
prooriatcd ten times as much money
tnls year as before. there is not enough
money to extend as rapidly as is de-
sired. Ii is we'll known that in this
section OF the country numerous peti-
tons Fave been signed for other routes,
and that the ones already existing are
proving of the greatest convenience.
1t being impossible to obtain all of
the routes that are asked for here. the
postoiIice department about a year ago
commenced experimenting on an ex
pcdient designed to assist the rural
free delivery in conjunction with II.
Congressman Burleigh. with his usual
foresight. obtained about the first ex-
perimental route ever established. in
VassalbOrO. where the ordinary stage
line received extra compensation for
what is called box delivery along the
route.
The success on this line and others
lead to the advertisements being post
cd for the service for the next four
years. containing on most all stage
lines what is known as the box de-
livery.
On July LIST, all the routes leading
from Augusta, with the exception of
the line to Belgrade, and all other
kennebec stage lines, will be conducted
under the box delivery system, so that
patrons on these lines will be able to
obtain their mail in exactly the same
way in which it is delivered on rural
free delivery routes, by following the
simple rule laid down the postof.ice
department and published herewith.
ANY person living on or near the
route herein described, and not within
the corporate limits of any town or
within eighty rods of any postofice,
who desires his mail deposited into a
box on the line Of the route by the car
rier on said route, may provide and
erect suitable box on the roadside.
located in such a manner as to be
reached as conveniently as practicable
by the carrier. and such person shall
file with the postmaster at the post
office 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) request in
writing for the delivery of his mail to
the carrier on the route for deposit
into said mai, box, at the risk of the
addressee.
1T shall be the duty Of the post
master at every such postoffice. on a
written order from any person living
on or near the route, to deliver to the
mail-carrier any mail matter, except
registered mail. with instructions as to
the proper mail box at which said mail
matter shall be deposited; but no mail
matter so delivered to carrier for
deposit shall he carried past another
postotiice on the route before being
deposited into a mail box.
THE carrier will be required to re-
ceive from any postmaster on the
| route any mail matter that may be in
| trusted to him. outside of the usual
mail bag. and shall carry such mail
matter to and deposit it into the
proper boxes placed on the line of the
| route for this purpose: such service
by the carrier to be without charge to
| the addresses.
The mail-carriers must be able to
| read and write the English language
and be of sufficient intelligence to
properly handle and deposit the mail
| for boxes along the route