The Jasper news., 1901-09-12
IN REGARD TO MAIL BOXES
PEOPLE OF 1ALTY IN A GUAM
DAIRY OVER THE MATTER.
Some Have Boxes that are Not OF
the Regulation Pattern and
they are Causing
Trouble.

| The residents OF the Malty neighbor-
hood living on the rural route recently
established from Golden City, are in
quandary as TO the matter Of mail boxes.
A number have put up home made box
es and some have had Mr.. Baynes, Of
this city to make them tin boxes, but il
appears that the carrier has been in
structed not to put mail in boxes other
! than those kinds which have been APP
proved by the Postmaster General.
There are fourteen different kinds of
boxes which have been approved by the
posiofiice department, bit some of the
farmers considers it an injustice to COM
| pei them to put up a Gel tain kind Of
box, especially when many Of those pre-
| scribed are unreasonably high in price
This same difficulty was encountered
on the recently established routes from
Lamar, and the Postmaster at that
place wrote to the Postoffice Department
to see il it was absolutely necessary to
$, lect the boxes from the list of IA. Fol
lowing is the reply, and it will b. seen
that the ordrr is expected to be obeyed:
WAsHTNGToN, AUGUST 2, 1901.
The Postmaster, Lamar, Mo-,
Sir:
Your letter of the 25th utmo, explain
ing that on account of the failure Of
crops the people in your vicinity feel un.
able TO purchase rural mail boxes, has
been duly received. While the. Depart
ment regrets their misfortune it cannot
make au exception an allow them TO use
insecure boxes. The Department does
not intend to work hardship on anyone
and on routes where the service is al
ready established, or was in operation
previous to May l, 1901, the carrier must
continue to serve any suitable, well
made box, whether Of metal or of wood
which was erected on or before above
mentioned date. Amy new boxes erect
ed on these routes hereafter must be So.
lected from the ii which have been APP
| proved by the Postmaster General, and
which are enumerated on the enclosed
card.
The patrons are to have complete lib
erty in selecting boxes from the list of
Ii as given. No influence in favo7 of
my particular box is to be brought TO
bear on them by either the carrier or the
postmaster.
! BY direction of the Postmaster Gener-
n it is required that on all rural free de
livery routes hereafter established those
I desiring the Service must be prepared TO
put up ia the manner prescribed by the
Department one of the boxes enumerat-
ed in the enclosed list.
While the Department desires that
boxes be uniform on each route it
has recently decided not to make uni
ormity Of boxes an absolute require
ment. As the carrier will be required TO
carry different master key for each Of
The IA styles of boxes used, should so
seen that the fewer styles or design used
the more conveniently and easily will
the work Of the carrier be performed,
and loss Of time will be prevented.
You will note that among the boxes
named, some are quite Inexpensive.
Respectfully,
A. w. MACHEY,
General Superintendent.
The fact that an agent for one of the
regulation boxes, which sells for $3.50,
has almost tried to force his style Of box
on the residents along the route, has
douhtlessly had a great deal to do with
the dissatisfaction. However, it is not
necessary for anyone to pay $3.50 for a
box unless they prefer that kind, as
there is one style in the lot of IL, Post
master Wade informs us, which can be
b1ught, IrDyided number Of farmers
go together and get number at time,
at 81 each, including the names paiLted
ON the boxes.
1t is understood that some who have
had boxes made by Mr.. Baynes have
charged from the Golden City route to