The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-08-28
Rural Mail Service.

Rural Mail Service.
New regulations concerning the
rural free mail service have been is
sued by the Postmaster General. The
new rules go into effect October LIST o.
this year. Under the new regulation.
persons who wish to avail themselves
of the free delivery must get boxes a.
their own expense or replace those
they already have if they are not VI
to the specifications. Following are
some of the provisionsof the order
which will be of interest to oul
readers:
Each person desiring the rural free
delivery service must erect at his OWL
cost a box complying with the follow.
ing specifications:
Material-All square or oblone
boxes shall be made Of not less thar
20 standard guage sheet iron or shee,
steel and galvanized, the edges Of
which shall be supported or strength
ened either by folding the metal back
upon itself, or by riveting to the edges
band iron or steel at least 1-l6 inch in
thickness and at least inch in width,
or by wiring with at least No. 10 guage
wire: provided, if a box be made of q
heavier material than 20, the above
requirements as to reinforoements need
not be observed.
Circular, semi-clrcular or rounding
boxes shall be made of black iron or
steel, aud galvanized after they are
made, they shall not be made of light
er thae "a guage.
Size-The dimensions OF rural free
delivery boxes shall be, If a square or
rectangular box, not less than 18x6
inches: if cylindrical, not less than 1s
inches long and inches in diameter,
the capacity not to be less than 4ss
cubic inches.
Shaps-Experience has shown that
boxes opening at the side or top are
more convenient than those opening
at the end.
Boxes will come under the pretec-
ton of that provision of the act which
reads as follows:
"Whosoever shall hereafter will
fully or maliciously injure, tear down
or destroy any letter box or other re-
ceptacle established by order of the
Postmaster-Geners or approved or
design ated by him fer the receipt or
delivery of mail matter on any rural
free delivery route, or shall break op-
en- the same, or willfully or malicious
ly injurs, defaoe or destroy any mail
matter deposited therein, or shall take
or steal matter from or out of such
letter box or other receptacle, or shall
willfuIly aid or assist in any of the
aforementioned offences, shall for
every such offense be punished by
a fine of not more than one thousand
dollars, or by imprisonment for not
more than three years.
Each box must be erected by the
roadside, 50 that the carrier can east
ly obtain access to it without dis.
mounting from his vehicle. The same
box must not be used for more than
one one family, except in the case Of
near relatives or those residing in one
house.
Persons neglecting Or refusing to
comply with these conditions will be
regal ded as not desiring rural free
delivery, and the rural carrier will be
directed not 70 serve them.
In oil service heretofore established,
and wherein Inappropriate, unsafe
and unsuitab BILE boxes are in use, the
Department will expect that patrons
Of rural free delivery accepted as a
permanent feature of postal service,
will conform a. promptly as possible
to the foregoing requirements, if they
desire the continuance Of rural free
delivery. These charged with the ad.
ministration of the service will put
this order into effect with frmness
but without undue haste or harshness.
The order prohibiting postmasters
and carriers from assisting in the SO.
lection of rural mail boxes is modi.
fed, to the permitting them to advise
proposed patrons of rural free deli.
very so that in the selection of boxes,
they shall comply with the require
ments of the department, but they are
prohibited from becoming the agents
Of any rural box manufactures in can
vassing for or otherwise aiding in the
sale of any particular box.