The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-31
MAIL BOX SCANDAL.
4 Few Manufacturers Were Selected
and Favored by Smith.
LEAKING OUT as A SCANDAL.
Inspector or Personater a Patentee
Mail Box and Brought the
Matter Into Prominence.

Matter Into Prominence.
Mention was made in the Spartan
burg Herald some time ago Of the
very unusual proceeding on the part
of the subcommittee Of the commit
tee on appropriations, in recommend
ing an increase in salary for the super
intendent OF the rural free delivery
service and the chief Of the division
of salary and allowance, Of the post
Office department, without the recon-
menaation Of the postmaster general.
AS a sequel to the episode mentioned,
what promises to be very interesting
matter has come up in regard to the
officials of the poStofhce department.
and it is said that an investigation
will be asked, to be conducted by con-
gress. The matter is in connection
with the box question Of the rural free
delivery service.
During the administration Of Post
master General Smith a regulation Of
the department required that boxes
purchased for use on rural free deliV--
cry routes must be selected from a
certain number OF boxes, approved by
the department, and made by small
number Of the manufacturers Of such
goods. Dissatisfaction was caused by
this regulation, both because the pat
rons OF the service disliked to be
forced to buy certain box, and be-
cause certain manufacturers were ap-
parently favored the regulation. Pub
lie sentiment, together with the infu-
ence Of several members Of congress
who were largely interested in rural
free delivery, was brought to bear up
on the officials with such pressure that
Mr.. Payne, upon his assumption Of
the duties Of the Office Of postmaster
general, had adopted another regula-
tion, which prescribed only the ma
terials and size Of the boxes to be
used, and allowed them to be made by
anyone, who could make a box meet
ing these requirements. This, it was
thought, would remove all the former
dissatisfaction and for time, such
was the case.
It is said now, however, that there
is an understanding between some OF
the high authorities Of the rural free
delivery division Of the department.
on one side, and certain box manufac-
turers on the other, by which repre-
sentatiyes of one Of these companies
are on the ground in the territory
where rural free delivery is to be put
in even before other companies are
aware that the service IS being con-
templated. The companies thus fa-
vored, according to the reports, are
the Corbin Lock Company, Bridgeport
Conn, the Century company, Of De-
troit, tie. Bond Steel Post Company,
Of Adrian, Mich, and a company do
ing business in Toledo.
A story is published to the effect
that one Of The inspectors Of the de-
partment, whose business is the laying
out Of rural free delivery routes, while
on duty in New York, went to Bridge
port, and, under the pretence of being
engaged in the laying out Of route
from that point, assisted in the per-
fecting Of a box in the shops Of the
Corbin company. In short time, it
was decided by the department. to lay
in supply Of about $4,000 worth Of
boxes, and the inspector who had per-
fected the box was one of the COM
mission appointed to select the box of
which 50 large supply should be pur-
chased by the department. The plan,
for some reason, was abandoned.
1t has been discovered, so the paper
says, that one Of the high officials Of
the department is large stockholder
in each of the ompanieS whose agents
have the advantage Of others in being
able to get upon the ground first.
Another feature Of the situation is
brought about by the fact that officers
Of the rural free delivery division are
unquestionably in position such that
they might be able to confer faVorS
upon certain members Of congress, and
in return receive faYors, and N fact
it is stated by the local paper above
referred to that instances are not rare
where a member Of congress, upon in
quiry about routes where he sees no
possible reason for the refusal Of the
department to establish the service,
has been told that nothing could be
done for him in the matter Of rural
free delivery, while others, in the bet
ter graces Of the officials, experience
no difficulty in securing any routes de-
sired.
The operations Of this oligarchy, or
postoffice department trust, as it is
called, may be inquired into by.con-
gress upon its reassembling in Janu-
ary.