Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-08
TO IMPROVE MAIL SERVICE.
Experiments to Be Tried by the City
Post Office.

Postmaster Merritt contemplateS the In
PRODUCTION of a number of improvements In
the local mail service during the course OF
the next few months. One Of the most I'M
portant of these is the new mail box that
is to be installed in the business section OF
the city. These boxes are of an entirely
new pattern, and are said to be PROOF
against the wiles Of Sinking mail col
lector. Several months ago contract was
entered into by the office with the hrm
manufacturing the boxes to place several
In service for the use Of the office as an ex-
pertinent. For some reason the company
failed to keep it's agreement at that time.
but has notified the Office that within the
course of the next few days another trial
will be made to place the boxes In service
These boxes, it is believed. will be what the
post Office has been waiting for for years.
The boxes, when placed in service VIII pc
arranged in q regular route and WILL De
numbered. IN, -
placed and as the collector opens each noA
the fact will be registered In the once. Inns
feature alone would make the box attrac-
tive for the office, but 1t Is ciaimea ny tne
ma nufa cturer that it has other desirable
points that outshine even this. In case Tn ,
annupciator fails to work there is a secona
eIectricA attachment on the box Wn!cm
nreyents the collector from opening ND. Z
box unless he has Also opened No. l., OF
from opening No. until after NO. mas
been opened. This will insure tnat every
box will be opened and the mail Collected
nv the collector. But that Is not all the
manufacturer claims for his product II, al
any time, the collector desires to communal
cate with his Office all he has to 90 Is TO
insert his hand in the box, where ne WIN
find q telephone receiver ana transnittei
with which he can call up his chief or any
nerson In the Office. The men in the once
can call up the collector in the same man
ner through his box when the annunclatoI
signals that the coiecloF mas oiiNo a.
the box
The first assistant postmaster general mas
authorized Mr. Merritt to accept the oner
OF local automobile company 10 proVia re
automobiles for a test as to the use OF
these vehicles in collecting mails, provided
the cost of the test shall not De cnafseo 10
the government In accordance with tn's
permission Mr. Merritt is making arrange
ments for the tests, which are to be car
RED on under the direction OF MAJ. James
q. Bell, superintendent OF free delivery;
The automobiles will be tested under all
conditions. There have been such tests In
this city heretofore, but none OF them was
satisfactory to the government, and, there
fore. little was done toward using autos
regularly for collection purposes.
The condition of some Of the horses now
heing used in the service. as weli as the
dilapidated appearance OF some OF the
wagons has moved the postmaster to make
renewed efforts to secure additional faclii-
tfes for his Office and resulted in the proner
of the automobile company of the vehicles
to be used for the purpose. 1t Is posi-
HE that the tests will begin some time
this week.
extension of the free delivery service by
carriers to Benning. This community mas
not enjoyed the advantage of delivery OF
{ fem will be fnaugurated some time In Feb
ruary next Major Bell has estimated that
two additional carriers would be sufncient
/ to carry on the work. and the appointment
of these two has been authorized The
{ routes viii be laid out In the near future,
and as soon as the arrangements are conn
nleted the deafverey Of the mail Will begin.