The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-17
TROLLEY CAR
LETTER BOXES
PostoffIC0 Officials VIII Test
Ba|timorean's Device.
CARS WILL NOT HAVE TO STOP
There Would 30 fsxsr DELAYS 90 The LIass
and Strikes Would Also b DiseouT-
aged, II Is Claimed.
CARS WILL NOT HAVE TO STOP

Washington. d. c.. Nov 1.-THE time
when a man will mail the letters his wife
gives him by dropping them into slot
in the side of street car may not be far
away The postoffice department has
made plans looking TO a thorough testing
OF a system devised by a man In Balti-
more In which a slot In the side of every
street car In use In the land will be the
accepted place for the deposit of letters.
Some time ago the department appoint
ed a committee OF three experienced post
office men to study the system. The COM
mittee has made Its report. and Il n
unanimously In favor Of having the sx-
pertinent tried in at least two cities.
The department Is trying now to find
enough OF the scheme To equip . suffi-
cient number of cars to make the test
free OF charge to the government. There
Is no money In the treasury that can be
used for such q purpose.
MIGHT AFFECT STRIKES.
The advantages to street railway COM
panies IL the plan were put into opera
ton are obvious. In tho first place the
government would pay something for the
service. II payment were made on the
basis In use for transportation Of the
malls by steam, the compensation would
make the business Of carrying the mails
more pronatble than that of transporting
passengers, weight and trouble consid-
cred.
In the second place. every car in the
United States would have placed upon Il
the magic letters and the words. "U. 8.
Mail" Cars carrying signs like that may
not be stopped without serious tsouble
for those who cause the stoppags. Strikes
would therefore be almost impossible.
Even IL they were declared, the whole
power of the United States would be in
voked TO cause the ears TO be moved.
The system invented by George B. Nc
Allister provides that each car shall have
a mail box. Letters may be thrust into
the receptacles from either the outside or
inside of the car. An ordinary letter box
opening Is to be placed on the inside for
the benefit of those who are riding.
For those who have no desire to ride.
but have letters they would like TO get
to the main office In q hurry. a long and
wide slot along the side of the car Ia
provided 1t IL TO be so long and SO widy D
that there will be no trouble for the per-
son trying to mail a letter even on q rap
idly moving car.
DETAILS OF THE PLAN.
1t is intended. however that the rar
shall run slowly whenever there is a per
son at the crossing waving a letter Nc
Allister's idea is that those desiring to
mail letters shall stand on the left hand
crossing Those desiring to board the
car In nearly all cities use the right hand
or far crossing. The idea I'm having those
who merely want TO mail letters stand
on the near Crossing In that the motor
man will not be compelled to bring his
car TO a dead stop for a letter only
The plan contemplates the use OF all
cars for mail collection purposes Cars
that do not 80 to the post office are TO be
relieved Of the mail by cars going to the
office, the change from one car to an
other TO be made at the crossing nearest
the ONCE by men in the mail service
Nothing Is TO be done In the matters by
the employees OF the street railway com
panies. They are merely to slow up
when a person stands on the corner and
waves a letter or other mailahle na reel