The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-11-25
new RURAL CARRIER.
Missouri Man Invents Electric
Mail Carrier.
PLAN is SAID TO BE A CHEAP ONE

Will Distribute and Pick up Mail at
40 Miles an Hour and a Small Motor
Will Run Eight Routes
An aerial mail carrier has been in
vented by G. G. Kitterman, OF Bolch-
son. aud tested at St. Joseph. Mo. He
claims that if accepted by the govern
ment thai it win do away with rural
carriers, for it can perform their tasks
for much less than 5000 a year.
The aerial mail carriers can be oper-
ated at the rate of forty miles per nour,
he SAYS A circuitous route fifty miles
in length can be covered with ease in
two hours, leaving at each farm house
its consignment and picking up the
mail to be sent Off.
According to Mr.. Kitterman eight
routes may be operated out OF one city
at total cost of only 81 a day besides
the salary of the man in charge OF the
engine and dynamo. One hundreu
dollars mile is the cost OF construct
ing the line, and Chicago firm has
apreed to manufacture the carriers for
s5S each.
A dynamo, a small engine, the line,
and the carrier with receptacle at
tached to and suspendedIfrom it are the
component parts of this system. From
each pole along the line wooden arm
extends. Reaching down from each
arm are two iron rods about two feet
apart, with hooks on the ends to hold
the wires. The carrier. machine
with four small wheels and weighing
about ten pounds. run along on top OF
these wires. From the carrier is sus-
pended large sheet iron receptacle
which contains number OF smaller
tin boxes. To the carrier is attached
small electric motor A two and one
half horse power engine provides suffi-
cient power to operate eight routes out
of one central station.
Before the carrier starts on its de.
livery small oblong tin boxes, one for
each patron along the line. are placed
in the receptacle. These boxes are ar
ranged from the bottom upwards in the
order in which the farm houses are sit
uated.
Each box has a number correspond
ing to the number of the patron to
whom it is destined Each farmer
along the route is provided with cor
responding box in which he puts mail
going out, and then places it on a small
zinc shelf attached to the pole in front
of his home. When the receptacle
reaches the first station, an iron hnger
projecting from the pole passes through
an opening in the bottom OF the recep-
tacle and shoves out the box consigned
to that patron. simultaneously the
tin box in place on the zinc shelf is
showed off into the top of the big re-
ceptacle. This operation is repeated
at each station.
The out going box from each farm
house must be in place. even if the pa
tron has no mail going out that day. by
an electrical arrangement the placing
of a box on each zinc shelf ls register
ed at the central station. The man in
charge thus knows when each patron
has looked after his station properly.
Should any patron fail to have his box
on the shelf at the stated time-say 10
o'clock in the morning-he will receive
M mail that dav, as his box will not be
placed in the receptacle. Thus the or
der of the distribution is not interferred
with by the dereliction of any person
alonp the route Webster City Feee-
man.
Charles Mead in Ida county locked a
thief in a cave recently, and then went
away On business not telling his wife
ANYTHING about what he had done. In
fact he did not know it himself. He
went down and locked the door, and
the thief being inside was afraid to
make his presence known, and trusted
to luck TO get out later. After being
in the cave "a hours Mrs. Mead had
J, occasion to go TO the cave and when
she unlocked the door the thief struck
her and knocked her down and then
made his escape.