The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-10-27
Local Mail Delivery.

/ baolleueu III obDWHfRhH fDuIfs Wtf' ihlu
! out for Two carriers. on which each
would make in two deliveries and Two
COLLECTIONS about seventeen miles a
day, this being the distance expected Of
carriers under like circumstances 10 other
places. l. was soon found that the VOL
ume Of mail and the local conditions
were such that the carriers could not
possibly make their routes In the eight
hours which, by the rules Of the depart.
ment, they are allowed to labor, and
application WAS at once filed for an add
tional carrier. After quite a delay and
the necessary inspection by the agent Of
the department, third carrier has been
allowed and Milford Withee as such has
commenced bis duties. This involved
redIstrlcting of the streets covered by
each carrier, the present arrangement
being as follows:
John j. Maven, carrier number one
Mount Pleasant Ave, Oak, Olive, Fac
tory, Milburn, Poplar, Railroad, French,
Cedar, East Front. South, Free, Mechsn-
ic, Hathaway, Main, Willow, Bailey and
Bloomfield.
Ed P. Whiting, carrier number two:
Water, School, East Leavitt, North Ave,
High, Heselton, North East, Maple, East
Maple, Winter, Prospect, Dyer, Jewett
and Madison.
Milford Withee, carrier number three {:
Madison Ave. to Hotel COburn Stables,
Elm, Pleasant Middle, Summer, Coburn
Ave, Russell, Cross, Court, High,
Leavitt, Lawton, Winter, Spring, Water,
Island Ave, Main, West Front, Pine,
Turner Ave, Bridge and Alder.
Changes in the above assignment will be
made IL necessary and, II found practic-
able, new streets or extensions on streets
not now entirely covered will ultimately
| be made; but this will come after a
careful trial Of the system as now laid
out.
Until the addition OF the third carrier
we have been having two collections and
two deliveries each day, but the second
delivery, that for the evening train, has
almost never been completed, as it was
! impossible for the two carriers to do 1t.
We now have two collections and
two complete deliveries, over all the ter
ritory vered by the system, and an ad-
dilional collection and delivery for the
business section only, this delivery being
OF mail from the 1890 train and the
collection being made for mail for the
L. 5 train. This business collection and
delivery will cover Russell and Water
streets to Hotel Heselton, and Madison
avenue to Hotel Coburn.
| There are many things which the peo-
pie receiving mail by carrier can do, each
to his own advantage, and at the same
time to the general Improvement OF the
service by which all may benefit. First
and most essential OF these, everyone
should see to it that his mail is addressed
to his street and number. Each carrier
has the care of mail for nearly a thous-
and people, comprising the families on
his route and their guests which from
time to time receive mail in their care.
Moreover this list is constantly chang
ing. The accuracy with which they
route and deliver the mail to so many
different persons is truly extraordinary,
but the whole matter is greatly simpli.
lied II each piece Of mail matter is ad-
dressed to the street and number OF the
residence or business place for which 1t
is destined. great aid to secure this
result is to have all business stationery
printed with the street and number OF
the firm using same, and, II not printed
on paper used for social dependence
the street and number should be written
as part OF the date or of the signature
From this time on patrons will be TT.
qured to provide suitable receptacle
for mail matter. Either a letter box OIL
chute In the door will be approved but
the latter is preferable as 1t furnishe;
better protection from the weather, and
it must be at the front OF the house,
accessible to the carrier. If box or
chute is behind screen door, as is often
the case, the door must be left unfssten-
ed. The orders OF the department are
very strict with regard to these rules
and failure to observe them will result
10 mail being left at the office.
! Each carrier finds on his route one or
more residences where the watch dog Ia
worthy of his name and makes 1t his
duty to exclude the postman along with
the rest of the public. The rules OF the
department do not require carrier to
take any chances In this respect; the
dogs must be taught to discriminate or
be securely chained, otherwise their
owners will have to go to the postotiice
for the mail. The rules of the service
also state that each householder shall
keep an open walk from the street to his
door during the winter; not an unreason.
able requirement.
With reference to the amount Of time
which a carrier may work Uncle Sam is
very particular; 1t must be just eight
hours, and il the report shows either
less or more an excuse for the variation
must be noted. lis carrier works five or
more minutes over eight hours, he is
subject to a reprimand; If the otfense ia
repeated, he is fined onc-halt days pay,
and for the third offanse one full days