Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-09-05
. RULES FOR CARRIERS

Some Things That the Drivers of Mail
Wagons Should Mot'&be
Asked to %. ID.
Now that the rural free delivery
system has been extended in this ceun-
try-in fact, it will be but a short
time when the merry rural free deliv-
cry will be trotting over the snow and
ice peaks of Alaska-the department
Is in constant receipt of letters asking
as to just what carriers may carry on
their routes besides themse yes and
their MALL" said postoffice depart
ment official to a Star reporter.
"In the first place, they can't carry
any liquids that stimulates either on
the inside or the outside of their per-
sons; intoxication means instant dis
missal; they are dismissed when they
are detected drinking off their routes.
Nor are they permitted to carry spir-
ituous liquors for the accommodation
of their patrons; personal friendship
doesn't go with the department in
these cases, and no. exceptions are
made with this rule.
"Rural letter carriers must carry
the mail and nothing else, even though
business houses seek oftimes to make
errand boys of them. Carriers must
not, either in person or through
others, directly or Indirectly, by any
method whatsoever, solicit money,
gifts or presents; nor issue for profit
souvenirs Or postal handbook nor CO.
operate with or assist the publishers
of the same to secure the patronage OF
the public. They are also barred
from compiling or assisting in the
compiling of directories for public
use. Business firms with large mail
lists have caused us great deal OF
trouble in attempting to engage the
carrier as their agents, so we have
strictly prohibited them from furnish
ing the names and addresses of pa
irons of their routes for pay or favor
to any business establishment, or to
any individual except the department
officials who are entitledto them under
the regulations.
"The department has received letters
from patrons complaining because the
carriers have refused to carry the
milk cans. This is funny but it is
true, and it shows what some people
in the country thinkIthe rural delivery
was established for. Carriers are
not permitted to carry passengers, nor
to permit any person other than au-
thorized postal officials to ride with
them or to have access to the mails.
They must not engage in any business
during their prescribed hours of SER
vice which offers the temptations to
SOLICIT patronage on their routes, or
which, by reasons of their position in
the government service, gives them
special advantage over competitors.
"We rigidly bar them from acting
as book canyassers, Insurance solici-
tors, sewing machine agents or acting
as agents of any kind in any occupa-
tion. We allow carriers to carry
merchandise for hire upon the request
OF patrons residing upon their re-
,spectfve routes whenever it does not
interfere with the proper discharge
OF their official duties under such
regulations as the department may
prescribe. Country storekeepers try
to use the carriers vehicles as delivery
wagons, but the government is not in
that sort of business. We allow the
carrier no compensation from the seller
of merchandise, and where merchan-
disc is carried on or by the request of
patrons the hire for the carrying must
be paid by the patron.
"We get thousands of letters from
Gil over the country just on this one
point-what carriers may carry on
their routes. If the rural delivery
patrons would only remember that the
government is not in the express bus
mess they would save themselves, the
carriers and the department a great
deal of trouble. w ashington Star.