The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-03-29

1SO IA II N1 a DOAESs
When rural service was first intro
duced as an experiment and up to
August l, 1901, there was no require
ment as to the kind of boxes to be
used for the reception of mail on rural
routes, but patrons could and did
erect any kind of receptacle for the
purpose that suited their fancies-
and those included every conceivable
kind-cigar and cracker boxes, oil and
powder cans, old bootlegs. tilng and
shingles nailed together, affording no
protection from the weather and as
unsightly as they were Inappropriate.
As result Of this condition, the de
partment was constantly receiving
complaints of losses of or damage to
mail, necessitating Investigations
involving both time and
expense. There were also complaint
from the owners Of property in front
of whose premises such reecptacles
had been erected by others, that they
were disgrace to the community and
to the service, accompanied by de
mands for their removal
These complaints become so numer
Gus that the Postmaster General, with
view to obtaining the adoption Of a
standard that would enable patrons to
provide themselves with boxes tina:
were weather rroof and fit reccptacles
for mail, and at the same time would
be in keeping with the ideas contem
plated for the service, appointed com.
mittee, CO imposed of postal officials, to
examine and report upon boxes sub
mitted to it. This committee selected
fourteen, boxes from the number sub
mitted, and these were approved by
department order of March 2Sth 1901,
and it was required that in all rural
delivery service established on and
after August l, 1901, only these boxes
should be erected and used.
1t having developed that the order
of March %, 1901, gave The manu-
features Of the fourteen approved
boxes an advantage in the business of
supplying boxes, another order was
issued by the Postmaster General
dated July 9, 1902, providing that in
all service established en- and after
October l, 1902 patrons must provide
themselves with and erect boxes con-
forming to the specifications therein
set forth and approved by the Post
master General, as provided in the
order. By the terms of this order any
person or finn could obtain the ap
tain ths approval OF and manufacture
boxes, provided they conformed to
the specifications and requirements.
Since the PRONUNCIATION of this 1919
individuals and firms have qualified as
the manufacters of 299 different styles
g approved boxes, varying in price
from SO cents to 81 each, the average
price being about 81.
Since it's promulgation on July 8,
1902, the department has been stead
lily enforcing the order and elimina-
ting all non-approved rural mail box
es, whether erected before or after
October l, 1902, the date the order
became effective, and out of the thou
sands of boxes condemed complaints
have been received from not more than
one-tenth Of l per cent. of the patrons
affected.
The department has left the plac-
ing Of the boxes entirely to the ca:
price of the patrons. In this matter
llltie ,.Lv.ce would be in order.
Every mail box can be placed on a
neat post and made an adornment in
stead Of an eys-sore by the road side.