Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-01-20

a Dandy Post Oftlce.
Randolph is just nov pointing Will
special pride ct its post office, handsome
y rehtled IN quartered oak, golden i'm
ish, ana completely up 70 date in ever
particular. The woodwork from th,
Bourn- Hadley company of Templeton
Mass, Is of simple but elegant design
and polished 10 the last detail, the interi
or being quite as hne Is the part mere ex
posed TO public scrutiny.
Beginning ct the Merchants Row OF
south end of the office. one comes first tc
the money order window, then TO the reg.
istered-letter window, next to the STAMP
and general delivery window. Under all
these Is broad smooth shelf and In their
openings metal screen work. The frame
has triangular projection into the outer
Office and at the apex are 275 lock boxes
in three sizes.
400 call boxes and the call box delivery
window, while the space from the call
boxes to the north wall OF the room Is oc-
cupied by the slides, through which to
mail letters and parcels, and the door to
the inner office. The framework extends
to the ceiling and in It are many glass
closed spaces which serve the double pur-
pose OF ornamentation and the admittaDce
Of light to the inner ONCE.
The lock boxes are OF the keyless pat
tern With com bination locks and Monday
morning II was a scene for a painter
" hen a pleased and Interested populace
toyed with those combinations and either
crowed gleefally when a box consented to
open TO their manipuIations or threatened
TO move out on a rural route ia order to
get their mail delivered without cracking
burglar proof receptacle.
Postmaster Eldredge instructed each
renter OF box in regard to his combina-
tion while everybody else hung over his
shoulders to drink in the information,
and Il certainly looked as though some
one ia the crowd With a good memory
might easily get the run of the whole box
area and enjoy an extensive reading OF
postal cards and one-cent letters. How
ever, the danger appeared less threatening
vi hen Il became evident that very few
could even remember their own combina-
tions, let alone those OF their neigh
Every mail was joyfully welcomed as an
other opportunity for practice, and each
one gravely searched in vest pocket for
the slip hearing his number and the mys-
tic letters, carefully adjusted bis specta-
Giles and proceeded to turn the dial and
do the trick with a group of friends
watching his movements in breathless in
terest. II was q matter OF regret that
there were not more mails day, but not
a few found excuse to open their boxes
batween trains when the stages and the
rural carriers came in.
As matter OF fact the whole place il
nightly tiekled with the new contriv-
ance and with the knowledge that it can
now change it's clothes and leave its keys
in the other pocket with so much less an
noyance. All that remains to ensure
complete happiness Is keyless front door
com animation, which can be successfully
operated even after a Christian Brother
hood supper OF University club orgy.
The waiting room of the office has been
considerably reduced in size but II is still
sufficient and in the big window fronting
on Main street is nice long writing
desk for the accommodation Of the pub
lie.