Evening journal., 1910-03-03
MAIL BOXES
FOR ALL DOORS
New Plan Would Save Post
men Much Time and
Government Money

one of the most Important sections OF
tho postal appropriation bill now being
considered by tho Hoino reads as fol-
lows;
''That after June 30 leii, mail shall not
be delivered by city carriers at residences,
except where mail reccpiaclos suitable for
tho receipt Of mail are provided at the
door or entrance"
This Is regarded as ono Of tho most
important additions TO the postofhco bill
that has ever been made. II Affects every
householder IN the country where there Is
free mail delivery. Heretofore the order
TO place boxes or rccoptacles at the doors
has been confined TO new districts whore
tho free delivery service has just been in
iroduced. But the Postmaster General
deemed that It would be for tho benefit
of the service at large II tho order cou'd
be extended so as TO include all the cities
I'm the United states. While this move Is
not I'm the interest at this time OF any
patented device or receptacle. no doubt
when some shrcwd person learns Of the
passage of the bill suggestions viii be
made to tho Postal Department to that
end. II should be remembered that the
free rural delivery system compels the
recipient OF letters 70 provide boxes or
olsc their mail Is sent TO tho nearest post
office, The idea at this time is for each
householder TO provide a box OF some
sort or else make a slit I'm the door into
which the mail can bc placed. In order
/ that the people can prepare for the change
the order will not go into effect for ono
year.
Under the ruling OF the Postmaster Cen
eral and Of tho construction of the act
mail will not be delivered unless a box is
prepared. and persons who fail to OBJ
serve the law will be compelled 10 go
to the nearest posofnco for their mail.
/ The reasons advanced for this important
change in tho system OF free delivery in
tho large cities are that so much time is
lost by carriers waiting az the doors un-
an the woman of the house appears that
Il tends to cripple and retard the service.
I'm some cases this waiting amounts TO
nearly "a minute. Where boxes are pro-
vided the carrier IS expected TO pull the
bell and then go TO the next place. This
would result IN "a great saving Of time.
The subject has been gone into carefully
by the experts of the Postofncc Depart
ment. and their summary Of the situation
is interesting.
IL is estimated that every letter carrier
i'm the United States. while in the act OF
making a delivery, loses IS seconds. This
is based on tests made In the cities OF
Boston. Mass. indianapolis. Ind, and
wichita. Kan In Boston p seconds were
lost al indianapolis, Is 1-i0th seconds
Wichita. II IA seconds, thus making the
average about 1S The fun result is givcr
below
Number Of letter carriers in United
States 81 900.
Deliveries OF mail matter (piecc9 pei
day, 7.75o,0o0
Seconds lost with each delivery. IS.
Total minutes lost per day, li9i, sos
Total hours lost lin one day), 2fs6i-
Equal 70 CS-hour day. in one working
day. 3.l32 days.
Thus the department experts estimate
that the entire letter. carrier force Of the
lccuntry loses in one day what would equal
one month IL waiting Tor the householder