Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-18
PRACTICE OF PLACING LOOSE
COINS IN MAIL BOXES MUST
BE STOPPED.
PUBLISHES
LETTER
Calls Attention Of Patrons to the Sup
plies of Stamps and Stamped
Envelopes Handled by
Carriers.

rural mail routes, where 1t has become
habit to place loose pennies IN the
mail box with unstamped letters, and
expect the rural carrier to supply the
stamp, place 1t on the letter and serve
as general lackey to the patrons, Post
master F. A. Nimocks has written q
| letter for publication stating the regu.
lations and stopping this practice. He
calls attention of the patrons to the
fact that the rural carriers carry with
the mails, a supply of stamped envel-
opes and stamps for the accommoda-
ton of the patrons, and that these
supplies should be purchased and the
time of the carrier not delayed by the
search for loose pennies In the letter
boxes. Then too it is stated by the
carriers that too often the money
! the amount due for the postage Of the
and this the carrier has often to make
good from his own pocket The
carriers have registered kick on
this score and are sustained by the
postmaster and the department as
| we'll. The letter will be of interest to
the rural patrons, Of whom the post
master states there are number
guilty of the penny habit.
Asks For Publicity.
The following letters have been re-
ceived from Postmaster Nimocks re-
garding the rural mail delivery rules:
Ottumwa Iowa, Feb. Is, 1911.
To. the publisher Of the ottumwa
Courier:
You will do the post Office great
favor If you will publish the following
letter, especially in your Tri-Weekly
| Courier for the benefit Of rural pa
irons. If it is not convenient for you
to do so, can get the same out in
letter, but I feel that the Courier
would be the more effective, If you
have the space to run it.
Respectfully,
Frank A. Nimock, Postmaster.
The Letter.
Ottumwa, Iowa, Feb. 16, 1911.
| To the rural patrons Of the Ottumwa
post Office:
On February 10, 1911, I wrote to
every patron on the Ottumwa routes
that commencing February Is, 1910.
rural route letter carriers would not
be required to collect loose coin from
the rural mail boxes.
This was ordered by the fourth as
assistant postmaster general in letter
to me dated January 26, 1910. In the,
Official Postal Guide published Febru-
AIRY 1910, we find the following:
Rural carriers not required to lift
loose coins from rural mail boxes.
"Postmasters at rural delivery Of
fees are advised that, commencing
February Is, 1910, rural letter carriers
will not be required to collect loose
coins from rural mail boxes.
Patrons should enclose coins in an
envelope, wrap them securely in a
piece of paper, or deposit them in
coin holding receptacle, so they can
be easily and quickly taken from
boxes and carriers will be required to
lift such coins, and where accom-
panied by mail for Dispatch attach
the requisite stamps.
"POstmasters should promptly an
nounce this policy to rural patrons
through whatever means they may
employ, without expense to the de-
partment."
1t is very easy matter for you to
buy stamped envelopes from the car
lCA. Ou Cdl SCI OO SCdIupCu CAVOA7
opes for SLOT. This is paying the
regular rate for the stamps and only
Z cents for the 50 envelopes. Or you
can get Is stamped envelopes for 81
cents. If you do not care to do this,
you can buy the stamp books of two
cent stamps or books containing one
cent stamps.
There is no excuse for constantly
placing pennies in these rural boxes
and taking up the time of the rural
carriers, as 1t is inconvenient not only
in picking them out of the box, but in
aff1xing the stamps. This, as I said
before is not a ruling of this Office. It
Is ruling of the postmaster general
and our instructions are to enforce it.
After March J., If patrons continue
to throw loose pennies in the boxes
Unfortunately, carriers will be in
structed not to collect them, in accord
ance with the ruling of the department
rural carriers are required by the
regulation to carry stamped envelopes
and stamps.
Respectfully,
Frank A. Nimock, Postmaster.