Cleveland County herald., 1920-12-23
MEITE:REI) Hi,<.I.
 NEXT NOVELTY
New Eleetris Rsqice WiII Permit BuslpeSS Concerns 10 Can
 eel Their Own 0utaut.
VALUABLE T0 LARGE 1AAlLERSs
Will Save Several Hours in the Ian. ding of Mail and Will Protect Firms From Loss Of Stamps
 Through 7hsts.

Washington Metered mail" is to be the next novelty in the rapidly de veloping postal system of the country, remarks the Washington Herald It has received the indorsement of con gross and the postoffiee department and is scheduled to make it's appearanrt 'Ritlin the next two months.
 I Metered mail will be sealed, stamped and cancelled by the individual own&r Of a meter. The mail then will be taken to the postoffice and placed i'm nWdiately upon an outgoing train with out necessity of remaining in the post office until handled in routine fashion.
 Metered mail is provided for in d rider on an agricultural bill passed a;
 the Inst session of congress. This rider grants to first class mail matter the registered permit privileges now enjoyed by second class mail. Instead , of beins required to stamp each letter Q firm TOW will have the privilege ot @'taining a mailing permit, thus eY- pediting Its mail. Under the postoffice plan. which soon will be in effecs firms will be able to lease postal meters that have been authorized for use by the postal authorities. The local postoftice authorities will register the meter and will issue a permit number to the firm. Meter Operated by Electricity.
 l. metallic box, about the size of lunch box. It will have two small doors which will be locked by the postal authorities and securely sealed. A 1 firm will take the meter to the post l office and buy desired amount of postage. The postal authorities will adjust the meter so that it will stamp and cancel just SC many letters and nc more. line number Of letters for which advance postage has been paid will be automatically registered on the lower of the two doors and the postal authorities will keep a record of the amount Of postage sold to each meter owner, so that an absolute check may be kept.
 The firm will keep the meter at it's offices except when it is necessary to buy more postage. The meter will be 1 operated by q small electric motor. The letters will he fed into the meter il | patches and Will be sealed, stamped | and cancelled at the rate Of 25O q min. ute. As the letters are handled the | meter will automatically record the number of cancelled letters on the uD- mechanism of the meter so that the time stamped on the letters will be one hour in advance of the time of de. livery of tie letters at the postoftce.
 Help Large Matters.
 The meter, 1t Is expected, will prove Of great value to large moilers. Tn at>. ditiOn to saving time and labor the meter wifi enable large firms to eX- pedite their mail by at least several hours. The meters will protect firms from loss Of stamps through thefts or and will also give mark Of distinction to the drm's mail, all Of which vii! bear private permit nuIn- Der, mark of big business The motoring of the mail also will tighten the work of pOstoftices and will lessen the number of postage stamps neesled, thereby making it possible to reduce government forces and expenses cor 
 Metered mali wii! uot bear regular postage stamps, but merely a permit number.