Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-11-01
GUN FACTORY NOW
ANAL BOX MAKER
First Consignment Turned
Over to Post Office by
Navy Yard.
RECEPTACLES OF BRASS
Their Advent Will Mark New
Chapter in U. S. Postal
History.
RECEPTACLES OF BRASS

The first 100 mail boxes ever made
by the government were turned over
to the Post Office Department today
by the naval gun factory, under ar
rangements whereby the latter is
manufacturing for the postal authori-
ties $500 letter boxes of various types
and materials.
Not only are navy yard employees
who otherwise might lose their jobs
being given work, but the working ar
rangement between the Post Office
Department and the Navy Department
is enabling the postal official to get
new boxes independent of CONNER
cial manufacturers.
Brass and zinc letter boxes. some
thing entirely new in the history of
the postal service, and which are eX-
pected to stand up under seashore
conditions for a half century, are be-
ing manufactured at the naval gun
factory, under the big order.
Boxes Made OF Steel.
The first hundred boxes are of steel,
much like the letter boxes which are
to be found on the streets of the Ma
tional Capital, with the exception that
the letter drop slot is placed nearly
in the middle of the box. This will
letins in a space above the drop, in
which may be given instructions to
patrons as to proper ways of mail
ing. etc.
Use of brass boxes. unpainted. will
furnish something new in postal his
tory. and at the same time afford a
touch of color to the streets through
out the country where such boxes
may be used. One thousand of the
brass boxes will be manufactured OF
the average size. of which a total of
800 steel. brass and zinc boxes will
be made. These boxes are known as
the No. l size. and are the ordinary
box to be found on the street corner
There will be 1000 of the No. size
made, slightly larger: 1900 combina- :
tion boxes. for both letters and par
cells. and 1000 large boxes for parcels
only.
The brass boxes will be placed most
ly at seashore cities. such as along
the Boardwalk at Atlantic City, and
will be allowed to weather. taking on
a rich color. H. II. Billany, fourth
assistant postmaster general, said to-
day that it is expected that these
boxes will last fifty years. in con
trast to the present steel boxes
which last about four years.
The brass and zinc boxes will also
be used in manufacturing cities
where steel boxes wear out in abou,
eight years, as contrasted with the
normal life of about fifteen years OF
steel letter boxes in such cities as
Washington.
The Post Office Department is TAX.
ing opportunity in the present manu-.
featuring operation to experiment,
with the boxes, and some of the new
brass and zinc boxes will be painted
to see what effect that will have upon
their endurance.
Expect Early Delivery.
Elaborate dies have to be made tc
manufacture the letter boxes and thi:
die manufacture has been a necessary
preliminary at the naval gun factory
where several men had to be taker
on in order to carry out the work
scheduled.
The letter boxes carry embossed
letters, such as letter box" and 9th.
er legends, and the dies necessary to
stamp them out of steel and other
metals are rather expensive. costing
about $500. according to Mr.. Billany
Postal officials expect the first de-
livery of the brass boxes between
November Is and December l, prob.
ably about the latter date. They are
looking forward with unusual inter.
est to the boxes made from this ma
terial.
Decision of the government to man.
ufacture some of its own boxes, for
the first time in the history of the
postal service, is expected to serve as
spur to private manufacturers who
already possess dies for turning out
the boxes.