Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-10
LETTER DELIVERY
TO HOMES ASKED
Benning Citizens Demand
Post Office Give HoGse-to-
4 House Mail Service.

/" Residents in northeast Washington,
between Bennings and the District
Time, began a drive today on the
fWashingtor city post office for city
scarrier delivery service to their
homes, several residents having writ
ten TO the postmaster asking for such
@ervice.
Some of the residents have taken
sfheir mail boxes down from the cor
ners where they had them placed and
have placed them at their front doors,
awaiting a carrier who never comes.
When such persons want their mail
mail man on the streets he is direct
ed to travel.
Officials at the city post office point
Fsed out today that although a city
letter carrier delivers mail to the
territory in question, on account of
the lack of paved sidewalks and
other improvements. as called for by
the postal laws and regulations the
tcarrier is not allowed to deliver to
homes on such unimproved streets.
Boxes Protected by US.
Persons on such streets have their
letter boxes placed at corners passed
by the carrier-who makes his rounds
their boxes to get their mail. All
such boxes are protected by Uncle
Sam, the same penalty existing for
tampering with them as with letter
boxes in the main part of the city.
Residents of the Northeast who do
not get full-fiedged city letter car
rier service have been petitioning the
post office for several years, and this
year some have claimed that the
post Office four years ago promised to
give them such service.
1t was pointed out at the post office
today that no such promise was ever
made. nor could be made. the post
office having no power of itself to
extend carrier service.
Each extension must be authorized
by the Post Office Department., which
first sends a postal Inspector over
the route he making recommends
tons after he has considered the mat
ter of sidewalks, street lights. etc.
Residents may have been told, pos
tai officials admitted, that in case
tley met the requirements as to
modern street improvements they
would be given door-to-door letter
carrier Service.
Streets impossible.
1t was stated al the post office that
many streets in the northeast Sec
ton of the city, particularly beyond
Pleasant. Md, are absolutely impass-
able in winter, it having been impos-
sible in the past even for rural car
rierS TO get over them.
Ii was said there are no more rural
carriers in the District
Many of the houses sit far back
from the road, officials say, and it
would be impossible for the carrier
To take the time to personally dis
mount from his car and carry letters
and parcels back to the houses.
Others Ask Service.
Glendale DRanuood RurrviI1e
Grant Park and other places desire
full city letter carrier service. The
one answer of the post Office to the
annual pleas. which gather momen-
tum about this time each year, is
that such service will be accorded
when so per cent of the streets are
improved. have sidewalks, and other
improvements are made.
Residents of the section, officials
said. are given one delivery a day,
without fail, whereas in the past.
when IT was given rural service.
often did not get one complete de-
livery. it being impossible for the
carrier to get over some of the roads.