Evening star., 1924-06-10
APARTMENT HOUSE
MAIL THEFTS EASY
Survey Shows New Type Mail Box,
Still Incomplete, Fails to
Function Properly.
LOCKS NOT YET IN PLACE
Post Office Says All Will Be Well
When They Are Installed.

Opportunities for easy theft Of first
class mail exist in several Washing
ton apartment houses where the new
type of mail box is in process of in
stallation, survey of the situation
today showed.
In at least two apartment houses all
a thief would have to do would be to
dip his hand down and draw out the
mail. The whole thing would be just
as easy as that. and this despite the
fact that the new boxes are designed
houses" according to a notice issued
by the Post Office Department in Sep
tember last.
At the Westfield apartment. new
structure at 31st and r streets, and at
the apartment building numbered
1914 G street che whole front of the
boxes designed to be locked by the
city post Office, are left open, while at
the Coywood apartment, l. street be-
tween 18th and 18th street, boxes are
similarly open, but the mail is left
on table in the rear of the hall.
Locks ut Once.
Officials Of the Washington city
post Office say that as soon as the
manufacturers have complied with all
the regulations in regard to this type
of box, locks and keys for the master
door," which is supposed to shut
over the entire nest" of individual
locks are now in the possession Of the
office. but will not be put in until the
regulations are complied with.
Manufacturers of the nests OF
failed to comply with the regulation,
which reads:
THE several receptacles shall be
identified by number and shall have
affixed to the interior, where 1t can
be easily read by the carrier when
the names of the persons receiving
mail through such receptacles."
Lack Name HoIder~.
At the Westfield apartment and the
apartment at 1914 G street. the sur
vey showed. the apartment holders
have their name and apartment num-
Der above each box, but none of the
holder for the names of the persons
living in each individual apartment
Residents complain that the mas
ter door is down all the time, and
individual boxes by placing it in the
wide-open' top of each individual box,
which opening is now left wide open
day and night. Blotters and other
advertising matter are placed IN the
boxes in the same manner as used by
the postman, and the residents de-
clare that any one. at any time. might
reach in and abstract their mail.
The post Office says that this is a
matter for the apartment house own
err to take up with the manufacturers
Of the boxes, and that at present it is
placing the mail in the open boxes
merely as a matter of accommodation,
since the regulations have not been
complied with. When the holders are
placed in each box, the key and lock
will be furnished, and then the whole
master door can be locked, prevent
ing any one but the mail man from
reaching in the top. When the big
door is locked, each individual apart
ment resident has an individual key,
which allows him to open a small
door in the front of the master
door"
At the Monmouth apartment. ia
nous in the annals of the District
Rent Commission. nest" of boxes
has been approved, and is now in op-
Grafton. These boxes are OF wood
and no more of such material will be
approved, it Is stated. Each individ-
ual box opens by combination known
only to the resident Of the individual
APARTMENT No requirement has been
inforced at this apartment as to name
plates within each box. owing to the
fact that this apartment-hotel has
lobby and desk, at which inquiries
may be made by carriers as to who
occupies each apartment, IL nece ssary.