The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1925-08-12
Inspector Drake Instructs
the Rural Carriers
CONTINUED from first page)

to be readily accessible TO the car
rier. While it is desirable that al
boxes be placed on the right hant
side of the road in the direction O
travel of the carrier, the Department
does not insist that they be so placed
except when conditions are. such tina
for the carrier to pass from one sid
or the other would endanger his lif;
or the safety of the mails, or be il
violation of state or local laws O.
traffic ordinances. 1t should be re
membered, in this connection, tina
rural carriers have no. special rights
or privileges in the use of roads, bu
are amenable to the same laws ant
regulations as apply to others.
1t is the desire of the Department
that all rural mail boxes and then
supports be kept neatly painted
white and the names of the owners
of the boxes be inscribed on both
sides of the boxes in neat black let
tiers one inch in height. While 1T Is
not an absolute requirement that
boxes and supports be so painted, il
is hoped that patrons may be induced
to comply with the request in this
regard as being to the advantage o.
the equipment itself, adding to the
appearance of the separate boxes, OF
the right of way along which they
are erected and to the civic pride o.
the individuals and the community
1t is highly desirable that boxes be
grouped where conditions are favor
able to such arrangement and the pa
irons are willing to do SO, but such
action on their part cannot properly
be insisted upon.
Patrons who receive considerable
quantities of parcel post matter, or
packages of a size too large to be
contained in ordinary mail boxes,
should be urged to provide boxes of
the No. size. They should be ad-
vised that by doing so their mail will
be promptly received and be protect
ed against injury by the weather, or
from depreciation, and that they will
be relieved of the necessity of meet
ing the carrier at the box or Of call
ing at the post office for their mail.
Unprepaid Mail.
The Department is making every
effort to prevail upon rural patrons
to keep themselves supplied with
postage stamps and stamped en-
velopes in order that the mail sent
out by them may be properly pre-
paid before it is deposited in the
mail boxes for collection by carriers.
While the Department is aware of
the objection on the part of rural car
riers to collecting unstamped mail
and the money in payment for postage
thereon, you should bear in mind that
the convenience of the public must
be considered, and there is believed
to be no particular hardship in i'm
sisting that carriers collect unstamped
mail and the money if the latter is
in coin-holding receptacles or so wrap
pedas to bel easily picked up by the
carriers.
Rural carriers are granted holidays
on New Years Day, Washington's
Birthday, Memorial Day MAY 30),
July Fourth, Labor Day first Mon
day in September), Thanksgiving
Day and Christmas Day. On these
days no service is required, either on
their routes or in the post office.
Christmas was first included among
the holidays in 1928, being authorized
experimentally and with the under
standing that all mail reaching the
post office on or before December oath
would be delivered by the carriers
even if such delivery required an ad-
ditional or partial trip. No protests
resulted from the experiment and in
view Of the large number Of express
sions Of appreciation from the car
riers it is probable that the holiday
will be continued and that the car
riers will be entirely willing to do
their utmost to effect the delivery of
all mail before that day SO patrons
will have no cause for complaint.
Outside Employment.
Rural carriers may have outside in
terests, and accept employment which
will engage their attention when they
are not on duty, provided they do
not permit such interests or employ
ment to interfere in any way with
the proper discharge of their official
duties and no charge can be prod
perly lodged against them of unfair
competition. They are prohibited by
law from soliciting business or re-
ceiving orders of any kind for any
person, firm or corporation. They
are also forbidden to engage in any
business while on or off duty which
shall offer them the temptation to
solicit patronage. They may not hold
any state, county, municipal or
township office, whether appointive
or elective, regardless of whether
any compensation attaches to such
position, and they may not enter
primary or general election with
view to securing political office:
Exceptions: A person in the postal
service may be appointed (not elect
ed) to the office of Justice of the
Peace, notary public. commissioner
to take Acknowledgements of deeds or
to administer oaths, or commission
in State or Territorial Militia, or may
accept an appointive position in a
local or municipal fire department
without compensation, or on school
committee board of education, public
library, or religious or elemosnyary
institution incorporated or sustained
by State or municipal authority, but
will not be permitted to hold such
position if it interferes with his du-
ties in the postal service.
Eligibility to Transfer
Rural carriers are eligible for
transfer to the position Of city car
rier, railway postal clerk Cd clerk in
!. ,,oe%off;no