Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-02
Mail Boxes Will Be Placed On
West Side of Augusta-Water-
vile Highway Eliminating
Danger of Present Location
Near Car Track-New Order
Effective Monday

In order that the mail boxes on
oversize Drive which have been so
located that they have been a serious
menace to automobile drivers NAV be
SO placed as to obviate this danger.
the POST Office Department has de-
creed that Rural Route No. l, which
serves riverside Drive, the Church
Iilii ROAD and the southern part of the
town or Nassalboro, shall be reversed.
Inns order became effective on Mon
DAY, the driver now leaving the River
road at North Belfast avenue, and
travelling up through to Vassalboro
returning to the river road about
nine miles from this city.
The trouble has been caused by the
lact that the tracks of the Andres
coggin and Kennebec railroad run
parallel with the main road for q
Instance of four miles, and so close
20 the road that in order to comply
win the ruling of the post office de-
partnent that all rural boxes shall
be on the right side of the road it
was necessary to place them so that
they were over the very shoulder of
the road. This, particularly at night,
was very dangerous, as automobiles
Wnen passing might easily collide
with one of the boxes or their sup
ports and serious accident might
result.
Several solutions were suggested
including that of making turn outs"
at each box on that side and having
the boxes situated on the outside of
the car track. This would of course
require that the post man should
drlve upon the car track, a danger
Gus thing in itself and would also
require considerable outlay for gravel
to make these approaches. Another
suggestion was that all boxes be
placed on the left side of the road
Tor the four mile distance on River
side Drive but this would REQUIRE
that the mail man drive against the
current of traffic on that road, which
IN the thick traffic of summer would
also be very dangerous.
The only solution that seemed to
offer safety to the postman. has,
therefore been adopted by the post
office department, although it means
that they cannot follow their rule of
serving the greater number of boxes
first. In this particular case the
greater number Of rural patrons are
on Riverside Drive and the upper end
of the route. By the new routing this
part of the route is served last. This,
during the summer months when the
carrier uses an automobile is not of
such great importance but in the
winter it means a difference of sew
eral hours. and in some cases of no
mail at all, as during heavy storms
there have been many times when
the carrier could make several miles
on his route before having to give up
the attempt and return to this city.
In a letter recently received by
Herbert Locke. City Solicitor. who
has been looking after this matter for
the city. Post Master John c. Arnold
of the local post office says:
Effective November /, 1926. r. F.
d. route No. /, from this city will be
reversed, the carrier travelling in the
opposite direction to that at present
This will make the travel over River
side Drive from the Vassalboro line
to Augusta with the delivery of mail
by the carrier on the right hand side
of the road as he travels toward the
city, thus eliminating the rural boxes
now located in the public highway.
Il regret the delay in accomplish
ing this change but the proposition
had to be treated from many angles
and 1t was only within the past week,
since I conferred with the Depart
ment's inspector on rural routes,
that the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General has authorized the change.
II thank you for Your cooperation
in this matter which was quite SER
ious from the standpoint of safety to
the rural carrier. the patrons of the
service and those who travel the
high ways.