Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 167, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1913 — MAIL EXCHANGE WORKS WELL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAIL EXCHANGE WORKS WELL

New Idea Tried Out Has Received the Sanction of the Government Railroad Mail Service. A new mail exchange is being tried out in California and has been pronounced a success by the representatives of the government Railroad Mail Service department of the post office as well as by the officials of the railroad company along whose line this device is being used. A 16-foot tower is erected at each mail delivery station. At the top of these towers are a pair of great semi-circular horns, while the tower at the base is imbedded in cement and surrounded by a small platform. The mail train Is equipped with a pair of rails on the ceiling of the car. On this is placed a steel arm on wheels, which arm, attached to a chain, raises a large steel hook when pushed forward. A spring retains the arm in position. A steel ring which clamps the mail pouch is attached to the arm and a ring of the same type is attached to the arm of the standard. The hook on the standard points in one direction and that on the train in the other. As the train passes the hooks

run through the rings picking up and delivering the mail at the same time. The pouch, caught on the train hook, is deposited on the floor of the car while that on the tower awaits the arrival fit the postmaster to be released. Automatically upon the release of the pouch the arm. travels back into the car while the steel horns on the tower tip upward absorbing most of the shock, and at the same time making the track clearance required by the railroad department of the government.

At Mile a Minute.