KinSource - Tale of the Week - Not A Delivery Horse

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The Clara City Herald, August 3, 1906, p. 1

NOT A DELIVERY HORSE.

Number of Things That a Rural Mail Carrier is Not Allowed to do Under the Law.

"Now that the rural free delivery system has been so extended in this country - in fact, it will be but a short time when the merry rural free delivery carrier will be trotting over the snows and ice peaks of Alaska - the department is in contant receipt of letters asking what they may carry on their routes besides themselves and their mail", said a post-office department official to a Start reporter.

"In the first place, they [can't] carry any liquid that stimulates either on the inside or the outside of their person; intoxication means instant dismissal, and they are dismissed when they are detected drinking off their routes. Nor are they permitted to carry spiritous liquors for the accomodation of their patrons; personal friendship doesn't go with the department in their cases, and no exceptions are made with this rule.

"Rural letter carriers must carry the mail and nothing else, even though business houses seek oftimes to make errand boys of them. Carriers must not, either in person or through others, directly or indirectly, by any method whatever, solicit money, gifts, or presents; nor issue for profit souvenirs or postal handbooks nor co-operate with or assist the publishers of the same to secure the patronage of the public. They are also barred from compiling or assisting in the compiling of directories for public use. Business firms with large mail lists have caused us a great deal of trouble in attempting to engage the carriers as their agents, so we have strictly prohibited them from furnishing the names and addresses of patrons on their routes for pay or favor to any business establishment, or to any individual except to department officials who are entitled to them under the regulations.

The department has received letters from patrons complaining because the carriers have refused to carry their milk cans. This is funny but it is true, and it shows what some people in the country think the rural delivery was established for. Carriers are not permitted to carry passengers, nor to permit any other person other than authorized postal officials to ride with them or to have access to the mails. They must not engage in any business during their prescribed hour of service or conduct any business after hours which offers the temptation to solicit patronage on their routes, or which, by reason of their position in the government service, gives them special advantage over their competitors.

"We rigidly bar them from acting as book canvassers, insurance solicitors, sewing machine agents or acting as agents of any kind in any occupation. We allow carriers to carry merchandise for hire upon the request of patrons residing upon their respective routes whenever it will not interfere with the proper discharge of their official duties under such regulations as the department may prescribe. The country storekeepers try to use the carriers vehicles as delivery wagons, but the government is not in that sort of business. We allow the carrier to receive no compensation from the seller of merchandise, and where merchandise is carried on the request of the patrons to hire for the carrying must be paid by the patron.

"We get thousands of letters from all over the country just on this one point what carriers may carry on their route. If the rural delivery patrons would only remember that the government is not in the express business they would save themselves, the carriers and the department a great deal of trouble". Washington Star.