A second, larger version was developed in 1929 for bigger parcels. With just two rivets, three axle bolts and four screws and nuts, it was simple, durable and inexpensive. A front latch mechanism helped protect mail inside the box. The arch also helped with mass-production, reducing the need for precisely bent sheets. The boxes were constructed from light-gauge painted steel, with an arched top to prevent water and snow from accumulating and to help the structure maintain its shape. Anyone could produce the box and postmasters kept a list handy of the companies that did. Eventually, the Post Office Department turned to their own Roy Joroleman to design a better box. “Everyone had an idea as to what to use for a rural mailbox with the result that I was asked to design a box,” he wrote in his journal. Still, even the more limited offerings had issues - particularly when it came to larger parcels. Close up of a Joroleman mailbox door with latch by Rootology (CC BY-SA 3.0) Until the Post Office put a stop to the practice (conflicts of interest), some mail carriers even talked up boxes on behalf of manufacturers. Patrons who failed to comply (above, left) were warned that service would be cut off, and advised to buy one of the 14 boxes the Post Office had reviewed and deemed suitable for the task (above, right).