These small boxes on each floor and the main receiving box which was located at the bottom of the mail chute in buildings where these were installed, were manufactured by James G. Cutler, who received patent #284,951 for his design. Cutler was the only manufacturer of mail chutes and receiving boxes until 1904.

The first mail chute was installed in the Elwood Building in Rochester, New York in 1884

An interesting history is located here;
http://www.si.edu/postal/learnmore/cutler.html