The city has the absolute right to ban all news boxes since they interfere with the "public thoroughfare."

The Times has about 1,000 news boxes in the city.

City officials estimate there are now 50,000 news boxes on the streets, compared with 25,000 five years ago.

If the proposed restrictions lead to a court challenge, it would not be the first over the use of news boxes.

A rapid increase in the number of free neighborhood publications has also added to the proliferation of news boxes.

A 1984 agreement between the city and five major newspapers restricted the size and placement of news boxes.

The other day, one news box contained not a free circular but a leftover Chinese dinner.

If rules on news boxes were proposed in the city, she said, "We would do everything we could to lobby against it."

A quarter clanked down into the news box.

Serge had just begun pulling away when he noticed a row of news boxes.