Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-05-02
THE NEW YORK POST.OFFICE.

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The Post.Ofice of New York city yields
an annual revenue to the general Government
of more than 100000. The amount of
mail matter handled daily is sixty tons, and
the registered letters and packages during
1876 number 1,766,790. A very important,
as we'll as very interesting feature, in the
present postal work is the fact that gold is sent
through this medium from California. The
first to begin this system was the banker, Sci.
igman, who discovered that bag contain
ing four pounds, could be sent by mail and
called registered letter cheaper than by ex-
press. Nearly $5,000,000 have been sent in
this manner in few months, delivered with
perfect safety. Another feature is the trans.
mission of bonds sent hither from Europe. One
concern in this city has received 100000
of such property through the Post-Of
Eleven millions came at one time, and its
owner came with a large trunk, in which it
was packed, and bore away his treasure with
a very small amount Of trouble and expense.
The reader will at once see the financial re-
sponsibilty resting on a man in Mr. James
position, and it is not surprising that he is re-
quired to give bond to the amount Of 81 ,2OO,-
600.
The entire force employed in the building
numbers $50, of which 500 are engaged in the
general letter department. There are four
floors above ground and two beneath, all oc-
cuped by the varied details. The newspaper
department is the most extensive, and in
cludes an area of half an acre. The clerks
are arranged in trios, and three men relieve
each other after eight hours service, thus
completing twenty-four hours of duty. The
heaviest amount of labor is done from to 8
o'clock, p. M, and when this is over the pres
sure abates, though steady tour of labor con-
tinues all night. The newspaper department
alone requires the services of ninety men.
The salaries are seldom higher than $500,
and some are only $500, but as small as the
latter may appear, there is constant pres
sure to obtain appointment.
A man whose business for years has been to
decipber illegible and incorrect writing finds
constant employment in this duty. Many H.
lterate people fail to give proper address,
through sheer ignorance, while others, who
know better, make similar mistakes through
carelesness. In one week 1,100 letters have
been received incorrectly or illegibly address.
ed, and some of this has been done by the
best business houses in the city. The Depart
ment of Correction has directories of ali the
chief cities in the Union, and also Europe.
The number of these volumes is seventy six,
and they are in constant use. In one week
191 letters intended for Boston, but directed
to New York, were sent to their destination.
The latter was discovered by the name of the
street-as for instance letter addressed to
Beacon street, New York." would 60 at
once to Boston. By the same rule letter
addressed to chestnut Street, New York" !"
would be sent to Philadelphia. 1t is so natu.
raj for business men to write "New York" !"
that it is done in rapid and thoughtless
manner, and in one week 247 letters thus ad-
dressed were recti6ed and sent to Philadel-
phia. Troy is another instance. One day
thirteen letters addressed to "River street,
New York" were sent to your city, and thus
reached their proper destination, for the ex-
pert knows that River street is Trojan in
stitution The same day number of letters
we're received addressed to well known streets
in London, but New York" had been careless
ly written instead of the latter, and the mis-
take was Immediately recti6ed by the expert,
and the letters were forwarded without delay.
In consequence of this continued vigilance,
the number of "dead letters" is compare.
lively small, and yet it reaches $500 year.
Correspondence Troy Times.