Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-26

TON. Tuesday. DECRM
cHnrsTMAs PACKAGES.
An Unprecedented Delivery by the Ex.
Pfcss Companies.
EVIDENCES OF GOOD TIMEs-CHRIsTMAs At THE
CITY POST OFsICE-THE CHRISTMAS CARD MA
NA-Hows THIS YEARS BUSINESS COMPARES
WITH FORMER YEARS, &C.
or all the sights and sounds which marks this
season of Christmas good cheer, the rumble Of
the express wagon and the ring of the letter car
rier perhaps assume the first place in import
ance. There are no lack of other sounds and
sights,as walk along the gaily thronged streets,
with the brilliant shop windows glowing and gilt
tering with their tempting array, would indicate,
or even hasty perusal of the columns ofthe daily
papers, where articles entitled "The Horn-blOw-
ing Nuisance, ARE evidence that there are sounds
OF this joyful season of some magnitude. The
enjoyment of the latter does not partake Of that
general character which enlists the sympathies
and interests of an entire community.
THE SMALL BOY
at the other end of a particularly discordant
horn undoubtedly enjoys his performance, and
so does, probably, the other small boy across
the street, who listens with quivering glow Of
coming triumph to the sound, as he is proudly
conscious Of owning horn that can make
twice as loud noise. The allies Of these con
tending knights in the tournament of Christ
mas sounds likewise are glad with a great glad
ness, when the ear-splltting rumpus is at its
height, and this feeling is shared,
slightly modified, perhaps, in the intensity,
by the girls who are playing
with their dolls or walking sedately up and
down the sidewalks. The horn is to this por-
tion OF the community as much a part Of Christ
mas as Santa Claus and lots of candies; but there
are other elements who have Come to regard the
horn as great nuisance. So that in regard to
this Christmas sound. at least, there is diver
sity of opinion. But whoever heard COM
plant during Christmas time Of the persistent
twanging at the front door bell which the ex-
press man keeps up? That useful bit of me-
chanlsm never seems to rest. 1t begins early in
the morning and continues late into the night
with q. perslstency and vigOr which seems to
demand repressive measures, but up to the hour
OF going to press no express man has been ar
rested for disturbing the quiet of a neighbor-
hood or the peace of families Then, too there
are the big heavy wagons which rumble along
the street. and stop with clatter and dash in
front OF the house at all hours of the night and
day, and yet no one complains. The fact is
that
THE EXPREssMAN's
rumbling wagon and accompanying uprOar Is
received with open arms 80 to speak, by our
citizens irrespective Of sex. At this time q WIS.,
itor pulling front door bell is as likely as not
to have whole family rush into his arms under
the impression that he is an expressman. The
appearance of an express wagon on q square
brings the entire population to the windows,
with numerous scouts on the door steps, and
probably delegation sent on ahead to act as
an escort and to see that it does not pass by.
An express wagon may make more NOISE than
horn, but then there are noises and noises,
and the fact that this may be distinction with
out difference does not impair the force of the
argument. Yesterday and the day before
the ubiQuity Of the express wagon in the streets
was something remarkable. They were rushing
hither and thither and the men were constantly
jumping down, plunging up steps with their
arms full OF parcels and then hurrying off with
the speed and excitement OF young husband
after doctor. What Joy their coming brought
and what pleasure they left behind. the babel of
voices and the flushed happy faces of the house
hold gave eloquent testimony. Families widely
separated at the season when the thoughts turn
most fondly to home in the presence of these
packages, containing the affectionate remem-
brances of absent ones, felt the pangs Of separa-
ton less keenly. The chilling influence of dis
lance and time was dissolved and the
chords of affection chimed in unison
together in hearts widely separated.
These Christmas parcels have come to be such
feature of life that people rely on getting
them, and their enjoyment of the day would be
destroyed If an expected parcel did not arrive.
While the public are intensely interested in their
particular parcel. they give very little thought
TO the parcels that other people are getting. 1t
is difficult to form conception Of this business
in its bulk. For the past ten days at least fifty
or sixty express wagons, their capacious sides
TANNED with packages, have been hurrying
through the streets and disgOrging their con-
tents at the doors. Day and night since last
Thursday these cOuriers of joy have been at
work, and part Of the sum total Of the happi-
ness Of yesterday is the result of this persistent
toll. OF course this Is not the first Christmas
that has occurred in the annals Of the human
race, nor are Christmas packages one of the in
ventions of the present year; but in spite OF
this, the past few days has shown a larger vol
ume Of business than has ever been known be-
FORE
THE B. AND o. EXPRESS.
At the Baltimore and Ohio express ONCE
STAR reporter was told that the number of pack
ages received and sent was greater than at any
previous Christmas during the past five years.
The large force employed of men and horses
had to be augmented to handle and distribute
the immense volume of business that flowed in.
Ever since Wednesday the entire force has been
hard at work, night and day, and the large
depot at the corner Of New Jersey avenue and
d street was so packed with goods that, as one
of the employees remarked, You could hardly
see any difference after railroad car had been
loaded" Yesterday, however, about noon the
main depot and branch offices showed to the re-
porter no traces of the immense amount of
matter that had passed through. The last
Christmas package had been received and de-
livered and the rush was over until the New
Year business begins.
ADAMS EXPRESS
At the main office OF Adams express ON the
avenue, a reporter asked Mr.. G.. w. Moss, the
general agent. last evening, what he thought of
the Christmas business. He replied:
''The business this year has been unprece-
denied In it's extent. The rush began with
Us last Thursday and we have been delivering
continuously early and late ever since. We are
through this evening, and have delivered the
last package. In word, our business has been
greater than ever before and that ia saving q