Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-18
DISTRIBUTING THE LETTERS.


Turning from the sta!npers, the reporter next
observed the process through which the letters
passed when they left the stamping table There
were two long tiers Of boxes or pigeon holes
placed upon narrow tables or counters, the top
row OF boxes being about as high as man Of
ordinary stature could reach. In the aisle be-
tween these boxes eight or nine distributors
were hard at work. with coats Off. each having
& little section to himself. The letters were dis
triDuted IN some sections by states, the distrib-
ut0r only noting the state to which the letter
was addressed and throwing it into pigeon
hole assigned to that state This process
in which Mr.. Springer said man of fair inteIli-
geGce could become adept in few hours. In
other sections men were distributing the letters
according to post offices and routes This work
Is much more difficult, as it requires the dis
tributor to note On the superscription both the
post office and state and also to know at once
not only the locality Of the post Office but the
mail route to which the letter should be sent
The distributor is required to inform himself of
the constant changes in the list Of post Offices
I'VE have one section" said Mr.. Springer
embracing four states. which covers over |. SOC
post offices. The work Of the Office comprises
1900 post offices. 1t would be almost impos-
sibe for one man in a life time to be able to
know all that must be known to have the letters
properly distributed" The distributors, who are
required to stand as they work, show
THE WEAR AND TEAR
OF the work in very few years. Many become
round-shouldered and there is a certain ner-
vousness of action noticeable in all of the older
distributors. 1t is rather interesting to study
their different methods and habits of work
Here is one who. as he works, unconsciously
sways his body sideways with clock-like regu-
larity, as though he was standing In a railway
car. Another has slight genu1eXion, which he
keeps up constantly and rapidly. bending his
knees Just enough to make the motion percepti-
Die. At least half of the distributors have a
| habit OF making false motion. such as tapping
the letter they are about to part with sharply
against the next one before throwing it int the
ooX. There are three sets or crews of distrb-
utors who work eight hours each, and the work
never ends very rapid distributor can disA
pose of from 200 to 500 letters hour in the
| state boxes, and 800 or 800 when distributing by
post offices and routes.
''TYING OUT"
When distributor has filed his boxes, or it is
time for him to send his letters to the mail pouch
he ties out" The letters in each box are tied
III little packet, with paper label stating the
| route or state to which 1t belongs This label
aiss has the distributors number upon it. When
the packet is opened. and reassorted on the mail
Car, II any letter is found where it does not be-
long, the error is noted on the label, which is
sent back to the office. Here the errors are
| charged up against the distributor. The errors
OF this sort. which, of course are not serious in
their results, average about forty-five mouth
to each man. When it is considered that each
man distributes from 5000 to 5000 letters a
day it will be observed that the percentage
OF errors is very small.
THE LAST MINUTES
Meanwhile the mail wagons have been back ed
up to the platform at the c street entrance of
the post Office, and the hustle andactivity in the
| Office seems to be on the increase. "You will be
behind hand, said Mr.. Springer quietly tapping
one Of the distributors on the back, at which ad-
monition the distributor, glancing at the clock.
rcdoubled his exertions, and soon ''tied out"
his last packet and threw it into the great
basket, already trimming full. This was the
great mail of the day-the mail for the north,
closing at five o'clock. The department mail be-
gins to arrive at the office about four o'clock
1T would be like making water run up hill. :"
observed Mr.. Springer. who is something Of q
philosopher, 'to get department official to sign
his mail before half-past two in the afternoon
Ihey expect eight or nine men here to distrib-
ute in an hour the letters that it has taken GOO
or ,OOO people all day to write"
POUCHING THE LETTERS.
The letters having been ''tied OUT the last
interesting process was witnessed in part of
the great room which was concealed from the
view OF the stampers and distributors by a
partition. which extended half the length of
the room. On the other side of the partition
was great number Of boxes arranged in semi
circle the rows rising one above another in
amphitheatrcal form. Under each of these
boxes was hooked mail pouch into which
dropped anything thrown into the box This
arrangement is used particularly for the dis
tripution OF newspapers and printed matter,
winch are placed III bags separate from the let
ter pouches When the mail is TIED out. 'how-
ever, each packet has to be placed in it's proper
pouch. TWO men were hard at work at this
when the reporter came upon them. There
were fully nifty boxes. each representing sep
arate pouch hooked beneath it. The outer row
OF boxes was fully ten feet distant from the dis
frlbutor. rapid glance and a toss of the hand
was all that was required to deposit the packet
In It's proper place. The distributor having be-
come, by long practice, as familiar with the
location OF the boxes as a printer is with his
case, hardly needed to follow the tiyiny packet
with his eye to be sure that it reached its desti-
nation. One nnaccustomed to the work would
not be able to throw newspaper or letter into
the proper box once out of three trials even if
he were sure fthe location of the box
GALL IN"
'All in!' shouted man who had taken last
survey of the work. dozen hands were at
once engaged in closing the pouches. There
was rush OF feet and the pouches were drag
ged rapidly through the adjoining room to the
platform outside: sturdy arms threw them in
heaps into the mail wagons: the drivers leaned
to their places there was a cracking Of whips
and rumbling Of wheels. and the northern
mail, with all its messages of grief and love dry
business orders, and red-tape correspondence
was gone.
Something Needing Attention..
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR.
Please allow me space in your popular and
peoples paper to call the attention of the Dis
trict authorities to the condition Of our police
lookup stations:
A few days since white boy only fifteen years
old was arrested on false accusation. kept in a
cell all night and discharged before the court
the next day, where he fully established his
innocence. The cell in which he was kent had