Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-06
THE SPECIAL DELIVERY SERVICE.
1t Has Been Success in Three Cities Only
Washington Post

Washington NOSt.
Six months have elapsed since the in
auguration of the special delivery service
by the post-office department., and up to
date but three cities, Washington, Pitts
burg, and New York, seem to have made
the new system successful. Postmaster
Conger, of Washington, was asked by a
reporter what his opinion of the service
was, so far as Washington was concerned.
"Our standard has been maintained
here" was the reply, "and this fact is
borne out by the records we have kept
since the 1st of October, 1885 In that
month the number of deliveries was 3,039,
in November it was 1854, and in Deem
Der high-water mark was reached with
1921, making a total for the first quarter
of 9,124 January there was a decrease
to 1920; February shows that 1851 of this
class of letters were delivered, and for the
last month the figures were 1906, health
increase. Of course great deal of the
business done in Washington is due to the
fact that congress is in session, and 1T is
expected that there will be a perceptable
falling off in special delivery matter when
hot weather sets in. There is point
which do not think has been made pub
lie as much as it should, and that is in re-
gard to answering a specil communication.
When one of our messenger presents
a letter of character if the receiver desires
to send an Immediate answer 1t Is only
necessary to give the boy II cents. He
will take this to the nearest postal station,
and, after seeing that it is properly
stamped, he will deliver it. In other
words, it will cost "a cents to send mes
sage and receive reply at any point IN
the District of Columbia. Besides this
will have a tendency to build up local
business, and | think the citizens gen
orally will encourage the service more
when they understand its workings more
thoroughly. When we started the work
we employed thirty messengers, IN ordea
that there might be no drawbacks at the
outset, but this number has been reduced
by designations to seventeen, and L think
fifteen will be found sufficient to answer
every requirement. According to the
records, the average time between the
arrival of a special delivery letter and It's
deposit in the hands of the owner has
been about twenty minutes, and this Is
not exceeded by the District messenger
service"
It has been suggested that the public
should not be restricted to any speclhed
stamp, but should be allowed to send
letter requiring prompb uellVeiy ny Pr
paying it with II cents worth of any kind
of United States postage stamps. Should
such proposition be adopted it would be
necessary for the sender to write the
words special delivery on the envelope
under the stamp. By this means atten-
ton would be directed to the necessity
for early delivery, and its transmission
would be insured the same as if one of
the new delivery stamps was. used.
Another suggestion that has been made to
the postoffice department favors fixing
the terms for special delivery at 10 cents
per letter, 3 cents to go to the United
States and seven to the messenger. 1t Is
not known what action will be taken, but
the department invites postmasters to
forward any propositions that may be
made to them on the subject of special
delivery.