Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-12

&ostDasess DoU Considering Rosssao0
In Behalf % tie EoPseyss.
m Sans n n nrRAcf1cAul 70 clcss run OFFICE
ENTIRELY puKnso a PAxr Or re sAsBAru-rHs
hseuLAf1on on rI su8yDH AND rU HoUns now
oDsElvRn
The sunday question has been raised at TIE city
post-omce and has caused Postmaster Ross some
pefplexfty. Recently he received petition dated
september q. TO which was attached four large
sheets OF paper nlled with the names OF we'll
Known business men Of the city. The petition was
% fouows: I'VE. the undersigned citizens and
residents Of washington city. interested in the
proper Observance OF the Sabbath, desire respect
fuiy 70 call your attention 70 the orders reguiat-
ing the hours during which, In whole or In part,
the ONCE under your charge h open for business
on that day, ana TO suggest that the regulations
OF the Post-0nace Department on this subject (sec
481, Postal Laws end Regulations 1872 evidently
contemplate con that post.ofnce employees shall have
the sabbath, which, IS we are informed, many OF
those connected with the Washington once are
70 Be on duty during the usual hours Of such
SorvtcoA scIoS hnDo1 51I
We believe that such persons a. desire 20 receive
and sufdciently accommodated II the post-ofnce
were open for the delivery OF mail one hour in the
morning and one hour In the evening, Is formerly.
inns would relieve from once duty all or most OF
the employees connected with the local delivery,
and perhaps other branches OF the ONCE between
ord them 10 n =, and p M ana
We RESPECTFULLY suggest and earnestly recommend
that such changes be made in the orders or regu-
city post-ofice as Win accomplish this object.S
rnor 70 THIS ne had received petition from the
letter.carriers in the once requesting that the
Sunday, and suggesting the hours OF IL toll
Az present the carriers window 10 open for the
delivery Of letters from 70 10 IN the morning and
what is suggested oy the petitioners At the
branch on1cee the hours are practically, the same.
closed at any time. night or day, sunday or any
other day during the year. Persons can apply for
ana receive letters addressed to them 80 as TO be
delivered at the general-delivery once at any hour,
and can also purchase stamps ana mail letters at
any hour Of the twenty-four.
TEE Law.
section 481 OF the postal laws and regulations
referred to In the petition Is as follows: EVERY
postmaster must keep his post-ofnce open for the
and holidays during the usual hours in which The
principal business houses In the place are kept
open, and attend at such other hours as may be
mail arrives on sundays he win keep his posI-orce
open for one hour more after the arrival and as
soItment thereof, II the public convenience re-
received during the time Of public worship, the
opening OF the post-of1ce win be delayed until
services have closed He need not open his ONCE
curing the day OF Sunday II no mails arrive after
the closing OF the ONCE on saturday ana before 6
O'CLOCK sunday afternoon, while open stamps
may be sod 70 anyone applying for but
ters registered on that day. Delivery on SUNDAY
must not be restricted to box holders, but made
on week days should not be closed during meal
hourA The windows In connection with the car
rlerS department must be opened for the delivery
OF man matter during office hours on sundays
holidays ana In the evening After the carrier
delivery"
PosrnAsrRR ROSS SAID TO-DAY
to Q STAR reporter that he was considering the
petition. The section Of the regulations referred
TO. he said, he considered as applying TO small
post-ofices and not to the metropolitan oiices 1t
prescribed the minimum service expected OF a
postmaster at places where perhaps but one mail
justlaed in granting this petition except upon
some overwhelming expression OF opinion. As
!I this petition 1t asks TO have
des See c0ssS On s sSy One Do
In the morning and one hour in the evening.
think that is lmpractica0le. am disposed to con-
but one time for delivery, but the hours / would
propose are from TO z In the evening, II such
pan win not dscO%%ods the people Of the city
part Of sunday, don't think that Is practicable at
all 1t would be a serious interference not only
with the business OF this city but with that OF
other cites"
VIEWS OF CITY fosr-oYrrcE OFFICIALS
Omcials at the city post-ofdce say that the car.
riers would be benefited by having only one win
dow delivery, As they would have 70 come to the
ONCE but once. II the delivery of mail on Sunday
was stopped altogether, Postmaster Ross says II
would not relieve the necessity OF having q force
OF clerks In the dispatchin6 and other divisions
ana the force OF carriers at work sunday. Mails
are constantly arriving and departing, and the
work Gould not be permitted 70 fall behind without
great Inconvenience 10 the public and embarrass-
ment 10 the ONCE. In the dlspatching division, as
well as other divisions, the work never ends, but
"shtrts" OF clerks relieve each other, that the
work goes on forever. Postmaster Ross said TO q
STAR reporter that ue was anxious TO secure an
expression OF public opinion upon the questions
raised, while he saw 81 once that II would w I'm.
possible 70 comply with the request OF the Pc
utioners II II contemplated closing every depart
ment OF the once.
THE CUSTOM IN OTHER CITIES
While this petition has been under considera-
ton Postmaster Ross has written to q number Of
of1ces for Information as to the hours when the
carriers window is open for the delivery OF letters
on Sunday. The answers obtained are briefly
summarized, as follows: Cleveland, 10 TO IL am;
Richmond, 4 to s pm; Buffalo, on to IL An.
Baltimore, 81 to ION am; Brooklyn, 10 lOk
am; 81. LOUIS IL am to pm; Providence ii
am. TO pm; Louisville, 8 TO 10 am. Detroit,
IL TO pm; Charleston, to 10 am; ST Paul,
to 10 am: Cincinnati, 94 to IL am; Philadel-
phia, 91< TO 10Y am, and z TO pun; Piltsburg,
on 70 i0k am, and 4 to pm: Albany, not open