Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-30

the following points as applied to Sundays iT
| the coming month Of June, and make report
thereon in detail to me, to wit:
| i The amount of postage stamps postal
| cards, newspaper wrappers etc, sold at vouI
office on each Sunday in June
2a1he number of callers at your postofhce
| on each Sunday in June.
| g. The number of mails dispatched and re-
ceived on each Sunday in June and the approx
| innate extent of such mails
The number of letter carrier collections,
| Ine approxlmate extent OF the mail matter col
| lected, and the hours at which the several col
lections were made
g. The number of employees on duty each Sun
| day and the hours of service of each.
shall also esteem it a favor if you will sub
NIT to me, with these replies any suggestions
which may occur to you. after careful thought,
as to the means and the mode Of reducing Sun
day work in postof11ces.
THE replies to the queries were received
in due time, accompanied in many instances
by suggestions, and they were tabulsted so
that results might be seen more readily.
They show that as rule the sales of post
age stamps and stamped paper on Sunday
are comparatively insignificant, and that
the callers for mail matter on that day COM
prise but a very small proportion of the
patrons of the postofices. The letter carrier
service in cities is confined substantially to
the collection of matter so that it may make
the earliest dispatch, and to a brief accom-
routes by the carriers at the postofices.
TO REDUCE THE WORK.
"The general tenor of the suggestions as to
the means and the mode of reducing Sunday
work in the postoffces seems to be that so
long as there is maintained q railroad
service on that day for the carriage of mails
there must be either a corresponding local
service for the handling and treatment of
4l,ar for al rs,,,A - H.
lay of such matter, resulting in considerable
accumulations for the first business day of
the week, and in the consequent derange-
ment of the business, both of the postofices
and their patrons.
'This subject shall continue to receive my
thoughtful consideration, and 1 shall make
use of all proper means tending toward the
minimizing of postofice work upon Sunday,
because believe that the Government
should, as far as possible, make no require
ments which will prohibit its employees from
the enjoyment of day of rest.
II have inquired somewhat as to the way
in which this question is dealt with in other
countries, and have been much interested in
the information gained as to Sunday service
in the postal establishmentof of Great Britain.
The postofices in the London district are
closed on Sundays, with the exception of
few, which are open during certain
hours ior the receipt and dispatch
of kilograms only. There appears
to be total cessation of postal business in
that great city upon Sunday. Such is not
the case, however, in the town districts,
with the method adopted as to the treatment
of the subject in its application to the
smaller postofhces. In one respect, at least,
the Sunday service at British postoffices is
more extensive than in this country,
n lu haf AZ 1ofEn ~. I'll
Sunday, the public are allowed, not simply
to purchase postage stamps, but also to have
letters registered during the time such offices
are open, namely, from to 10 in the morn
ing, and one other hour at least Neither
registry nor money order business is trans
acted in any postofice in the United States
on Sunday.
THE ENGLISH WAY.
''The British regulations state that in no
provincial town in England or Ireland is
there more than one delivery of letters on
Sunday. As a rule, there are no deliveries
in this country on Sunday. 1t is provided
that any person may prevent Sunday de-
livery of his own mail by addressing to the
postmaster written request for the reten-
tion OF such mail in the postofice.
Applications for the discontinuanceo of the
delivery of letters on Sunday in the town
districts can only be entertained provided |
they are supported by the local town authori- |
ties, and that satisfactory evidence is |
sforded that the inhabitants are unanimous. |
or substantially unanimous, in desiring the |
change; and in rural districts every memor- |
Ial for the establishment or discontinuance !
Of Sunday post must bear the signature |
Of those persons who receive two-thirds of |
the letters delivered upon the post other |
wise the application cannot be entertained