Morning journal and courier., 1890-04-12
IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

Months, Recorded Notable Array of
improvements - Postmaster Sperry-
SSH Another Improvement - The
POstonace Clerks oHave an EXamin.
alton In June.
There seems to be no limit to the fertility
IF resource of New Ravens accomplished
postmaster for introducing improvements at
The Office and giving New Ravens people the
best possible mail service. For this New |
Ravens postmaster was renowned when in
Office before, and that q master hand is in
charge, is conceded by all. On all sides,
among business men, at tho college and
among people In general, even to the most
remote hooks and corners and outlying dis
tricts Of our town, words of satisfaction at
our improved mail facilities are heard. A
short retrospect of these improvements and
mention of others about to be made, will be
of interest.
In the first place as to the carriers. They
have been ordered to 60 and come through
the rear doors. Formerly people were
carriers as they rushed out the front door
with their heavy loads of mail. Many are
the ladies who are delighted with this change
owing to experience of their own in this
regard. In the next place the stamp win
dows have been thrown open to accommodate
people all night and the sale of stamps have
risen from 500 to $500 a month above the
former figures.
Again, when the Office is opened now for
business in the mornings, letters postmarked
midnight, are now found in the boxes ready
for delivery instead of being In the carrier
departments In large numbers as formerly.
In the old way the letters were not obtained
until midday or in the afternoon. Now they
are obtainable as soon as the Office is opened,
which is at o'clock. Again all the letters
are now made up for the several railroads
leading out of the city, in packages direct
for the several towns to the satisfaction of
all the postal clerks, and the distribution for
said railroads is perfect, according to enthusi-
astic testimony received in return for this, 1t
is found that the postal clerk treating the
New Haven Office in a splendid manner,
making up their packages for the New
Haven Office distribution which is great
accommodation to our people as regards
time. Another great feature of the improve
ments Is the notable decreasing of the time in
which letters are in transit between the New
Haven Office and points north, south, east
and west, and particularly the large saving
of time as regards connecting with the west
and southwest. This matter has received
special attention from the postofhce author
tiles and with results most gratifying to our
citizens, the business public in particular.
Again, among the Improvements is the estab.
lishment of sub.stations throughout the city
for the sale of postage stamps, postal cards,
envelopes, wrappers, etc., and We are glad to
note here that our indefatigable postmaster
expects by the list of July to double these
sub.stations, thus giving larger and increased
accommodations to other sections of our
city.
Again, formerly there were six or eight
collections of mail matter q day. Now in all
the red boxes, which are q new feature in
the business, letters are collected every hour
| from to 10 in the evening, and 30 great is
| this convenience that on some o. the hourly
| trips of the collectors thirty-seven pounds of
mail matter have been brought In by sin
| gle collector on single trip. This figure is
from actual weight. II is also of interest to
know that the business from these red boxes
daily (since the hourly collections and the
painting of them red to designate
the time) has actually quadrupled.
The collections from the orange colored
boxes has increased in like proportion. The
remaining outlying districts outside of the
| red and yellow boxes Is now covered by the
| collectors and carriers two and three times a
| day instead of one or two times as formerly.
Mr.. Sperry has also added to his carrier
| force and to the clerical force, and to these
and other improvements which are constant
| ly going on, such as the reduction in the ad.
vertised list, etc., the public are indebted to
\ Mr.. Sperry's energy.
| Another leading improvement has been
the arrest and discharge of those who were
stealing monied letters and had taken hun.
| dreds of dollars, which thefts, according to
the inspectors report, had been going on fol
years. On inquiry since these arrests 1t il
found that there are but few cases of missing
letters occurring. and these are probably
through misdirection or clerical errors.
The public are glad to note also, since Mr.
Sperry has taken hold of the Office, that the
present inadequate accommodations at thu
postoffioe, 1t 10 proposed, shall be remedie6
by the enlargement of the postoffce building
its extension on the west side to the corner
of Gregson and Center streets-which viii
give largely increased accommodations. Sen
ator Plat, ct the suggestion of Mr.. Sperry
and of MI. Kellam, the collector, has prepared
and presented bill, which the public hope
will pass, providing for this enlargement Of
the building.
The people will also observe by the letter.
ing in the vestibule what hours and how
often the collections take place, and where te
| deposit letters.
Another and entirely new feature is this
and the postmaster thinks 1t cannot fail tt
still further ensure accuracy and dispatch Of
all letters mailed at the Office. All clerks
have been given q scheme for the mailing Of
letters which designates how the letters
should be sent in order to 60 to the places te
| which the same are directed by the shortes
| possible route and time. An examination oil
these clerks by actual test of their knowledge
will take place June 1, SO that the eficien
aud the inefficient clerks, If there are any O
the latter, may be known by actual test
This is an actual object test
as on the boxes will be placed
cards bearing the addresses of til,
different towns ON the different railways
leading out of New Haven, the point being
to discover If the clerks distribute the card
so that they will reach their destination BY
the shortest possible route.
Also in order to facilitate the business
with the surrounding towns over thirty ad
ditional branches has been added to the vari
GUS lines, and tho various postofaces in ter
ritory contiguous to this city.
All this has been accomplished in tho shor
space of two months since Mr.. Sperry's &C
cession to the office. and 1t Is needless to go,
that 1t is q remarkable record of energy and
ability.