Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-24
LOADS OF CHRISTMAS THINGS.
Busy rimes ~ the Peat OAce md Expres,
OniceS.

TIE LETTER CARRIERS WEIGHED DOWN wrTE |
SANTA Claus nAn--A eREATkR BUSINESS THAN |
usuAL DONE Br EXPRESS oonPASrEs-pKLyER- |
ING PACKAGES PROM STORES
II any one thinks this is not the Christmas
season trip 10 the city post office will soon
convince him Of his error. Long lines Of wait |
ing people crowd around the windows where
Packages are weighed and stamps sold. To &C.
commodate the unusual crowds two Of the
stamp clerks have been stationed in the long
grimy corridor in front of the windows, and
there they sit at two plain wooden tables from
morning TO night weighing and stamping
Christmas presents that are on their way to
some distant city or village. The amount OF
mail matter that goes through q big city post
Office at this season Of the year is something
really amazing. Ordinarily the packages and
bundles do not constitute a very large part Of
me mail matter. but at We NERVE Christmasse
season they come IN and go out Of the Offices by
the hundreds of bushels. and tomorrow the let
ter carriers will have their usual leather bags
reinforced by big two-bushel canvas sacks. one
over each shoulder. There will be morning
deliveries tomorrow usual, and il is needless
tend to.
NO DELAY IN SENDING OR DELIVERING.
Notwithstanding the immense amount of mat
ter that is going through the post Office in this
city just now. the mails are all leaving on time
and being distributed as fast as they arrive.
There IL no blockade and people cannot complain
OF having their presents delayed at the Office this
year Last year there WAS a serious blockade,
but the addition since then of twenty-four men
to the mailing department and thirty to the city
delivery division has placed the Office in n much
more satisfactory condition. Moreover. the
law allows the employment of all the substitute
1 aar ~.
| carrier force will give an added capacity
OF 240 bushels of mail on the morrows MORN
ing delivery alone. Almost all of the regular
carriers will voluntarily make extra rounds AZ
well, in order TO prevent their mail from ac-
cumulating on them too heavily. And then.
too. Christmas is great day for people TO
| member III some substantial manner the men
who 30 faithfully bring them their letters, day
IN and day out, the year round. in hot weather
| and cold, stormy and fair.
FEW CHRISTMAS PACKAGES LOST.
Very few Christmas packages are lost in the
mails, though good many for some reason or
other find their way to the dead letter Office.
But If there is any way of identifying pack
age the greatest care is taken that it shall find
its way 10 the proper owner. In the pouches
| that reached Washington two badly broken par
GELS were found. One contained box Of small
bon bons and the other an elaborate hairpin.
Enough OF the address was left in each case.
4
up and sent on to their respective dostiina-
tions. The quantity of mail leaving the city was
heaviest early in the week, but today and to-
morrow are the busy days for the city deliy
cry.
N THE EXPRESS OFFICES.
Christmas in the express Offices means time
of constant active hustling from early morning
until late at night ever since last Saturday.
The packages have been coming in and going
nf fha OH in rla,t n
ending procession. The express wagons are
living about the city and the men are working
like beavers. All their activity results
in diffusing over this city and into
this country large area of Christmas cheer.
Those living temporarily in this city and who
| are away from their homes at a season when
every one wants to be at home if possible en-
deayor to soften the pangs of separation by
sending Christmas remembrances and greet
ings to the members OF the home circle. The
after reciprocate, and SO just now
Washington is the center Of
great deal of the rejoicing which
pervades the entire country at this
holiday season. Packages of all kinds and Of
every shape and size come into the city by
every train, and the outgoing trains are loaded
| down with Christmas presents. Great vans and
wagons are employed in carrying these pack
ages, and an extra force OF men, horses and
| wagons are required TO keep the great mass
| moving. There is no doubt that the prime
| features of Christmas, which is the giving Of
| presents, is fully observed this year.
BUSINESS BIGGER THIS YEAR THAN EVER.
eve have been agreeably disappointed" OBJ
served Mr.. Geo. W. Moss, the agent of Adams
Express Company in this city, today in talking
with STAR reporter. 1T was expected that
owing to the tightness of the money market
our business would be affected. This has not
proved to be the case. From reports Of our
/ hrr.ln 1r1rIv fha 01a~a and firaA
that there has been an increase of over twenty
per cent as compared with the same period OF
last year. have no doubt that for the entire
period ending tomorrow that the increase will
be much greater. This result is a surprise, but
it shows the hold that Christmas has upon our
people as well rs their generosity"
! I'VE have been obliged. continued" Mr.. Moss,
''to increase our force of men and to procure
additional horses and wagons. and yet we have
all we can to do to handle the business. There
Is another surprising feature this year and that
Is the increase IN the amount of perishabie goods
! that We are shipping / find that we are bring
Ing to this city in dressed fowls, produce, &c,
more than double the amount we did last year.
On one railroad line to this city from Virginia.
| where we usually receive only half a car load
| of goods, We are now bringing in four and
half car loads. 1t is evident that there is plen-
tiful supply of material for Christmas dinners"
LONG LINE.
| While Mr.. Moss was talking the force of
clerks in the Office were busily engaged in re-
ceiving and registering packages, and people
were obliged to wait their turn to reach the
counters. The great piles of packages that
| rapidly accumulated were being removed to the
| lower end OF the ONCE room and then placed in
wagons and hurried to the railroad stations. At
the receiving depot force of thirty-eight men
were engaged in receiving and shipping, and,
although this number was largely in excess of
the regular force, they were hardly able to keep
up with the work and additional assistants have
been supplied.
THE DELIVERY WAGONS.
Christmas is hard on the horses, especially
those engaged in hauling about the delivery
wagons of the various merchants. They are
kept going from morning TO night and a great
many extra horses and wagons are employed.
The parcel delivery companies are doing q
great business, and everything in the shape of
| a horse or wagon that can be brought into use
| il kept employed. The rumble and rattle Of the
| wagons through the streets is q familiar sound,
| and no one objects to the noise, especially If
| it happens to stop in front Of their door and
leave package. This means a Christmas gift
| to some one and the expects alton of the mem
beers of every family is kept alive by these busy
messengers. The horses and men find il hard
| work. but, no doubt, the latter will have q
chance to enjoy something Of Christmas, as no
h