The record-union., 1891-04-10
EYERYBODY'S BUSINESS.
Something About the Doings of the
Sacramento Postofice.
Insight Into the Country Order Busi-
ness of Our Merchants-Sale of
Stamps-NIisdirecte Letters.


and it can well be called everybody's
business.
This being the time of the year when
postmasters are required to make quar-
terly and such other reports as will
enable the Postmaster General to fix
salaries and adjust other matters of
finance, representative of the RECORD
UNION called on Postmaster Coleman
yesterday to learn how the present bus-
ness of the Sacramento Postoffice COM
pared with that of former years.
MIGHT HAVE BEEN BETTER.
Mr.. Coleman admitted that the showing
was not as good as he would like, but he
thought that on the whole it would COM
pare favorably with other offices. The
gross receipts of the office for the year
ending March 31st were S57 ,921 40, or
$2642 81 more than for the previous year,
and greater in fact than for any other
year. The increase was steady, each
quarter showing larger receipts than for
the corresponding quarter of the previous
year. This showing should be gratifying
to the citizens of Sacramento, and bears
out the UNIONS claim that Sac
ramento is progressing in a sure and
substantial way.
The Money Order Department funds
are kept separate from the postal funds !;
the business of this department also shows
healthy increase.
The Free Delivery Service has been
generally satisfactory to the patrons Of
the Office, and the increase in quantity OF
mail delivered by the carriers speaks well
for the efficiency of the men in this de-
partment. The number of pieces of mail
delivered by carriers for the year ending
March 81, 1891, was 2, 2,239, ,494; number of
pieces collected by carriers, sol ,253; total
number of pieces handled, 3,040,747. The
above figures, although large, do not
represent, says the Postmaster, one-half
of the mail which is handled at this of
fee. For instance, 62.900 catalogues were
mailed from this office during two weeks
ending April 4th; average weight, twelve
ounces; postage, $1,000.
BIG STAMP BUSINESS.
'''Then you must have had a big run on
stamps last month";" suggested the re-
porter.
1--WE Sold" said Mr.. Coleman, "inore
stamps last month than for any other
month; but, unfortunately, we did not sell
one-third of the stamps used on those cata-
logues. Gou are probably aware of the
fact that Sacramento merchants do more
country order business than is done in
any place of its size in the United States,
and most of the stamps used by them are
sent by the purchasers with the orders for
goods
Are not your allowances for salaries of
clerks based upon the revenue of the of
flee, and won't the work increase faster
than the revenues?'
Yes such is the case but find it very
difficult to get the officials at Washing
ton to appreciate our situation. ] do not
see how the great quantity of mail could
be promptly dispatched from this office
if the merchants did not assist us ma
terially by asserting and tying in bundles
the catalogues, circulars and letters they
send. Yes, our merchants relieve the
mailing clerk very much. The mailing
clerks are on duty and invariably hard at
work twenty-five and One-half hours
each day. but in two shifts, so you see
they average over eleven hours per day.
We are allowed only three mailing clerks
and one of these at low salary of $500
per year, so we have to make detail
from the other departments. Yes, they
suffer some, but we must dispatch
mail promptly.
THE LEGISLATORS.
Did the Legislature increase the bust
ness of the office, and did you have many
kicks from the members ?''
mo; we got along nicely with the
members and attaches of the Legislature.
/ learned from one of the clerks who has
been in the office for fourteen years that
usually there had been much trouble in
satisfying members of the Legislature
about their mail. On the day the Legis-
lature convened l sent a circular letter to
each member like this:
SACRAMENTO. -
Hon. DEAR SIR: l beg to state that
during the session of the Legislature all mail
arriving at this Office addressed TO you will be
delivered to the Postmaster of the Senate
unless it is your pleasure to have it delivered
at your place of residence in this city, in
which case please instruct me by filling out
the blank herewith inclosed, and return 1t to
this Office. Respectfully yours, etc.
you can judge of the good results from
ic OH lar HN-ha toll y Il
no complaints. few days before the
Legislature adjourned l sent a second
letter to each attache as well as to the
members:
SACRAMENTO Cal -
Hon. DEAR SIR: 1t is reasonable to ex-
pect that mail will be received for you at this
ONCE after the legislature adjourns sine die;
therefore, you Will please fill out the inclosed
blank and send ii In the addressed envelope
herewith 10 this of1ce, that we may dispose OF
your mail promptly and in accordance with
your wishes. Respectfully yours, etc.
y. B-The postal laws provide that prepaid
firSt-cass mail matter shall be forwarded
from one Postofice TO another at the request
of the party addressed without additional
charge for postage; all other mail matter,
whenever forwarded, must be charged with
additional postage at the same rate as If
originally mailed at the forwarding office, and
1T can be paid AT the receiving Office.
ION receipt of replies we prepared a
special directory and have forwarded
mail promptly. Yes, we have tried new
methods in other matters with equally
good results. 1t Is safe to say that from
four hundred TO five hundred pieces of
mail have been deposited in this office
every month which were
WITHOUT STAMPS
Or enormously addressed. OF course it is
the result of carelessness on the part of
the writer. Usually such matter would
be stamped returned for better direction
and returned TO the writer. About the
1st of February the mailing clerks were
instructed to deliver all misdirected
matter to me. When the writer is known
address a note TO him calling attention to
error. My record shows that two hun
dfed and eighty-iiYe pieces were so re-
turned during the month of March.
made written reports to all firms that
made ten or more such errors during the
month. 1t is needless TO say they were
surprised and promise to do better. We
will see"
At this juncture the reporter called Mr..
Soieman's attention to the fact that when
ne entered the Office a gentleman was
leaving and he overheard the Postmaster
thank him for something. Now it
occurred To me-" continued the scribe,
mat ne had been making kick. But
what puzzled me was why you should
thank him.,
lhat is where many of the patrons OF
TINS Once make mistake" was the re-
ply WIN considerable pride. I'VE are
Always glad when complaints are made
direct, when mail goes wrong. 1t is
natural that we should, because then we
can set rlght at the cause. Otherwise the
eVll might run along indefinitely before
we would discover il ourselves
Several gentlemen came into the Office
at this moment, and the reporter was
Shut oil from further conversation with