Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-15
FORT WORTH pOSTOFFICE.
THE BEST MANAGED IN ALL OF
TEXAS.



the fact that Fort Worth is the head
quarters OF the Eleventh division OF
the United States railway postal ser
vice. This means that the 100 or more
clerks who handle the mail on the
trains rendezvous here, and 1t is no
small item for number Of small en-
terprlses-boarding houses and the
like. They receive their pay here and
as a matter Of course. a large proper
ton Of the money is left here.
These clerks, while they are well paid
haven't the softest job In the world. In
fact the position is one that requires
quick brain and an athletic memory
And when at work the railway postal
clerk always works at fever heat
They have to handle vast guam
tity OF mail Mail going to large cities.
of course there being n great deal OF
1t, has pouches of its own and does not
require rehandling until 1t reaches its
destination; but all mail for smaller
places has to be handled by the rail-
way clerks. They also distribute all
the mail taken up at little stations on
their route, and this Is no small affair.
Fort Worth is also a relay station
for registered packages and letters.
The transient registration here is very
large ard requires an all-niPht man
to do the work. This IS the only Office
in the state which employs an ali
night man for that purpose. The local
registration is also large,
An of tho pmplONpa here while they
are very comfortably located In their
pnsent quart, rs, are anNiOusly waiting
tie time when they Will 90 into the
new house which the government is
building for them, and their desire is
natural one, for II Will be a beauty.
The department was visited yester-
day by a representative OF the Tele-
gram. and through the courtesy Of
As sistant Postmaster Sanford he was
given some interesting information,
which, though familiar 10 a large num-
Der Of people, will be news to many.
This Is what IL known us u FIRST
class" office, and It is first class in
every respect. There IL no city IN the
country which has better postal ser
vice. The officials one and all, are al
ways trying to improve the service,
and no pains are spared 10 accummo-
date the public. For instance the bank
mail at certain hours Is sent out by
special carrier in order that the impur-
tant letters which 1t always contains,
will not be delayed. Also the boxes on
Main and Houston streets are robbed
at II o'clock at night which gives be-
lated letters chance TO get of on late
malls.
The mail is carried by contract to
and from the trains In two wagons.
II is handled In the office by twelve
clerks, and collected and delivered b.
thirteen carriers. The number OF trips
made by these carriers is regulated by
the amount OF business on their routes;
their trips ranging from two TO five a
day. The boxes are robbed in like pro-
portion. Six of these carriers are
known as mounted men, and are al
lowed $50 "A year for the keep of n
horse. The horse is furnished by them
selves. They go horseback or in little
carts at their discretion. The mail de-
livcred by them goes TO distant sub
urbs.
The hours Of the postoflce building
vary. The general delivery opens at
a. m. and closes at p. IN. II opens
again at I p. m, and closes at $50 for
the night The regulations affecting
the hours Of this department say: dur
Ing business hours" and the hours
mentioned are found to serve this city
admirably The money order DEPART
ment opens Mt o'clock in the morning
and closes Mt In the afternoon. This
department does considerable business
here This office is the depository OF
$50 small money order offices to the
west. northwest and the Indian Terri
tory.
The amount Of mail handled here is
much greater than one would suppose.
and that II could be handled so quick
ly and accurately by such compare
lively small fierce would he q mystery
10 most people until they could witness
the It charitable accuracy and swlftnesy
with which the deft-nngered clerks
throw letters and packages about. Thev
dent seem to q re where thew throw
them. and don't even look where they
throw, but somehow they always fail
In the right place
one OF the greatest time and labor.
saving inventions for the mail service
IL that wonderful piece OF mechanism
the cancelllng machine. These ma.
chimes have been In use comparatively
short time but the offices which use
them could not get along without them
now. They are not In general use even
now except In the largest cities, There
are only three In the state. they being
located 1t Dallas. Houston and Fort
Worth. The one here is In charge az
Delos w. Brownson. He explained tho
machine to the reporter and kindly run
u half buahel or 40 Of letters through I,
To- show how II worked And how II
did work. II swallowed up several
hundred letters before the scribe wac
aware II had started good. and everv
one OF the postmarks was rs clear ana
distinct as copper plate" This iittia
0nair. which Is no larger than nm ar
binary sewing machine can do ~
work OF fifteen men and do II far hot
ter than they, II counts tho letter,
II STAMPS Its register will count nm
TO million. The register showed this
morning that S96,e51 letters had bean
cancelled since its arrival three months
ago The machine Is 80 slmple tbot
one wonders why some one ala 49,
think OF II before, hut II Is the res,,i,
ot n thousand experiments ana 80, |
expenditure. and is gold nina 10 ~
Inventors. Tho machine Is .ra,,,,, ~ |
the government for $500 venr ~. w y.
IL cheap at that They are moi eo,
~ amy price, The expense az ,-,r , Ssie
y Is nominal. IA a very small motnr
does the work. "iotof
The postmistiess, Mrs. Tnrner 49,,
MI ot her assistants are rnpn,n,. SUI
fee In the most satisfactory a,,a ,ne Of
s 1919 manner and they are giving
n ,,i Worth the best postal service ,5
Fire Sale of JcwcIrx
AZ 2ls Main street. Tver,, 49,,
goods In the house reduced TO- 80 OF
ten DAYS and damaged goods o. ~ next
own price. w. W. Chamberlain q Snl