The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-25

"The merry whistle of the postman"
and all that sort of thing at Christmas
time is a very pretty sontiment--if you
aren't the ncstman. The way he re-
CARDS it was expressed by one of his
kind yesterday:
Merry Christmas? Oh. yes, it's
merry enough. we've got cinCh maxi
ing other people happy but this job Of
acting the pack horse, making a thou
sand miles a day and freezing every
exposed part of your body isn't what
it's cracked up to be. About the only
satisfaction we get out of the work
these days is i'm being looked upon as
medium between the giver and the
givec. Try it for eight hours a day
with load higher than your neck and
these slippery walks and the icy cold
and see how you like it,
Some reason for the nCssimistiC sem
timcnt of the postman was found dur
ing the visit Of a Tribune reporter to
the postuflice yesterday. when the vast
quantity of mail matter handled was
about the same as on Wednesday and
Thursday. But for the fact that Uncle
sam does not put any limit on the
number of hours the clerks shall work
he does i'm the case Of letter carriers
the business of the office would be
hopelcssly blocked and choked. As it
is, one wonders how the employees are
able to handle the tons Of packages
parcels, letters and papers and do it
without confusion. and with compare
lively no loss, damage or miscarriage
RUSH FOR STAMPS.
An extra window for stamp sales has
been open since Wednesday, but from
early in the morning until the vim
dOWs close in the evening, the expert
ence and alacrity Of the stamp clerks
have been taxed TO the utmost. The
rule Of the postal department, that
purchasers of stamps shall do their
own licking has been waived for the
reason that its enforcement would
mean a perpetual blockade in front Of
the windows. AS fast as packages are
weighed the necessary amount of post
age is written on them with pencil
and they are tossed aside to he stamped
when opportunity offers.
Several large cracker barrels have
been setting alongside the stamp clerks
and every few minutes one Of the bar
rels had to be emptied. The rush of
letters ana the business of the money
order and registry departments has
been COrrespOndingly great and at all
hours of the day there have been
crowds about the windows of the two
latter departments waiting patiently
for their turn. All except the actually
necessary daily routine Of the office
has had to be abandoned entirely or
until late in the evening, i'm order that
every available clerk might aid IN
handling mail matter and assist in the
business of the money order and reg
istry windows.
The only JOY to the postman was the
satisfaction Of knowing that no earthly
power could force him to work more
than eight hours day That much
thanks is due to his union organiza-
tion and the eight-hour law.
TO THE LIMIT.
While the carrier was working. he
was doing it to the limit. They man
aged to make all their scheduled trims,
but this wouldn't have been possible
had they not possessed the peculiar
knack of rampng about like beasts
Of burden and had the ability to lug
countless bundles Of all sorts and sizes
with an abandon that puts the most
expert woman shopper and baby car
rier to shame. Their only extra helm
was that made possible by the use of
paltry $50 allowed by the govern
ment for substitutes during the month.
At all hours from 3 to o'clock yes
terday the cancellng ana distributing
tables in the pOstoniCe locked as
though Santa Claus had dumped there
on all his earthly possessions and
some borrowed Tor the purpose. The
cancelling Of the stamps was faci,l-
tated as regards the letters by the
recently acquired double cancelling
machine, which runs by electricity and
puts black smudgeS of ink and p0st-
marks on two letters at a time. faster
than person can count them. The
machine had but slight rest yesterday.
50 the reader can begin and count and
then form an idea of what has been
accomplished in his Uncle Samuel,
Scranton pOstUhlce.
Today there win be only one deliv-
cry. 1t will be the usual one OF the
early morning. 1t is on this round that
the gray uniformed carrier gets Some
return for his laburs, something use-
fui from the women, substantial from
the men and dainty from the young
miss, What the maid gives him isn't
cried out in newspaper print even II
discreetly given il would sound f.,
loud to talk about.