Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-11-23
Work of the Charles Town p. o.

Mr.. EDIToR.-Some one peeped through our
delivery window to-day, and seeing probably
two hundred Cniorc or lcss) letters lying on
the table, postmarked. and ready for the case,
asked me how many If those do you all dis
patch in a day? This question has really been
put to me many times. and have usually
ans wcrcd it, as I will now do. with an esti-
mated quantity,
Those to whom this information has been
gwen have invariably expressed surprise, and
some, immaginc, doubt its correctness.
Bear in mind that this is a good big town,
with several lively manufacturing plants, nu-
merous merchants, banks, insurance compa-
mics and professional men. all writing letters
Then I'D to this output the thousand and one
other pa irons in town. not forgetting that the
country people within radius of three miles
of til is, tho county scat, do their posting with
u.s. Cor the bulk of it, ard my estimate OF
over SEQ day. or SEQ week, is conservative
This is a distributing office, and do not in
corp crate in the above the hundreds OF letters
pas sing through our hands daily for other Of
fees. AS to mail of the End, 3rd and 18th class
dispatc he'd. add another thousand anyway.
So much for the week which means at least
% 600 pieces of local matter sent away from
this Office per month.
If we then dispatch 25 COO pieces VIC receive
and of course handle, $4,000 pieces. for we
unquestionably distribute daily through the Of
flee thousand pieces of all classes. The
handling then, of these 2, 900 pieces day and
IA. 900 u week, or from 10000 to $4,000 per
mouth, should keep us busy, don't you Think
Perhaps You don't, or perhaps you do, know
that we have twelve mails comitg in and
tw elyc going out every day, except shndnyD
Including '-Star Routes"
Few towns, if any, enjoy better mailing IA
cilties than this, 'und still VIC are not happy
because conld we only increase, or push upin
some legitimate way, our sales about g, 0o0 a
! year, this would put us in the 2nd class, where
| we ought TO be, and would allow the postmas-
| ter, among other good things, free delivery for
the town, and $500 year for money order
| clerk. This would, in measure, compensate
him for the les possibility and conduct of y
so, eco yearly business in this department, in
GLIDING international business, which latter
adjunct is puzzle in itself to anyone who has
not made q study of it aud had some practical
experience The clerical work in an ofic of
| our capacity is not SO voluminous, but it docs
require, to handle it. thorough llnowlcdg e
| of postal laws and regulations, quick dispatch
and no inaccuracies that is unless you don't
mind being jerkcd of your feet by heads of
departing mt at Washington. They are lenient
with first offence, if it is not grave, but don't
repeat it.
But have written enough-not anyt ing
/ cannot prove, nothing the public should not
know-and as far as the details of running u
postofice are concerned-well, you eau learn
them from practical experience only, and much
hard, physical and mental labor. still this
docs not kill, and few resign.
Yours Truly.
CHAs. A. JOHNSON.