Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-30


but also the Federal building from
which it is done. Without them and
the revenue derived from their business
the Augusta postoffice would be on
the usual level of those in cities of ten
or twelve thousand inhabitants.
The business of our postOffice, as we
have indicated, is abnormal and I'M
like that of any small city in the
world and gives Augusta an unusually
high position in this respect. In news
paper mail it comes about sixth i'm the
list, and, as impossible as it may seem.
two per cent of all the newspaper mail
carried in our mails originate at this
office. Three railway postofiices make
the run daily from Bangor to Boston.
and this service is supplemented by
storage car daily from here and short
runs and many closed pouches sent to
and from Augusta on other than mail
trains.
Under the present adminstra ton the
office has been divided into several
definite divisions, each with a clerk in
charge and every one in the whole
force is personally responsible for the
proper performance of certain desig-
mated work. In this way there is bet
ter discipline and more individual re-
sponsibilty and more ambition dis
played. 1t is no disparagement to any
each has endeavored to place the OF
flee on a still higher plane than his
predecessor.
The entire force in the building ex-
cepting the positions of assistant post
master and cashier are under civil ser
vice rules. Under these no employe
liable. efficient and of good reputation.
Political and religious reasons are
strictly barred out. Appointments can
only be made after the civil service
commission at Washington has certi-
fed TO the annual examinations and
furnished a public eligible list. On
each vacancy the local board fur
nishes the three highest ranked names
from which the postmaster must select
one He has a right to object in writ
ing to any name for valid reasons. If
his objections be sustained the name
is removed from the list. Having Sc
lected one name that person is notified
and accepts as a substitute clerk. He
is then liable to be called in to serve
IS substitute ut any time: a vacancy
substitute is then appointed regular
clerk. which appointment is made final
six months later, If he prove salts
factory.
In the present force there are 40
clerks all under the direct supervision
of Everett 5. Hall. assistant; John V.
Lane cashier. and Captain John +.
Carson, superintendent of mails
Outside the natural increase of regu
lar letter mail. there has been con-
tinual and marked increase of that for
and from the publishing houses. and ut
no time has il ever been a 50 great as
at the present.
The work Of sorting the mail here is
done on two floors of the building. the
lower one being entirely devoted to the
newspaper department. On this floor
are five bag rails holding approximate
~ 100 sacks each into which the papers
are sorted by experienced men AS
fast as they are filled the sacks are
labelled and tied up and placed on the
trucks ready for shipment There is 4
constant arrival and departure Of
teams loaded with mail sacks, the
usual shipments running from 10 to 10
tons daily.
Large as the government building
was considered to be when it was first
occupied, the increase of business has
been such that some of the paper work
is now done in rail on the ground
floor which is devoted TO the use OF the
city delivery, carriers. letter despato h
and money divisions. The great in
crease has already severely cramp2d
the office and much needed work ana
an increase of newspaper force is at
present impossible until larger quar-
tiers can be given. although the bust
ness of the houses will probably in
crease from one-sixth to one-ffth this
winter. bringing this amount of extra
work upon the Augusta postoftice.
There has been some intention of using
part of the third floor. one room Of
which is occupied by the official stem
ographer. Miss Edith s. Moulton. AS
the elevator does not connect, and as
the rooms are now occupied by the
United States Pension Agency. mail
work there seems at present inn
practicable.
To form an idea of the great and
constant increase of business the last
official count taken in March shows