The Portland daily press., 1899-07-15
POSrOFFICE ECONOMIES.
Warnings About Rubber Bands and
Twine-Improvemen in Postmarixs.

1 Washington Special in New York Post. }
Some idea of the magnitude sy0f the
post-ofiics businrss is furnished by TIE
division OF rostoffics supplies In this city.
More thnn thirty different forms OF print
ed letters ale in use for answering suoh
questions and making suen requests as
must be dealt with by tho hundred. For
example, recently printed form, sent
out to all postmasters who receive rubber
bands, cautions them to exercise the
strictest economy in their use. 1t is said
at the supply office that rubber bands are
now costing the department AZ per cent.
more than they cost year ago, and hence
the need OF caution to keep within the
appropriations. Another printed blank
enJoins economy in the use of twine call
ing attention to the fact that the new
twins has greater tensile strength thnn
that formerly furnished. and so does not
require as many wraps ON packages as
heretofore. Postmasters are instruc ed to
return when empty all burlaps sent out
with this twine. and sharp watch lis
Kept to see that this direction il complied
with. A card eDjoins patience in waiting
for supp lies which have been ordered.
The say ing in typewriter operatives by
the Use of these printed forms Ia enormous,
and they are printed SO as to resemble
the work OF the typewriters used upon
them to I'LL In the names and addresses
In this way the letters are probably quite
as elective as II especially written for
each occasion. The supply division sup
plies third and fourth-class postmasters
with blanks, scales up 20 four pounds
books, pens and ink and postmarking and
canceiing apparatus, aud first and second
class postoiiices 1t furnishes with all the
stationery. twins. printing and binding,
blank tooks, scales of all kinds, and
whatever elss In the way of supplies may
be necessary. The division, therefore,
deals directly with about "a, zoo postotfiees
besides the railway mall service and the
Postofiice Department. itself. The mail
matter received and shipped from the
division every day averages twelve tons,
and about 1910, coo is expended on 1t per
anDum. 10 the credit or this branch of
the service it may be said that while the
increase within the last two years In the
use of postal supplies has been about 33
per cent. and there has been besides sons
rise In the prise of supplies, no increase
has been mAda in the appropriation
Within the last two years great reforms
have been made in its work, and these
have offset the expanding needs of the
sergica.
A few years ago complaints were rifs as
70 the imperfect postmarking of letters
This evil had been so allowed to grow by
neglect that 1t was found upoDs investi-
CATION that 60 per cent. of all the post
marking was illegib,e. An inquiry was
made as ID the kinds of ink which would
make the most legible postmark, and q
subdivision was organized for dealir q
with the postmastsrs. They were each
required to send an impression of their
postmersing stamp, and the department
then he IAN to supply the offices with ink
and ty9e netfer adapted TO postmarking,
SO that all complaints have now practi-
cally csased.