The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-04
GREATLITERARY CENTER
DEPUTY POSTMASTER TALKS OF IN
DIANAPoLIs PUBLICATIONS.
Enormous Growth of Newspaper and
Periodical Business-Stamp Sale
for Last Month.

81 wonder how many people realize what
a publication center indianapolis is getting
10 be-" said Deputy Postmaster John l..
Shideler last night. 1.-THE enormous growth
Of the newspaper and periodical business
can be learned at a glance by examining
the figures showing the amount of money
we received for newspaper postage in No
vember, 1899, and during the same month
this year. The receipts on this account in
November last year were s1,411.72. Since
newspaper postage is at the, rate of one
cent per pound, this sum represents IA. liz
pounds of papers, and estimating seven
papers to a pound, which is a very con-
sentative estimate, we have a total of
92S, 204 newspapers were sent out by the
Indianapolis postoffice during the month
of November, 1899. Now, let US turn 10 the
receipts for the month just ended. The
total is 81, 4S6. 91-nearly double that OF a
year ago. This amount represents 24S,6Sl
pounds of periodicals., which, by the
method previously employed, indicates a
grand total of ~l.7O4,S37 separate pieces:
Nearly two million newspapers and
periodicals sent out. by mail from this
city last MONTH, Doesn't that demonstrate
that our city is coming TO be quite a liter
airy center? But, mind you, the postoffice
does not transmit all of the newspapers or
periodicals-not by a good deal. So, you
see, if L could give you the entire number
Oh NEWSPAPERS anu pcIlOulCdlS ludl ltdNC
this city every month, it would probably
make your head SWIM
The postofice seems to be a pretty &C
curate thermometer indicating the tnan-
cial condition Of the public from month
TO month and year by year. Business firms
that are losing money do not invest large
sums in postage stamps. Yet the local
postoffice took in more money. by A,59ll9
last month than it did during the month OF
November, 1899. A much greater number
of postage stamps were disposed of-S3,52O
worth more, to be accurate-last month
than during the corresponding month of
last year.
People are also becoming more sociable
another showing made by figures OBJ
tanned at the postofice. The report of W..
O. Patterson, superintendent of mails, for
the month of November just ended, was
esting figures. 1t shows that during the
month of November, 1899, there were
8. 704, $40 pieces of first-class mail matter
(mostly letters handled at the local post
office. while the number last month was
4,312, $50. The number of pieces of mail
matter of all other classes handled during
November. 1899, was ~2.O51,25O, which last
month jumped TO 2, 469. $50. The total num-
Der of pieces Of all classes handled during
November a year ago was 5.755,770, while
last month II was 6.7S1. $50. Uncle Sam has
been compelled TO show greater hberality
in the matter of supplying clerks this
year than he did last. In November, 1899,
nineteen clerks were employed in handling
mail, but last month there were twenty
Patterson conducted what is known as a
lease examination recently to determine
the efficiency of the mail distributors
working under his supervision. Two clerks,
each working on mail TO be sent 10 a part
of the State Of Indiana designated Sec
ton A" were credited with 100 per cent
efficiency-that is to say, their work was
perfect. Charles L. Finney distributed 67
cards without making an error. So also
did Simpson p. Myers. But Finney's rec
ord is q trife better than that of Myers.
cinnn the Tnrrnar urnrka1 faster fhrnUinr
thirty-five cards each minute, while Myers
threw only twenty-six a minute.