Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-14
CHRISTMAS PACKAGES IN THE MAIL.
A Few Simple Rules Which will Expedite
Early and Safe Delivery Of Gifts.

A representative Of the Journal. in
making his rounds. yesterday. was in
! the post office, and noticing the large
amount Of packages being sent away.
spoke OF the early Christmas business
this year. From conversation had
among the clerks. who were busy with
| this part of their work the following
suggestions We're received and are now
given to our readers in the hope that
may assist them in preventing the
| diSapp0intments which arrive from
delayed gifts sent through the mails.
! few years ago people did not send
their sits through the mail until "A day
| or TWO before Christmas; but the mails
were 50 choked that il was almost i'm
possible 70 get them through on time
and properly delivered Experience
has taught most people that it is better
| to send gifts earlier, even at the risk
| Of the addrCsSeo receiving them "a day
| or two too early than to wait until too
near the holiday for tie mailing, and
so bring about a disappointment at the
receiving end.
| The first rule then. for senders OF
| Christmas gifts. should be to give at
| least "A hours leeWay, SO that there will
| be q reasonable chance for the gift 70
reach its destination on time, even if
| delayed. The railway mail service is
so perfect in its work at the present
time that mails must be unusually
large to have any serious delay: but
il is wiser TO err as above suggested by
giving too mich time rather than Civ.
ing TOO narrow q margin.
one cause of much disappointment
and vexation at the holiday time is on
account of the improper tying up OF
packages 50 that when they are in the
seeks in the mail cars the weight mp
on them throws the contents out. This
is particularly true of packages Of
yielding material, like cloth or yarn.
or where they cannot be tied square 50
that the strings will not slip off The
clerks use the greatest care to keep
such packages as may become united
or undone together with the address,
and send to the proper destination:
but very often in the rush of work on
the railway post offices. the address
will get away from the contents. and
while the address will go to its des-
tination. the contents will be turned
into the nearest division superintend-
ent as found loose in the mails.
There is always a loss of articles in
the mail in this manner. but ii is par
ticularly large at the holiday time.
f -ch division superintendent publishes
a list of the articles found loose in the
mail and turned in to his office once
in each month. and this list is sent to
the larger offices. In case anything is
found to have been lost, the sender or
receiver should Immediately report the
same to the post office. together with
the information of whom the package
was sent, where mailed whether fully
prepaid in stamps and contents, togeth-
er with any other information that
would lead to it's discovery. This com
plant should be lodged as soon as the
person is sure that the package has
actually not been received, allowing a
proper time to elapse for ordinary de-
lays
On every package which is sent the
name of the sender with his address
should appear in one corner written
From John Smith, Augusta, Me, or
whatever The address might be; and in
case Of inability to deliver. or any
other reason. the postmaster at the Of
! flee Of destination will notify the send
er, 50 that the package Will be return
ed at the proper time. This is very
important rule, for great proportion
Of the losses and delays in the mail are
caused by errors in writing the ad-
dresses. Experience teaches all postal
clerks that the great majority of miss
ing ami nlissent packages ami letters
are due NOT 20 errors of the mail ser
vice, but to the erroneous addresses
which are given. Special care, there
fore, should be taken in sending all
gifts to see that the address is correct
ly written, and that the Sender's ad-
dress also appears upon the package.
i 1t is good rule not to mail q letter
( or package until one final look has
been given to see tnat the postage is
upon it, and that the address is all
right. Another cause OF disappoint-
ment is because Of insufficient prepay
ment of postage, or mailing packages
and forgetting to put the stamps up
on the same. Under no condition can
merchandise mail be sent originally
+ from an Office. or forwarded ate:
reaching its address, without prepay
ment Of postage in full. \ partial
payment Of postage is treated
| exactly the same as if no stamps
We're affixed, and the addressee
is notified with n form card
chat such a package is held at the Of
flee Of mailing awaiting proper prepay
ment of postage, and that stamps must
be sent. If the name of the sender APP
pears on such a package. as it should,
the sender viii be notified to prevent
the delay.
If a special delivery stamp. costing
10 cents. ne affixed to any package OF
letter. in addition to the postage, il
will be carried from any office imme-
diately on lis receipt at that office by
Il special messenger. who will deliver
it within a mile limit of any country
office. or wherever there is a free city
delivery, within the limits of that de