The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-03
EVERY SECOND
HAS ITS VALUE.
Inability of Postmaster Greene
to Secure a Sufficient Number
of Carriers NeCessitates a
New Order
LETTER BOXES AT HOUSES
SAVES MUCH TIME

Vail IVAN OAt OIsO UlhtOAS W
an Answer to His Summons
Great Increase in Matter in
Recent Years
Postmaster j. Evarts Greene offered
suggestion through the newspapers
few days ago with a view Of in
creasing the efficiency of the delivery
service Of the Worcester post office.
The suggestion In itself was simple
and at first thought would seem to
have comparatively slight effect on the
service, but actual results prove the
contrary. The suggestion was that
residents of the city, irrespective of
locality, place a letter box at their
doors, in order to facilitate the work
OF carriers. The number of boxes
placed since the recommendation Of the
postmaster was printed is proof of how
readily people Of Worcester appreciate
a move in the right direction.
The conditions in Worcester today
are such that something must be done
to make up for the lack Of carriers at
riers were allowed beginning Friday,
but Postmaster Greene wants two or
more additional men and his recon-
mendation is now pending before the
officials Of the department at Wash
ington.
If the necessary carriers cannot be
obtained, something has got to be done,
and Mr.. Greene has decided that
economy Of time on the routes is one
way Of getting around the difficulty.
AS printed in The Spy, an order is
now in force at the Worcester office
that a carrier shall not wait longer
than one minute to deliver mail. In
the past the rule has been to wait a
reasonable length Of time and If the
summons was not answered, to go on
to the next stopping place.
Innumerable kicks result from per-
sons not receiving mail matter at the
time when 1t should be delivered. In
a great majority of cases Of this sort
the carrier has waited what seems to
him q reasonable length of time and
then gone on with his route. The in
dividual will say that for some rea-
son or other he was unable to get to
the door as soon as the bell rang, but
he is sure it could not have been more
than a minute or two. 1t can be readi-
" appreciated what delay of min
ute or two would mean If the same
condition was in evidence at a large
number of houses along carriers
route. On other occasions a bell may
not be in working order, The carrier
is not aware of this and the result is
another kick. In cases of the sort
mentioned, letters are, of course, de-
livered on the next trip.
One thing recognized by all who
have anything to do with the post
office is the steadily-increasing volume
of mail matter. The increase is much
faster comparatively than the increase
In population or extent Of territory to
be covered. Carriers are not allowed
to work more than eight hours a day
under the law, and unless an adequate
number of men are allowed, it can be
easily understood that every minute
counts.
OF the actual working time Of each
carrier an hour and a half is allowed
in the office for sorting mail on his
route. This means that the carrier
has six hours and half or 800 min
utes in which to get to and from his
route and deliver the contents of his |
pouch. A comparison of the work done |
on six routes one day early last week |
showed that the maximum number of
pieces of mail for the day was 500 |
and the minimum 252. 1t is easy to
that the man who made |
500 calls wasted little time in covering |
his route.
An actual test of the time taken in |
delivery Of mail at different houses |
proved that at places where there |
were letter boxes the delivery took |
only about 10 seconds. At places where |
the carrier was obliged to wait for !
some one to come to the door it took |
and An cepoO6G The saw |
ing of half a minute on each call |
means considerable in the course of a |
day.
The amount of mail matter increases |
A few years ago there was
little advertising mat
ter sent through the mails when the
immense volume in evidence today is
considered. Monday last the mail to
be delivered on the first trip of the
carriers was weighed and found to
tip the scales at 1897 pounds, or an
average for each carrier of about 81
pounds. The weight was not, of
course, evenly divided. Four men had
over 100 pounds, two had 100 and sew
eral had between so and 80 pounds.
Three or four had 40 pounds and the
smallest amount for any route was 10
pounds This does not mean that
man carried out a bundle of 120 pounds
at one time. w nat cOulQ not De taken
the first trip went over until the sec
ond delivery.
When there is a rush of matter and,
as frequently happens, three or four
sacks of advertising circulars are
dumped in at one time, the least i'm
portant matter takes a back seat until
such time as the carriers can get other
matter cleared up.
Letters and daily papers have the
right of way and are given first place
in the matter of delivery. Notices Of
meetings of societies, a great percent
age of which are so marked as to be
distinguishable, come next. Then the
weekly papers and after them the
monthly papers and periodicals. When
there is a rush it is sometimes several
DAYS before advertising matter and
similar documents are delivered.
Everything is. of course. delivered as
soon as possible, but matter is taken
in the order Of what is considered most
important.
The number of periodicals and ma
gaines increases steadily. Samples of
dress goods, pieces Of machinery or
mechanical devices and a thousand
and one different articles go through
the mail and contribute their share
to the ever increasing bulk which has
TO be handled and delivered to the re-
spective consignees.
Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver