The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-21
HEAVY BUSINESS
FOR EXPRRSSMEN
CHRISTMAS MAKES MORE WORK
Capital of the Nation Proves to BE
Destination for Great and
Unique variety OF Holt
day Gifts.

That Santa Claus" as a visitor to both
cid and young travels to great extent
by freight. is demonstrated by the in
creased volume of business handled by
the common carriers during the fortnight
Immediately preceding Christmas day So
great is the volume of business. due sole
IL to the muniheence of Santa Claus gifts,
that in many instances it is nearly New
Year Day before the common carriers
have receipts to show for the safe de-
livery of the packages
The Offices OF the Adams and the United
States Express Companies. which carry
holiday gifts sent out Of the city on the
various trunk lines that radiate to every
point OF the compass from the National
Capital. have been kept busy day and
night for the past week, and the agents
and employees see no prospects Of re-
taxation pending the advent of the New
Year.
Clerical Forccs Increased.
To give receipts for Christmas gifts,
and quote rates first to a point in the
New England States, and then IN the re
gion vest Of the Mississippi or to some
town or hamlet IN the Sunny Southland
necessitates the reinforcement of the
clerical force employed, and the recruits
TO great extent retard the work of those
who know all about locations. rates. eff,
for the latter are almost momentarily
required to give the classification of
package in the hands Ct recruit. while
they themselves are looking up rate to
a point in Texas. OF fsr-off California. CT
Maine
hard Work for Wagon Men
The weight and brunt of the increased
volume OF express business incident TO the
approach of yuletide falls upon those who
drive and assist on the express wagons.
who are required TO face the elements in
handling the boxes and packages. and re-
main on the wagons from early morning
until midnight, taking outbound freight to
the various railroad terminals or deliver
ing the inbound freight TO the eonsignees
in the National Capital
Perhaps at no point where the express
companies Dc business does the volume
OF freight received consist of such q
heterogeneous cougiommeTation as re
CARDS destination as IL the case IN Wash
ingtOu- Yet when one stops 70 consider
that Washington is the National Capital.
such a condition Is easily understood
The agents OF the two express conpa-
MES that operate the various trunk lines
out OF Washington expect that the vol
uue OF freight business handled this year
viii equal il not exceed the business done
IN 1900. ~ least there IS every indica-
ton JhaJ II viii not fail much below
Remembrance for Wagon Men,
Apropos OF the gIadness brought TO the
hearts OF the multitude by the agents OF
the commoa carriers. It may be Well to
add that those who are thus gIaddened 10
q very great extent remember that these
same wagon men have families OF their
own where the joys attendant az Yule-
tide are not an unknown quantity, and
MANY are the valuable remembrance Of
the return o. Christmas that are given 70
tan by the recipients OF Christmas gifts
that come b. freight
The local express companies are also
doing q land office business these days
According TO the agents Of several OF the
local companies the volume OF business
handled Is hundTedfoid as CornDared to
other seasons o. the year
And thus the good cheer OF fuieude ana
the manifestations OF the manificence Of
Santa Claus in all parts Of the civilized
world. is Disseminated to the ~eople
BY the common carriers