The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-14
is NOW THE ORDER OF THE DAY IN
SAVANNAH.
THIS WEEK COMES THE RUSH.
AND ALL LINES OF TRADE PROMISE
TO BE LIyELIER THAN EVER.

nation Relative to shipping
Articles Through the Postofiaee
and by Express.
Tomorrow begins the real active
Christmas shopping. Although the holi-
day trade was we'll patronized last
week, it was quiet to what is expect
ed the intervening days between now
and the day of all days in the year.
Christmas 1902 in Savannah promises
to be more deliberately celebrated than
any previous Xmas. The people APP
pear to have more money, or at least
seem to have more to spend than on
the average, and every line of bust
ness is fourishing and doing well.
Never before have the offerings been
so numerous or so well assorted, and
prices so reasonable. This applies 70
every branch of the trade that is limit
ed to holiday outputs. In the fur
niture trade and others where sub
stantial gifts are to be had the OF
ferings are exceptionally good and IN
viting Rugs, articles of furniture and
other necessaries, both costly and de-
sirable are more numerous than here
tofore, and are much sought.
Toys BY the Thousands.
In the toy line the trade is more than
inviting and the articles on sale are
greatly in excess of any other previous
year, and the distribution promises to
be larger than ever. Every place
where such goods are expected to be on
sale, is we'll supplied, and each and
every one of the dealers is doing a good
business.
Yesterday was one of the busiest ever
experienced in Savannah, and II expee-
tatious result as anticipated, il VIII
amount to nothing compared to what a
week hence will develop. The streets
were lined with women during the aft
ernoon, and at night men and women,
husbands and wives, daughters and
sons, were doing their holiday shop
ping, and each one appeared to have
money to burn.
Ready For the Rush.
For the holiday trade the postoffice,
Express Company and all of the trans
portation lines are making arrange
ments for the rush that is sure to
come. The former, especially, is pre-
pairing for a great mail business, and
additional help win have to be em-
ployed to properly handle the business,
This years business by the postoffice
department will be handled more Wig
orously and carefully than ever, and
! the deliveries, though exceptionally
heavy win be as prompt and reliable
| as possible.
In this connection it is well to dis
| cuss the question, What becomes of
the many little articles that start out
| in the mails for kinfolks. friends.
sweethearts and dealers" and turn up
missing. This is a question that has
| long puzzled the general public and
stirs the ire in the breast of the un-
| fortunate sender.
A postoffice official in discussing the
| question stated that the loss is inslg-
| nificant when considered that millions
upon millions Of packages are intrust-
| ed to Uncle Sans mail service an
nually for transportation and safe de-
| livery, but it is the old Biblical propo-
sition revived, More distress over the
lost than the millions saved" 1t is a
| fact well known in the mail service
| that losses and delays in the transport
tation of mail matters are usually
| charged to the ignorance or careless
ness of the sender, and in this con-
| nection, it is we'll to state that delays
| occur ir4S the mail service by reason Of
| the, constant and numerous changes
that are always occurring in the postal
| service, for old as we'll as new men are
| liable to mistakes. but the actual losses
directly chargeable to neglect of the
service are remarkably few.
An illustration of CareIessness.
AS an illustration of the carelessness
in properly preparing articles for trans
mission, nothing serves so well as the
monthly report of the various divisions
of the Railway Mail service, which are
sent into the main offices for informa-
ton. Last months report of one di-
vision states that 1874 articles were
found loose in the mail, and were turn
ed over to division headquarters to be
re-addressed to the sender or recipient,
the former, If the name was in evil
dence.
The list of articles found loose and
to which the proper address could not
be traced, Is interesting. Seventy-one
pieces of silverware and copper first
attracts attention. The coins were
found loose in the mail pouches or upon
the floor of the mail car. The ability
Of coin to cut it's way out of an en-
ve1ope into which it had been placed
unwrapped, as reported upon by the de-
partment is remarkable, and the expe-
rience has caused the po5toffice off,
Gals to refuse to transmit loose coins.
PostoGIce Instructions.
Instructions from the officials in
Washington to postmasters throughout
the country, and which is especially ap-
plicab1e now that the holiday rush is
on is not to receive coins for transmits
sion unless they are wrapped in paper
or other covers to prevent their cut
ting through the envelope and thus be-
coming property chargeable to the
postoffice department. Numerous 9TH
er articles that must be carefully pre-
! pared for transmission before they are
received by the postoffice officials, and
which are mentioned in the Instructions
are keys, spoons, collar and cuff but
tons, hinges, gold rings. pencils, bead
| ornaments. wire, pipes erasers, chains
valves, bracelets, pens, brushes, films,
stamp pads, books, bicycle supplies,
purses, cloth, photos, shuttles, castings,
knobs, thing, pocket knives. brasses
card cases. medals, nail files, clocks
medicine. sifters. shoes. razor strOps
tassels lining, spools, torches, sewing
machine supplies. nOzzleg. harness fit-
| tings, GAIT cellars. cards, tOotbbrushes,
watches, locks, wrenches. stickpins
chisels. plasters. seeds, fountain pens,
! thlmbles, balls-8nd false teeth--Think
Of a man inquirinR day after day at
the postOfiice for bis toothbrush or
false teeth.
Only One Division.
The point 10 this long report which
embraces but one month and one diyis-
l0B oBt ~ sixteen, "a that az %
fheas articles were numbered among
the fZf found loose ~ one
division, during November, sbOglnR
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