The Washington times., 1902-12-20
UNCLE SANS POSTAL
CLERKS HARD At WORK
TonsOf Christmas Gifts Pass
ing Through Local Office.

The Christmas trials of the postal EN-
ploye are OF In FUN blast.
The outgoing mails are burdencd with
Christmas Joy for friends and loved ones
in distant parts Of the country. and the
Incoming mail Is equally as heavy. In
the past week thousands Of packages
have been dispatched from Washington.
The mail Of last night however. WAS by
far the largest OF the season. and the
rostal clerks worked until early this
morning before they succeeded in get
ting the precious packages assorted and
placed IN the mail bags Tor transmits
sion.
Each year the American shopper be-
comes more lavish in making Christmas
purchases. and each year grows more
careless in preparing the gift for mail
ing. Thousands OF gifts break through
the package and the busy mail clerk
must take time to tie it up before the
contents are lost from the box or wrap
per and broken or ruined. Carelessness
IN addressing packages causes the clerks
10 lose much time in deciphering the
address or anticipating the wish Of a
sender who failed to write sll the ad-
dress on the package
For the increased Christmas business
at the office. additional clerks assist the
mail and postal clerks, so the mails can
be dispatched with little or no delay.
Major James f. Bell, superintendent Of
city delivery. has detailed a number OF
extra mail carriers for the city service.
and tons Of Christmas presents will be
distributed by them over the territory
covered from the postoffice in this city.
The stamp clerks are kept busy from
morning until II o'clock at night weigh
ing packages and selling stamps. Until
after 10 O'Clock last night there was a
long line of people anxiously waiting 10
reach the stamp windows and have their
packages weighed and sent on their way
Some OF the packages disTiayed we're
bulky enough to be sent by freight. while
others were 'fshed" out Of vest pockets.
So much confidence have the American
people in the efficiency OF the POstofiice
Department they risk diamonds and
other valuable jewelry TO the mailbag
without even registering the package.
Beside those who trust valuable pack
ages to the mail. there are those who
are fearful their gifts viii be lost and
register every package they send. nC
matter II # is no more than hand-
kerchief.
senders OF Christmas packages are not
the most troublesome OF holiday patrons
the postcfice employees say. They insist
81 is the class OF expectant recipients OF
presents. who think the mail is so slow
and the postal clerk so inefficient. Every
day and oftentimes a dozen times a day,
persons anticipating instantaneous trans
mission by mail insist their present must
have been overlooked by the clerk an
swering their request for mail
For It's size. Washington has a larger
Christmas mail business than any othei
city. This IS due to the great number Of
Government attaches. members Of Con
gress and Government clerks. who re-
ceive their presents here. or the thous
ands OF presents sent through the mails
but few ever reach the dead letter Office
II the address is indisrinct or illegibl,
there generally can be found some clu'
to get the package back to the sender foi
Te-mailinE
Beginning with Monday and until ar
ter New Year, there will be no rest FOR
the thousands Of postal employees Ovel
the country. and yet II they we're to res
there would be millions unhappy. Tor
there is scarcely a man. woman. or chilc
who does not receive some token OF re-
membrance from some distant friend an,
there is not one who does not send som,
loved one a kindly remembrance OF tho
happy Yuletide.