The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-27
.POSTOFF|CE MEN
 WORKED OVERTIME Holiday Rush of Business Was
 a Record Breaker MORE SPACE WAS REQUIRED Ten Men Were on Duty Part of the Time in the Registered Letter De-
 partment-Many Special
 Deliveries Handled.
MORE SPACE WAS REQUIRED

The holiday rush atahe Birmingham postoffice was heavier this year than ever before snce the establishment of the office. Although the amount of mail handled by the local office was enormous Postmaster J. w. Hughes and his corps of clerks and carriers by working over time managed to cope with 1t and ex- perienced but little inconvenience. By yesterday afternoon almost every piece of mail received in the postoffice during the holidays had been delivered to its destination.
 In the registry department there was a rush for several days. The postmaster estimates that more than 2O0O pieces of registered mail were handled during last week. Five clerks were on duty all the time and ten clerks part of the time. Some of the men remained on duty in that department for twenty-four hours without relief
 Somewhat Congested.
 Dr. Hughes stated yesterday afternoon that to limited extent the registered mail is eongested. This is caused by the QtpdI liHtil IdNlllS lHdutiueilt sBAN0 Nc work in. The mail in this department exceeded by at least eighty per cent that of any previous year.
 The mailing division promptly dispatch ed all mail received and the distributing department promptly handled all mail for the city proper The money order de- partment during the holiday season cbo in, ha b11e handled.
 Hard Work.
 The clerks in all of the departments worked from fifteen to twenty-four hours during the past week. Some of them worked for four or five days with almost no relief, according to Postmaster Hughes.
 The number of special delivery letters and packages handled during the past week was far in excess of any months s business in this department. On one train alone on Christmas day fifty-six special delivery letters and packages were re- ceived
 Relative to the inadequate space pro- vided for the registered mail depart ment Dr. Hughes said that he intended to write to Congressman Underwood and urge upon him in drafting his bill pro- viding for the completion of the third floor of the federal building to include an ap- propriation for an addition to the space allotted to the postoffice.
 Postmaster Pleased.
 The postmaster expresses himself as being well pleasd with the manner in which the business at the postoffice was conducted during the holidays He was forcilie in his expression of kind feeling and high appreciation towards the clerks and the carriers and everyone connected with the office for the faithful service rendered during the rush. Through the columns of the Age-Herald," said Dr. Hughes, 'I desire to express to all of the postoffice employees my thanks
 While a heavy business is still on at the local offices of the Southern Express company the great accumulation of holi- day packages has to a certain extent been disposed of. The large force of men put at work during Christmas week will be continued, however until probably the first of the year, in order that the busi- ness may be handled as well as possible.