The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-23
Receipts of Local Office Will Show Big increase This Year HOLIDAY RUSH IS COMING Facts Are Being Secured to Acquaint Congressional Committee With the
 Needs and Conditions in
 Birmingham.

The business of the Birmingham post office has grown far beyond it's present facilities. The rapid increase of business and receipts Is said to make additional clerks and office room we'll nigh an inn perative need. Since last March thir- teen new clerks have been allowed by the postoffice department, but that many more would have to be added before the situation can be relieved according to the officials.
 Last postal year, ending June 9O the total receipts of the Birmingham office were over s211,0oo. This year the receipts sl50,00o or s160,00o. The rapid growth in the volume of the business Is accounted for in several ways. The increase in the population, the un- parelled prosperity of the Birmingham district and the extension of the juris- diction of the office. The establishment of several large whisky order houses in Birmingham during the past few months has swelled the business of the office As a big number of the Alabama counties and most of the Mississippi counties are governed by prohibition laws, the whisky order business is prosperng in Birming- ham, which has become the center of the whisky shipping trade of Alabama and Mississippi It is estimated that the trade has increased the daily number of pack ages handled by the postoffice several hundred.
 In a few weeks the holiday rush will ha every effort to meet the conditions that this season of the year brings. Several additional clerks will be put on and every thing will be done to keep the business from becoming congested.
 One of the postoffice officials in dis cussing the coming holidays said:
 If everyone in Birmingham intending to send presents and packages during the holiday season would try to get them mailed three or four days proceeding Christmas day it would prove of great aid to the postal clerks. Usually every one waits until the day before Christmas to mail their presents and as a result the mails are congested By posting a package two or three days before Christ mas everyone can be assured that 1t will be delivered by Christmas day"
 The Birmingham office is the chief dis bursting office for the rural free delivery | carriers of the state and over 500 rural carriers are paid monthly through this office. The work of the office is greatly augmented from this source.
 As new carriers are being added in Alabama every week and as the office business is making such rapid strides, it is probable that some steps will be taken looking to getting bill through Con gross in the near future, providing for 8 new government building for Birming- l ham.
 | As 1t Is the custom of the postoffice to purchase a site covering an entire block | on which to erect buildings in growing cities like Birmingham, the probabilities are that a block will be bought when Bir- mingham is allowed a new building.
 Although it is the precedent of Con gross to base the claims of cities for new government building on the last federal census, a movement will be commenced at an early date to acquaint Congress with the rapid growth of Birmingham and It's pressing need of new building.
 Statics are now being compiled which will show the rapidly increasing popula- ton of Birmingham and the great era of industrial activity. The postmaster hopes to secure some additional clerks at once which will afford temporary relief. | The movement for a new postoffice building will be started in earnest in the near future and every effort will be made to inform Congress anent the needs of Birmingham along this line.