Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-21
How Mr. Average Chizcn Looks 10
Patient Fellow Behind Barred
Nindov~-Fuuny Incidents

ized globe THE pustouto was uued
With them. Each carrier came iu strug-
Cling beneath his load of them: wag-
ous backed up tl the rear doors load
ed with them. steady stream of sat
lakcrs and Utahus anxious Co hiVo
the giories and bcauties of their native
statc-thDIr home statc-tolu Co an the
world entered through the revolving
doors and dropped more copies i'm the
various package Sits.
Down az the postofiiCe they regard
the Christmas News as the first big
item iu the holiday rush. Business
houses follow the catalogues. circulars
and other matter got out 20 hurry up
holiday trade calcnders hy the tens
of thousands are being sent out or
coming In; few persons really know
how much is mailed before the eN-
change Of presents begins I'm earnest.
Many persons have the idea the mali
ing OF gifts is the first, last and only
avalanche the pOstOfhce experiences. A
visit behind the partitions would be "A
series Of surpri2es TO Mr.. Average Citi-
zen or any member OF the family.
Something about the various depart
ments makes interesting reading
BEHIND THE SCREENS.
But few persons have a correct
knowledge Of the workings of what is
called the screen" portion OF the post
an the work OF receiving and Dispatch
Ing the malls, renting the boxes, selling
stamps. Information and the general
delivery departments are located.
DAILY WORK IMMENSE.
In the mailing department. 90 mails
are received and dispatched daily, ana
three teams are kept continually car
ryiug the mail Carriers report Tor
duty iu the early morning. ana take
about one hour in routing their mail.
that is. arranging Il so they Will find IL
in order for delivery as they pass from
house to house Al the stamp win
dow. the sales average about $500 day
and this large amount ls taken In gem
orally from sales OF postal cards,
stamps and envelopes In small
amounts The general delivery depart
ment o. In charge OF j. r.. Seely Nj.
Seely states that the business OF his
department rs steadily growing. Late
IS "a new clerk was added % the depart
ment and "a new window opened and,
still. he says. 10 seems the rush keeps
ON lust as much as ever. He further
states that what is known as ue
transient mail is steadily increasing.
and that the general delivery windows
are quite an index o. the Increasing
amount OF travel through Salt Lake
city.
FORWARDING DEPARTMENT.
The forwarding department Is IN
charge on Miss Ethelyn Markham. She
reports that the unceasing tide OF for
wardlug orders continues 60 swell until
a seems that her department Is al
most sWaupeI. There are days when
as many as 800 orders for the forward
ing Of mail aHd the change OF address
are received. During the month the
average number is about 1000 The
number OF letters and packages for
Wardcd average ahOu 800 daily There
is great deal OF work iu the forward
ing department other than the actual
forwarding Of letters
WRITER'S OFTEN CARELESS.
This department Be-. also. known a.
the lame duck department TINS
lame ducks" OF the poatonice are mo
letters and packages ana cards which
arc deposited daily lu the office. some
without address. some without iegihle
address some without completed adj
dress some without stamps. some
without address or stamps some un-
mallHhlH. and Hp on. About an af-
erarc of 200 pieces NJ lame duck
mail are received daily. and thc work
OF notifying the fudressee or tho sd
dresser md JOB dre.pHHruF fh- illsc-
Sol. addresses requires considerable
uu. rnI patience. ln This depart
mont. .. .I-1. tho inquiry department.
1nu Inquiry work 's more naflc nlnrly
10 UH.r.. OF Walter II. brook. ITO
nIH desk H1 400 the complaints ~ Loaf
.I. UtI.NtI uHn and DO would make "a
I.ul .HI IrfDra-fIur story tl toll ~
fu. rur. ul This department. and the
r.uIfs obtained Bon OBJ. .nd 10 poo-
u.. would Dbl. moro careful ll addtes.-
iur fHn'r mHII lf 'u placing return
carIs 900 .h.r letters. there would Doc
ulcn ID.H complain. of .Haa nr delay
frrrf.UE-trr.I .U.H.rruc