Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-21
RUSH IS NOW
ON IN EARNEST
Troubles of Postoffice Increase Daily
and Extra Clerks Are As.
signed to Duty.
PAPER ADDS TO WORK
Modern Woodman for January Comes
Out In Midst of Holiday Season
Christmas Delivery.

At the Rock Island postoffice today
official recognition was taken of the
fact that this is the, rush season of the
year for the handlers of mail. and a
force of extra clerks was put on duty.
The office will be supplied with extra
help until after Jan. 1. There are five
extra clerks assigned to work today.
These are Olaf Jonassen, Miss Faith
Channon, Miss Flora Stoddard. Miss
Marjorie Head and Miss Melchoir
Two substitute carriers were also
designated to assist during the holt
days. They are F. L. Kreps and Louis
Johnson
Rigs Are Secured.
The Rock Island Office has this year
been again allowed sufficient money to
provide for the employment of rigs in
making the deliveries Thursday and
Christmas day. The office will secure
a rig and diver for the majority of the
outlying routes, only those routes cen
, tering close about the Office. where
the carrier may handle the mail in re-
lays, not being supplied with the rig.
1t is interesting to note that Rock
Island is, as far as is known, the only
| city in the country where this method
| of handling the holiday mail is en-
ployed. The problem everywhere is
the same, but in a great many of the
| larger cities, no effort whatever is
made to deliver all Christmas mail on
| Christmas day. Here the authorities
and employees use every possible effort
piece of Christmas mail that reaches
the Office before o'clock Christmas
morning.
Do Not Like Plan.
| When Rock Island applies for funds
to meet the expense of this plan, there
is an immediate complaint from the
higher authorities of the postoffice de
partment, but so far the matter has not
gone further than a protest, and the
necessary cash has been forthcoming
The officials of the department do not
favor the method used here, but argue
that the office should secure a few
larger wagons. and handle the letter
l
could be distributed much as the ex
press companies handle their ship
mentS.
That this suggestion should be made
from men presumed to be experienced
in handling mail seems strange. Suel
a system would bring endless confus
ion. and the probabilities are that tn,
l oolyo oil "a Ials
cred Christmas day. Under the plal
employed here now, the carriers ar,
each responsible for their own routes
and the confusion is kept as a mini
mum. The carrier has a driver t,
take him over the route, and the dis
tribntion of the mail is rapid.
u Paper Adds Trouble.
The holiday troubles of the postoffic
r are increased greatly this year becaus
e of the fact that right in the midst O
t the big rush, the January issue of tn
A | Modern Woodman is coming off tn
Y presses. and over 10000 tons of extr
Y mail must be handled. OF course onl
1 a small portion of this mail goe
through the Office, but it must be di:
3 tributed, weighed and mailed out unde
the direction of postal clerks from tn
office here, and this of course hand
caps the mailing force in the Office.
3 The Rock Island postoffice is no
l. working on basis of $125,OOO i
g revenue yearly, while IL years ago tn
a city produced only about $4,000
# revenues for the postoffice department
The Woodman and the Royal Neigl