Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-03
SEA P0ST0FF|CES
Do ENORMOUS
BUSINESS
Eighty Million Pieces Of Mail
Matter Handled on Steam
ships in Course of a Year,
Morning Journal Bureau,
G13 Munscy Building,

steamships of the world, arriving at,
and departing from, New York have
come to be a tremendous business, ac-
cording TO figures on file at the post
office department. More than S0.-
GOO. 900 pieces of mail matter. a letter
for every man, woman and child in
the United states. is handled each year
in these offices. Some idea Of the
great bulk of mail on the ocean liners
may be had when it is known that II
weighs 100000 pounds. This would
fill 2,2O3 standard mail cars on the
p~ostofflce departments basis Of three
tons Of mail matter to each postal car.
on an average. a passenger train con-
sists OF ten coaches, and to haul the
mails handled by the sea postoffices
would require not less than 220 trains.
OF the 6610 ons of mail matter, 1910
tons are what are known as transat-
lantic mails. The letters from trans
Atlantic mails alone weigh 100000
pounds, while the newspapers and
other articles aggregate 100000
pounds, making a total of 5000, 900
pounds. The sea postoffices cost the
United states government $2,S75,000
annually.
Congress authorized the postoffice
department to sort and pouch malls
on board steamships in 1890, but it
was not until 1891 that any systematic
effort was made to take advantage of
the authority conferred. Then regu-
lar service bcween the United States
and Germany was established on the
fast cxpresg steamships of the North
German Lloyd, sailing between New
York and Bremen, and touching at
plymouth and C~herbourg. After this
initiative had been taken, and the ex-
pertinent had been demonstrated as
good, the other ocean liners were in
cludcd in the service.
In the building of their modern
steamships the North German Lloyd
line has been q model in providing ev-
cry comfort and convenience for the
clerks handling the mail. The mail
clerks have their own mess, their own
quarters and uniforms, but are re-
CURED to conform strictly to the dis
ciplinc of the steamship. Tho nature
of the work on the sea postoffico is in
most respects similar to that in the
railway mail service.
on a recent voyage TO New York
from Bremen the steamship Kaiser
Wilhelm II Of the North German
Lloyd brought 1925 sacks of mail.
Some idea of the work of sea postal
may be had from the quantity
of mail handled on this trip. which
was in February, of the present year.,
not a particularly busy season of the
The sea ~postofficc force con-
sisted of two German clerks, tive
States clerks, and three Ger
man subaltfrns, who arc akin to por-
in a United States pOstofficc.
On this voyage 1855 sacks of mail
opened, 455,5 500 ordinary letters
assorted. 3iS1 registered letters and
assorted, and the other mail
matter handled Is needed. TO do
his the clerks were compelled to work
the office eleven hours each day.
rhc mail for New York city was
distributed and sacked for each of the
stations there. and that for
he United States according TO a SEIZED
lie which has i2S divisions. Mai for
steamships sailing or about
sail on the day of arrival was
in sacks and delivered aboard
he destined ships. In addition TO the
distribution for the United States, tn"
Jerks are compelled to assert and
ack mail destined for Cuba, Mexico.
,anada, and countries south Of the
United States and across the Pacific.
The quantity of mail assorted varies
or the reason that rough weather re-
the work by causing the clerks
o become seasick, and again it Is
omotimes necessary TO send %inexpcri-
need clerks on board, who are unable
D keep the pace set by the more
Herienced handlers of the worlds
lail.