Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-24
incoming and Outgoing Mails
Unusually Heavy.
ADDED SPACE REQUIRED
Twenty-Eight Thousand Packages Of
Merchandise Yesterday.
PICTURE POST CARDS POPULAR
Increase of % Per Cent in Volume
Forwarded. 10 Per Cent in
Receipts. Over Previous Years.

The high-water mark in incoming and
outgoing mails has been reached I'm the
local pest office. With the mailing divi-
sion augmented by the addition OF ten
employees and the delivery section by
twelve extra clerks and nifty substitute
letter carriers. II has required the best
efforts of the augmented force to keep
the situation in hand.
In the delivery section this morning
there were thirty-eight yards OF picture
post cards closely packed and stacked
side by side for distribution and delivery
to the folks in the city. while there was
pretty nearly as large a number ready
to be dispatched by mail. During the
day yesterday 5000 packages OF mer-
chandise were dispatched on the various
trains leaving Washington by only
single crew in the mailing division. Supt.
Springer says the volume OF mail this
year is fully 10 per cent larger than ever
before, while Supt. Haycock, in the de-
livery section. estimates the incoming
mail as 25 per cent greater. Last year
there were great numbers OF books and
other presents of printed matter. This
year fully two-thirds of the gifts are in
the form of merchandise. showing. say
the authorities. that times are better and
AiOhSy iAolS PiCheiaa.
Extra Space Provided.
In addition to the two distribution
Jugs" in the delivery section. each with
seventy-two compartments for distribu-
ton OF letters and packages to letter car
riers for delivery. Acting Postmaster
Merritt has had to have another rack
of seventy-two additional compartments
on F,,ll
night and day that there may be no delay
in deliveries.
In addition to their usual packs Of let
tiers and smaller parcels the letter car
riers yesterday carried out for delivery
400 heavy sacks laden with larger pack
ages. The mails for the apartment houses
became SO heavy that separate distri-
button had to be provided for many Of
them. including the Highlands. the Cecil,
the Mendoza. Waverly Court. Stoneieigh
Court. the Westmoreland. Florence Court.
the Ethelhurst. the Sherman. the Portner.
Woodley. Wyoming, Oakland and MARI
borough. At 8 o'clock this morning there
were fifty or more heavy bags made up
by the early morning force for carrier de-
livery.
Post cards seem to be coming and
going by the hundreds OF thousands. and
yet, said Supt. Haycock. the percentage
Of short-paid and misdirected matter Ia
very small indeed.
Aim Of the Ofacials.
1t is the aim Of Acting Postmaster
Merritt and his superintendents to have
every piece OF mail that Is received in
the office delivered. at the very latest.
in tomorrows delivery. The same effort
is being made to promptly dispatch every
piece received for the outgoing mails.
But Notwithstanding the fact that spe-
cial preparations were begun for handling
the Christmas holiday mail as far back
as last July the facilities OF the ONCE
have been taxed to their utmost. The
mails have exceeded all calculations. but
the post office force of clerks, carriers.
collectors. dispatchers and porters. the
officials say. by faithful and unfiagging
effort, has kept pace with the demands,
although the end OF every tour finds the
great majority of them utterly worn out
with the extra effort.
The public generally, Mr.. Merritt said
today. has been helpful and considerable.
Naturally in handling such an enormous
volume of mail little mistakes are likely
to happen, but the percentage OF COM
plant Is far below the average Of normal
times.
There is a Christmas spirit In the air.
said Mr. Merritt, land We are feeling
its kindly warmth even in the post once"