The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-29
GREAT PROSPERITY l IS FELT IN ALL LINES 0F BU,|NESS fxpressmer, Telegraph Offices
 Postoffice All Report Big
 Gains In Birmingham l MORE MERCHANTS TALK
 OF BIG HOLLOW TRADE Registry and Money Order Depart ments, as Well as Stamp Depart
 ment, Are Making New Rec ords During December.

The feeling of exuberance as the end of the year approaches is widespread in all branches of Birmingham's business. Perhaps one of the most certain indi- cators of prosperity is to be found in the records of the express offices, the tele- graph offices and the postoffice, for all three are in close touch with the purses of the people.
 According to Agent J. H. Ham of the Southern Express company the business handled through the Birmingham express office was 15 per cent larger than last year. He states that the business was all handled with dispatch and very little delay was caused by the heavy traffic.
 Manager Jackson of the Postal Tele- graph company reports that messages in and S~it of Birmingham number 350,000 for tl<s year. The average has run from 12000 to 15000 day handled through the Birmingham office, which is relay sta tion for the south. Three and one-half million telegrams were handled through the Birmingham office during the past 12 months. While this has shown a large increase, Manager Jackson states that the 2500O increase in Birminghams business is comparatively larger.
 Manager Williams of the Western Union states that his business has increased by fully 10 per cent, having sent 266,OOO tele- grams out of Birmingham during the year and received 100000. This is not a distributing point of the Western Union, and hence only local business was ham dled.
 At the postoffice the same ratio con- tinues. On December 22 the stamp win dow broke all previous records for stamp sales, amounting to S2974. 46, and the total for the month will show an increase of about 10 per cent. Sales on other days during the rush week were December IT, s14ss; December IS. sl242; December 20, $s44; December 21, s470; December P, s2s74.4s; December 2a. s17ss.02; December "A. s1776.02; December 25, $13lS; December 27. s1526.
 In the registry department 1900 more packages have been Unregistered during December than the same month last year. For the five days from December
 
 the main office and $50 at Station No. L Chief Clerk McCuen and big force was rushed for more than two weeks. Jim Hughes, in the money order department, has been issuing an average of 300 & day. and paying an average of 800 day. The amount of money handled out of the local money order office for Christmas week was nearly S200O OOO
 Every class of merchants speaks with the most unbounded enthusiasm when asked about prospects and Christmas trade. Said Manager Johnson of the Steele-Smith store: "The trade of this store has been remarkable. The people were not only more numerous, but were buying more valuable goods. We sold better material this year than ever be- fore, and the people appreciated it. Our store could hardly hold the crowds on the last two days. believe all records have been broken for Christmas trade" A. Roobin manager for the Louis Pizitz store. said: Had the weather been good it would have been impossible for us to wait on the trade. The sales were high CT than any time in the history of our store"
 J. D. Collins spoke cheerfully of the shoe trade, In fact, every line of busi. ness was the recipient of full share. Especially were the merchants surprised at the manner in which business is hold ing up this week, most of the stores hay ing been crowded with shoppers who failed to get out on the rainy days of last week.