Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-10
PLAN IS ENDORSED
Promotions an Evidence of
Efficient Service.
HIGHER GRADE OF CLERKS
First Assistant Postmaster General
Compliments Force.
REVIEW OF. POSTAL SERVICE
Advocates Annual Leave Period for
Employees of First and Second
Class Offices.
REVIEW OF. POSTAL SERVICE

The automatic annual promotion of posi-
Office clerks and letter carriers on evidence
of satisfactory and efficient service, which
was provided for by law, and went into
effect July |. 1907. and I. uniform system
of recording the efficiency of postal en-
ploSes. according to the annual report
of First Assistant Postmaster Genera
Charles p. Grandfield. which has jus
been issued, have unquestionably resultei
in securing a much higher degree o.
efficiency in the clerical and carrier
forces. Notwithstanding the vast volume
of business handled during the last tisca
year, the report recites, the department
found ii necessary to allow a net in
crease OF but 29S7 post Office clerks and
city carriers, as against 1853 which il
had to allow for the preceding year.
DR.. Grandfield contends for thirty days
leave of absence during the year for
clerks and carriers at first and SECOND
class post Offices. He estimates an APP
preparation of 100000 more for substi
tutes would enable the department II
give the carriers a thirty days vacation
and 100000 more would provide fc. {
similar leave for the post office clerks.
Provision for the Veterans.
Good administration and humanity
the report states. alike demand that
some provision be made to care for the
veterans of the service who are over
taken by old age OF disability
The report covers great deal OF
ground and goes into the details of oper-
ating post office mail service. 1t recites
that total of S1276J, 500 was paid for
tinl u
the year; $2S 665.944 for clerk hire, and
SIS, .41 100 for letter carriers. including
substitute, auxiliary and temporary let
ter carriers.
Under the Presidents order of \ovem-
Der 30 1905, placing roStmasters at
fourth class offices in states east of the
Mississippi and north of the Ohio rivers
within the classified civil service, the
number Of postmasters appointed upon
certificatiOn by the civil service commits
sion prior to October !, 1909, was 80
and IS post Offices had to be discontin-
ued because of the Inability of the com
mission to certify eligibles for appoint
ment as postmaster.
Indemnity Plan Approved.
In lieu of the present plan of requiring
personal and surety bonds of postal en-
ployes to make good to the government
losses that occur through defalcation o.
officers and employees the report recon-
n1ends, as last year, the plan of collect
ing fund from the postal employees t.
indemnify the government and the pubic
against loss as SO much simpler an6
with many advantages.
The report states the department Il
endeavoring to bring about uniformity II
the matter Of hours of service of clerk:
In post Offices, and also to devise n plaI
whereby one day of rest in the weel
l<r-syI =, nn .lVt
compelled to work all day Sunday. Will,
1t is not possible. the report states, t.
fix an absolute eight-hour schedule fo
the clerks, AS for the carriers. witllou
Increasing the allowance for clerk hir'
in offices far in excess of the needs, We
by allowing clerks brief periods off dut,
when the mails are light it Is possible, il
q measure. to compensate them for thu
extra time put in when the mails ar,
heavy, especially at the holiday season.
Mail Receptacles Necessary.
The report contains Il recommendation
that law be passed forbiddng. aftc
December 81. 1910, the delivery of mai
by city carriers except at residences ant
offices where approved mail reccptace
are provided at the door OF entrance. ]
is declared that where automobiles hav,
been provided for the collection Of tn,
dianapoiS and Boston. better results ar,
obtained than with horse-drawn vehicles
later night collections and the covering
of wider territory being possible al
though such service is found to be NOR.
expensive. Evening deliveries of mai
by letter carriers. the report states, hav,
not proved popular.
Presidential postmasters to the humble
of 1.626 We're appointed during the year
1907 of which We're reappointments. O
the reappointments $50 Wee made upol
the advancement of post offices from TIL
fourth class to the presidential class, 10
upon the expiration OF recess commits
sions, upon change Of name Of the pos
office and / upon the change of the post
masters name by marriage.
appointments of Postmasters.
There were $40 new appointments, 194 o
which were at offices where the postmas
ter's commission had expired. 90 at Office
advanced TO tie presidential class. IL
where postmasters had resigned, 81 wher
postmasters had died and 40 where the,
had been removed for cause. City del.v
cry service was extended during The yea
to IL: additional post offices and three dc
livery offices were consolidated. Their
were o7,62O letter carriers employed dur
ing the wear, 1894 los pieces of mai
bearing special delivery postage delivered