The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-03-31
CARRIERS WINDOWS TO BE
SHUT ON SABBATH DAY.
Letter Is Received From the Post
master General; Is an Aid to the
Government Employees.

master General; Is an Aid to the
Government Employees.
From SATURDAYS Daily.
Every city. delivery postoffice j
the country has received a lette
from the postoffice department Xix
the one given below, relative t
closing the carriers windows of tn
postoffices on Sundays.
In accordance with this letter, tn
city letter carriers windows of tn
Mankato postoffice will not be opel
ed for the delivery of mail on SUI
days after tomorrow, being close
for the first time on Sunday, April
2, 1911.
1t is believed that the action @
the department in disseminating tn
delivery of carriers mail on Sur
days will be heartily approved by
large majority of the patrons. VIII
feel that the carriers are entitled t
one days rest in seven, the sam
as employees engaged in other work
The departments letter is in par
as follows, and will explain itself:
Postoffice Department, First
Assistant Postmaster General.
Washington, d. c., March %,
1911.-Mr Adolph J. ,Veigel,
Postmaster. Mankato, Minnesota.
NV Dear Sir: AS you know the
postmaster general is deeply in
terested in the welfare Of post
al employees, believing liber-
ality with respect to compensa-
ton and other conditions Of en-
ployment to be the best policy.
Section 9 Of the appropriation
act provides for allowing clerks
and carriers compensatory time
off for Sunday work, rs follows
THAT hereafter for services
required on Sundays Of clerks
and city letter carriers, com
pensatory time off during the
working days in amount equal TO
that of the Sunday employment
may be allowed under such
regulations as the postmaster
general may prescribe"
The postmaster general is very
anxious to give the employees
the benefit Of this legislation i'm
mediately, believing that they are
entitled to one days rest in
seven and that their efficiency
will be increased thereby. At
present. however, nearly one
half of the carriers report every
Sunday to make deliveries
through their windows, their
average service being about three
hours, although the amount of
mail delivered is very small. AS
practically all Of the carriers
are scheduled for forty-eight
hours work during the remain
ing six days Of the week, it
is impossible to allow them COM
pensatory time for this Sunday
work under present conditions.
1t becomes necessary therefore,
to change the practice with
reference to the delivery of
mail on Sunday.
The Strong Sentiment.
There is very strong senti-
ment throughout the country in
favor of closing postoffices on
Sunday, as shown by petitions
received from religious organiza-
tons and, commercial bodies.
by numerous letters and petit
tons from the general public
and by the comments of the
press. In large number of
offices the department has au-
thorized the discontinuance of
Sunday service where the senti-
ment was favorable and seemed
to justify such action. 1t is
believed, therefore, that. the dis
continuance of the Sunday deliv-
cry, through the carriers win
dows at least. can be effected
without inconvenience to the
public and with great benefit
to the officers and employees Of
the postoffices, under the follow
ing conditions:
The general delivery window
should be kept open a sufficient
length of time to accommodate
the travelling public and those
patrons of the office who cali
for urgent personal mail. Mails
should he received and dispatch
ed as usual and distributed 10
boxes. enough clerks being de
tailed for duty on Sunday to car
~ this plan into effect Bust
ness men who desire their mali
regularly on Sunday should be
allowed to rent boxes at the
full rate-even though their
mail is delivered TO them by
carriers on the other days OF
the week.
Any patron desiring an i'm
portant personal communication
delivered to him on Sunday
should be accommodated upon
payment of the prescribed fee
for special delivery service.
The department requests your