Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-04-07
5S1OFF|CE MAY
CLOSE SUNDAYS
postmaster Allen Desires Expression
:, public Sentiment i'm Matter of
Sunday Closing.


cartment has been agitating the
ouestion of Sunday closing of postof-
sces for some time, and the move
ment is becoming general among
wostern offices The office at Seat
ne Is the latest to adopt the new pol
lev. Sunday closing being inaugu-
rated on the 9th inst.
Postmaster Allen, of this city is in
receipt of a communication from the
department asking if it is not pos
sible to adopt the plan here, and re-
mesting that he ascertain public
sentiment on the proposed change,
suggesting that he take the matter
ND with the local press, commercial
and religious organizations and bust
ness interests, and report to the de-
partment.
The postmaster general, in his let
ter to the local postmaster, writes as
follows, detailing the general plan
for Sunday closing:
There is a very strong sentiment
throughout the country in favor of
closing postoffices on Sunday as
shown by petitions received from re-
ligious organizations and CONNER
cia bodies, by numerous letters and
petitions from the general public and
by the comments of the press. In a
large number of offices the depart
ment has authorized the discontinue
ance of Sunday service where the
sentiment was favorable and seemed
to justify such action 1t is believ-
ed, therefore, that the discontinuance
of the Sunday delivery, through the
carriers window at least, uan ~ ef-
fected without Inconvenience to the
public and with great benefit to the
officers and employees of the postof-
fees under the following 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 call for urgent per-
sonal mail. Mails should be receiV-
ed and dispatched as usual and dis
tributed to boxes, enough clerks be-
ing detailed for duty on Sunday to
carry this plan into effect; such
clerks should be allowed compensa-
tory time off during the week. Bust
ness men who desire their mail
regularly on Sundays should be al
lowed to rent boxes tat the full rate)
even though their mail is delivered
to them by carriers on the other days
OF the week.
Any patron desiring an important
personal communication delivered tC
him on Sunday should be accommo
dated upon payment of the prescrib
ed fee for special delivery service.
TO prevent any delay in the frs
delivery Monday morning carriers
should be required to report a little
earlier on that day to route theil
mail. The only alternative in the
case of carriers failing to route theil
mail within the prescribed time or
Monday morning would be to require
such carriers to serve sufficien
time on Sunday to perform this
work, AS this innovation is devised
for their particular benefit. however
II is believed that most and perhaps
all of the carriers would succeed il
this respect and would take pride il
eXerting little extra effort to com
plete their schedules during the weel
within the As hours prescribed b.
law. The Sunday collection from
street boxes should not be discon
unued. If schedules cannot be re
arranged so as to give carriers tim'
on during the week to compensate
Tor the Sunday collection service, /
ls-requested that you report what al
loWance would be necessary for tn
payment of substitute or auXiliar.
carriers
1t will be seen from the plan a
outlined by the postmaster genera
mat Sunday closing will in no wa,
inconvenience the public, as impor
tant letters can be obtained, and NJ
ehange will be made in the receip
or dispatch of mails. Before advis
ing the system for Pullman, how
ever, Postmaster Allen desires to b
Iully informed of public sentiment
and asks that the patrons of the OF
nee make known their preference i
the matter.