Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-09
over A MILLION
ARTICLESO OF MAIL
Rock Island Postoffice Com
pletes It's Count for the
Month of May.
COLLECTION AND DELIVERY
Minute Record Prepared of Business
Passing Through the Local
Station.

A special count of mail, ordered ~
the postofice department to be made
at all first, second and third class post
Offices during the month Of May, 1911,
has been completed by the Office
force Of the local office under direc
ton of Postmaster Hugh A. ]. McDon
aid.
This special count differs from any
heretofore made, in that the report
also shows the number Of times each
class of mail was handled in the var
ious divisions, and the time coasTn-
ed in the handling by each depart
ment.
The carriers we-o required TO show
the average time for handling the mail
In the Office and on their routes sep
arately, and the clerks were required
to keep separate record for each
handling, such as asserting, cance.-
lation, backstamping, distribution,
boxing, handling in the general deli =
cry, etc.
Instead of four classes of mail
known to the public, the data
called was subdivided into 10 classes,
es will be observed by the tabulated
statement, each subdivision being a
separate item Each employee render
ed daily report to the clerk in charge
of the department in which he was
employed, showing the number OF
pieces consumed in handling each
class. The heads of the various de-
partments then made the first tabula-
ton which was handed TO the assist
ant postmaster, o. P. Olson, under
whose supervision the special count
was made. The data obtained was
then compiled daily under the four
headings. This special count was
very arduous task. and -equireI mich
figuring to obtain satisfactory results.
The volume of mail during the
that month. very light, and the count
does not show a fair average for the
year.
s,64s.s54 PIECES.
The tabuIated statement of totals
obtained from the daily statements
may prove of interest, and will show
more clearly the nature of the work
performed, and the amount of uall
handled II should be observed thaC
the total pieces handled multiplied by
the average number of times handle1,
would equal a total of S,64s,654 pieces
of mail. if each piece had been har
died but once
The clerks handled a total number
of 1.645,1S9 pieces, and 1,140,31l
pieces were handled by the carriers
and collectors. In the item of colleC-
tons is not included second class
matter which is delivered to the post
office by the publishers. Packages OF
second class matter in the item of mail
dispatched are counted as one piece,
contained therein.
The figures show an average of 2i.1
pieces OF mail received for each mar
woman and child in the city, for the
month OF May, and an average of ABS
pieces of mail was Sent Dy each indivi
dual regardless of age. The large av-
erage OF mail dispatched being due the
large quantity of newspapers and
magazines published in this city.
WORK OF RURAL CARRIERS.
The average number of pieces hand |
led per minute was as follows Col
lectors 2O.S5: carriers, 1.42; dispatch 1
ed. 1917: city division, S.44. The rura: /
carrier delivered S.79s pieces of al!
classes of mail. and collected, 1896, /
pieces a total of 1854 pieces handled /.
by him during the month of May
Mail collected Delivered |