The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-03-29

the postal emplOye knows of it only
in fiduciary way. In some ways it
would increase the business of the Of
flee and save confusion and postage
on misdirected circulars, if such di-
rectories could be given to those aD-
plying. Some time ago what purport-
ed to be rural directory was issued,
but it was full Of inaccuracies, incom-
plete and misspelled. It was not COM
piled by postal employee.
! We wish the regulations permitted
all the patrons to visit the office and
to see just how the work is done from
the inside. If they could we believe
they would be surprised at the scare
| ity of errors rather than at their fire.
quency. In lieu of visit, however,
we have tried to give some idea of
the working of the office and the many
things which enter into it's daily rout.
inc. We find we have neglected mon
ton of the notifications to publishers
which must be sent out where papers
are refused or misdirected, the similar
notices to those sending misdirected
circulars, the preparation of lists Of
advertised letters" the final forward
ing of unbelievable mail to the dead
letter office, the collection of and re-
ceipting for box rents and the requi-
sitions for supplies, postage and "spe-
cial request" envelopes.
The expenses of the office, including
rural carriers, amount to nearly SIG,
| 600 per year. So that all that is eX-
pended for postage here, plus about
thirty per cent, is returned by the gov.
eminent, and is spent for the most
part right here in Denison All of the
force, save the postmaster. is under
civil service and can only be changed
for incompetence or misconduct. This
is wise provision as it encourages
the best effort and assures the men
of life position if they will only do
their work well and faithfully.
The Denison office handles from
100000 to 100000 pieces of mail each
month.
During the administration of the
present postmaster the receipts have
increased from $4,000 to $4,000 an
nually, or more than fifty per cent
This does not show the actual in
crease. however, as the incoming mails
have more than kept pace with the
outgoing. Where one farmer took
daily in years gone by, ten do now
Many more periodicals are taken and
the mail order houses and other ad-
vertisers flood the mails with a much
greater quantity of matter. During
this time there has been but one addi-
ton to the clerical force through
whose hands all this mail must pass.
The wave of Sunday closing is about
to strike the postal department
throughout the country. When this or
der goes into effect the general deliv-
cry window only will be open on Sun
day for the benefit of transients The
city carriers will be off duty. Resi-
dents will not be expected to call for
mail and only urgent, first-class per-
sonal mail will be delivered. Special
delivery letters will be delivered on
Sunday. Patrons may rent lock boxes
for their Sunday mail and have mail
delivered by carrier throughout the
week. The success of this Sunday
closing will depend largely upon the
cooperation of the people and it
would appear that all christian people
should gladly take this opportunity of
favoring sabbath observance. 1t will
increase the work of the office clerks,
but will allow the carriers the day to
themselves, save for the evening COL
lection from the various collection
boxes
This article is written neither in
the mood of apology or in the spirit
Of boastfulness, it is simply an at
tempt to better acquaint the people
with the actual work of their local
pOstOffice, and to show them that in
reality it is a large business insti-
tuition, ranking as one of our largest
local concerns and in point of the
number of individual transactions eX-
ceeding any other in the city.