Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-28
IMPORTANT LETTERS AND NEWS.
ma PAPERS TO sE MADE
ACCESSIBLE.
STATUTE NOT AIMED At
BUSINESS FIRMS AND HOTELS
Plans Being Perfected for Sorting Of
Mail Enrouts on Trans for Delivery
Thru Lock Boxes at Local Post
offiess-Hiteheoek Says New Law 10
Not Hardship.

Washi,l Ston, Aug. 2s-Plans were per-
fected by Postmaster General Hitch
cock yesterday whereby the admin
istration Of the new law prohibiting the
delivery OF mail on Sundays will have
no serious effect upon the handling Of
important mail matter.
Holders of lock boxes at first and sec
ond class postoffices will have access
to them as usual. altho no mail deliv-
cries will be made by carriers on the
street or at postoffice windows. Mall
for hotel guests and newspapers will be
delivered to them thru their lock boxes
by a simple arrangement of having
that mail sorted on the railway mail
cars before it reaches its destination.
Such mail will be regarded as transit
matter" and will be distributed i'm
mediately upon its arrival at the offices
Of destination. thus practically insurins
speedier delivery to the addresses
than heretofore has been the case.
Minimum Sunday Labor.
This distribution will require mini
mum of Sunday work. and the distribu-
ton of other mail received on Sunday
will be made after midnight of Sunday
SO that 1t may be delivered by the car
riers on their first tour on Monday.
After all day conferences with the
experts of his department, Postmaster
General Hitchcock issued statement
explanatory OF his administration OF
the new law. His assurance is that
there will be no embarrassment to the
business public, and that thr" the ar
rangements he outlines urgent mail
matter will reach its destination
promptly. Orders necessary to carry
Mr.. Hltcncoch's plans :n:o effect will
be issued Immediately
The postmaster generals statement
follows:
There appears to be some misappre
hension as regards the provision in the
postal bill relating to the delivery Of
not require the closing Of postoffices on
Sundays. which would be quite impos-
sible. owing to the fact that the transit
mail has to be sorted and also the mail
collected in cities for dispatch. To
stop the movement Of this mail would
mean a serious clogging Of the whole
SYSTEM u Hldll lTdllSpOEtdtloIl dHu con
sequent Inconvenience to the public.
Boxes to Be Accessible.
AT present most Of the mail received
on Sunday for delivery by carrier Mon
day morningiis worked after midnight
on Sunday and therefore the law will
not affect this mail. It will be delivered
as promptly as hitherto Mail received
I'D to midnight on Saturday for lock
boxes will be distributed to the boxes
and will he available to box holders on
Sunday as usual.
There is at present no street de-
livery of mail by letter carriers on Sun
days, and therefore the law makes no
change in this regard. In short. the
only mail that will be affected under a
reasonable construction OF the new law
is that received at tine postoffices on
Sunday and hitherto sorted on that day
for distribution to lock boxes.
CAS- the purpose of the law. which
was clearly enacted in the interest Of
employees. is to reduce as far as prac-
ticable the amount Of Sunday labor.
the work OF distributing Sunday mail
to lock boxes will be limited to certain
classes Of mai! that can not be held
until Monday morning without serious