The Washington times., 1912-08-31
CHANGES IN MAILS
TO AFFECT CAPITAL
SLIGHTLY
Less Than 10 Per Cent of
People Will Feel
New Law.

Postmaster General Hitchcocks order
for the closing of"first and second class
postofiices on Sunday, In conformity
with the recent action OF Congress- will
have but slight effect In Washington.
Acting Postmaster Robinson gave to
The Times today detailed statement
as to the exact activities of the office
and the changes made In conformity
with the order In his opinion consid-
erably less than 10 per cent OF Wash
inbtonians will be affected to the slight
est degree.
One striking change'is the closing of
general delivery windows at midnight
tonight, for the first time in the his
tory of the Washington City Postoffice.
These windows will remain closed until
a. m. Monday. Heretofore the general
delivery windows have been opened to
all applicants for mail at any time, day
or night. t.
Persons subscribing to newspapers,
will receive these papers Sunday the
same as usual The order does not
apply to second class matter which
includes all newspapers and other pub
lications entitled TO the second class
rate.
Persons Affected.
Practically the only persons affect
ed, will be the holders of lock boxes,
excepting newspapers, Sews agencies,
and hotels. where transients may be
leaving. These are accepted, and Will
get their mall the same as in the
past. Distribution to other lock- boxes
will not be made. A distributing
past Distribution to other lock boxes
malls in transit and that are to go
into transit
No general distribution OF mail by
carrier has been made in Washington
for more than a year and a half, and
as the legislation applies only to de-
livery, the public in general will not
be affected. This does not apply to
a number of other cities, where there
has been no Sunday closing.
No postoffice will be closed on Sun
day to the public, the order affecting
only the distribution of mails re-
ceived on Sunday.
Any resident Of Washington, or
transient either for that matter. ex-
pecting an important letter can OBJ
tain 1t, by calling at the Postoffice.
stating the circumstances. and the
office of origination or where the let
tfr came from. For instance, II a
city. and is expecting news by mail.
he or she can obtain the lettr by
sta ating this circumstance and giving
the name OF the place from which the
letter was to be dispatched
A request OF this kind must be made
at the main office. as all substations
will be closed. There Is little likelihood
OF such letter reaching a substation
late SATURDAY night and being locked up
there over Sunday. but to avoid this
contingency persons expecting impoT-
tant letters should apply to their de-
livery substation. JUST before closing
Saturday night
To Tag Papers.
Clerks sorting and dispatching mail
are instructed TO tag Sunday papers and
hotel and newspaper and news agency
mail. so that It will be known when
II reaches It's destination on Sunday
and can be readily separated from the
other mail.
The stamp windows at the citv post
office will be open from 10 a. m. to .
p. M. instead of from a. m. to II p.
m. All classified stations in the city
will be closed. Heretofore they have
been open on Sunday for at least half
an hour. but the principal business has
been the sale of stamps. These sales
have been light All numbered con-
tract stations. principally drug stores,
will be open for the sale of stamps and
other business the same usual.
The railway mail service will not be
affected. Sunday collections will be
made the same as usual, and the mail
collected will be dispatched the same
as usual.
closing order of year and a half
ago. and persons applying for delivery
at the general delivery and substations
have been few and far between.