The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-06-15

SCtGDUeH n. lJOutoluo, W nv wa
retire as postmaster of Hrdmore, mas
established record during his ten
ure of office of which he may pe
Justly proud and one that has re-
ceived the highest praise from MS
superiors in Washington and patrons
of the office. At the close OF busl-
ness ON the 10th day OF January, 1910,
Mr.. Douglas was checked in as post
master of Ardmore to succeed Davld
NJ. Redfield. At that time the Office
force consisted besides the assistant
postmaster of five clerks for trans
acting the business of the office, anud
two carriers who made two trips
daily in the business district and only
covered a portion of the residence
district.
At that time the average salary OF
the clerks was $50 per month, and
carriers $50 per month, and clerks
were required to be on duty from
nine and a half to eleven hours every
day.
Before Mr.. Douglas had been in
office long lie saw the necessity OF
increasing the force Of clerks and
carriers to take care of the additional
service demanded Of the office and
the extension of delivery limits, his
requests were needed and the force
has gradually grown up to its pres
ent numbers. One of the first orders
issned by the postmaster was to dis.
continue the closing of the delivery
window during the distribution of the
mail, this feature being greatly ap-
precated by the public as they could
always find the delivery window open
during business hours and could get
| their mail In the month of October
1905, an all night service was es-
tablished, which was another feature
that appealed to the public as those
having boxes could get any mail ar
irving on night trains. In April 1905
two additional carriers were added tc
the service and the delivery limits
were extended to cover the entire city
with two deliveries daily in the resi-
dence district and three in the busi-
ness section.
I The present force consists, besides
! the assistant postmaster, of eight
clerks and six carriers. The average
salary of the clerks is s77 per month
and of the carriers $40 per month
Promotions are made annually on the
efficiency record only, therefore the
increase for clerks from $50 to S77
and carriers from $50 to $75 must
/ show a corresponding increase in ef-
ficlency, and let it be added that al
clerks and carriers are now working
on schedule Of eight hours per day
The gross receipts for the frs
twelve months of Mr.. Douglas ad-
ministration were $1S,223.17. The
gross receipts for the past twelve
months were $2,221,S0.
IKE actual pieces of mail handled
daily by actual count in 1908 werC
l4.SS5. The actual number of piece!
handled daily during 1872 was 23,495
This office was one among the frs
in the state to be designated as {
postal savings depository. According
TO a statement Of the postmaster gen
eral the postal saving banks were
| only established in offices that Lad
| the best record
Mr.. Douglas has worked increasingly
to make this office second to none
in the state. He has always been
alive to the interests of the citizens
and has the distinction OF never hav-
ing had just or serious complaint
filed against this office snce he has
had charge, and those in positio nto
know state had his party been sue
cessful at the last election he would
have been reappointed postmaster
In retiring from this position Of
trust and responsibility, Mr.. Douglas
does so with the best wishes of every
citizen of the city, They realize that
he has made good officer and wish
him unbounded success in whatever
he undertakes. AS a member of the
state capitol commission lie will be
alive to the interest of the taxpayers
of the state and his long experience
as an architect and builder eminentlyy