New-York tribune., 1913-11-28
XMAS MAIL RUSH
TO SCORE RECORD
Warning Issued to Send
Packages Early and
Avoid Delay.
PARCEL POST WILL
PROVE BIG PROBLEM
Army of Clerks at New York
Ofice-F1OOd of Santa
Claus Letters Due.
DO your Christmas mailing early

DO your Christmas mailing early.
Edward NJ. Morgan. Postmaster Of New
York. who is about to enter into the
busiest three weeks OF his career, has all
the advice he has TO give the public on
the question of mails packed into that
short sentence.
IF the people Of New York VIII take
that message to heart" he told The Trio-
une, 1T will greatly facilitate the recev-
ing of Christmas gifts on time.
by a recent act of Congress" he add
cd. "the sender is allowed To write Not
to be opened until Christmas across the
face of package. If people will do that,
and mail their gifts at least two weeks
before Christmas. there will be no con-
Sestion of mail here and attending de-
lays"
The local postoffice, in spite Of its sup
plications for early mails. is preparing 10
handle the greatest traffic in its history.
Not that the population Of the city or
country has increased TO such an extern
in the last year. or that times are so
much more prosperous. The answer Hes
in the parcel post
During the month OF November the par
eel post business increased is per cent.
sui stantial gains have been recorded edch
month since the system was put in force.
What the increase for December will be
the express companies are dejectedly
wondering. while the postCfiice is so busy
il has no time for speculation.
The first Shift of extra employees "iil
30 TO work i'm the local postofce Mon
day Nearly two hundred men, mostly
clerks. to handle the rush of foreign
registered mail and money orders. VIII
be placed on the federal payroll When
business i'm these departments slackens
the men will be switched TO other depart
ments.
To handle the tons and tons Of parcel
post packages the contractors who move
the mails IN the 'lty have arranged for
small army Of drivers, handlers, trucks
and horses.
Just about this time each year letters
addressed to Santa Claus begin to pile
up at the postofiice.
When the venerable saint visits the city
at Christmas he invariably ncglccts leav-
ing a forwarding address at the postofiice.
so there is nothing for Mr.. Morgan 10 do
but open the letters himself. Those that
seem worthy Of consideration are turned
over 10 various charitable institutions Or
to phianthropic individuals who request
a portion Of Santas mail. The vast ma
jority Of the letters finally find their way
TO Washington, where they are destroyed
at the Dead Letter office.
People are so apt to take advantage
OF the holiday spirit said Mr.. Morgan.
that most Of the charity organizations
in the city are wary Of the requests for
aid received through the Santa Claus
department of the postofiice. There was
a time when We tried 10 dispose Of all
such letters. Then they were mostly
from innocent. deserving children. We
find now. though, that we have to throw
most Of tire letters away
Posters suggesting that parcel post
packages for Christmas delivery be mailed
early will be placed In the branch post
Offices throughout the city and I'm other
public places