Evening journal., 1913-12-22
EXTRA MEN
And WAGONS TO
HANDLE HAND LEE MAIL
POStOffiCe Forces Worked All
Of Yesterday and Through
the Night
THOUSANDS OF PIECES
OF MAIL ARE SORTED

The pOstoftice employees enjoyed no
rest yesterday, but on the contrary
the day was the busiest since the
Christmas rush began. Hundreds OF
Christians packages we're handled and
the stamp window did rushing busi-
ness Postmaster Egnlish, who,
in order to accommodate the public,
has been working day and night on
the big proposition Of getting the mail
out On time, stated this morning that
over 100 parcel post packages we're
delivered yesterday.
Ten wagons OF all descriptions,
were pressed into service by the
postmaster. to handle the large mail,
and will be kept in service until the
holiday is over, with the probability
that more may be added during the
next day or two.
The full force of employees were
kept at work the entire day. and in
ADDITION to the delivery OF the 1000
packages, over $500 packages were
sorted and prepared ready for de-
livery today enabling the delivery
wagons TO start out at o'clock this
morning. The ten delivery wagons
were loaded to their capacity during
the night, a force of men having
worked the entire night. Postmaster
English stated that had not the de-
I liveries been made yesterday the Of
! flee would have been badly contested
today. As it is even with the de-
lliveries yesterday the postofiice this
morning was jammed with mail that
is constantly pouring in.
Postmaster English is up against
bigger proposition than any of his
predecessors have had to face. In
addition to the usual mail, which,
from ali indications, will alone exceed
any previous year, he has the parcel
lpost situation TO handle. Thousands
of packages and parcels that in past
years were handled by the express
companies, are this year piling into
the postoffice. The interior of the
postofiice building this morning rc-
isembled a large express Office to
much greater extent than a postofiice,
the large piles Of packages being
much more in evidence than the let
tiers
An immense flow of post cards has
flooded the Office during the past day
or two. The postmaster's announce
ment last week TO the effect that post
cards would be sidetracked, and that
in order to insure delivery in time
they should be mailed not later than
Saturday. had the desired effect, and
the number of cards Of greeting re-
ceived at the Office on Saturday ex-
ceeded the number received in any
one day in the history Of the Office.
Many foreign cards and parcels con-
] f.fr al hnnn
ceived at the Office.
In addition to the ten wagons de,
liyering packages yesterday. two
wagons we're kept busy making collec-
tons, which greatly relieved the col
lecting wagons this morning.
A large force of eligible men on th'
civil service list has been put into ser
vice during the holidays, and many OF
the regular employees are working extra
time. Last evening was the first TIME
in the history of the Office that force
of men had been kept working all night
and it was directly due TO the parce
post business Several windows have
been pressed into service as parcel post
windows at the postoiice, while usually
there is only one. Several windows are
also selling stamps, including the parce
post windows. where patrons may now
: purchase stamps for ordinary letters
Some delay is still being caused by per
sons, especially women. who persist u
calling for one or two stamps of smal
denomination and presenting a large bll
{ in payment for them. There is Away
! long line waiting to purchase stampi
= during the day. and the time taken up Il
changing these bills causes much unne
s cessary delay.
Postmaster English this morninl
e stated that he desires to thank th'
y public. the press and the postofflc,
q employees for their cooperation will
D him in his efforts to successfully
handle the enormous mail. He desire
r to thank the public for the manner il
which they try TO follow his sugges
+ tlons. with but few exceptions, 4
e make the work lighter for the post
b office officials and to thank the pres
4 for the publicity given to these sug
g gestions. He also desires to hearth.
thank the postoffice employees who's
. willingness and hard work. has don
=. much to tighten the burden. MI
English stated that without an ex
!. ception every man employed at tn
u office has done his very best tc sue
i cessfully carry on the work, and n
y wants to assure them that their eI
-. lor..