Evening journal., 1913-04-14
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Post Office Reform Due
to Gen. Thomas L. James
By Holland

Many things that prove to be Of
great value and Importance to the
world Of business affairs and also IN
the direction Of the great cotton deve-
lopment are the outcome Of what at
the time seem TO be most trivial
Incident said General Henry Ship
pen Hudekoper to me at time when
he was narrating some Of his expert
ences while serving as postmaster OF
Philadelphia General Huidekoper
was appointed postmaster OF Phila-
delphia in 1880 and served in that
Office until 1885
He was widely known at the time
Of his appointment partly because
Of the gallant pa,t he took in the
battle Of Gettysburg, where he lost
an arm. and partly because he was
one Of those who received a congress
sional medal Of honor for galantry
in battle.
soon after my appointment as
postmaster Of Philadelphia by Presi-
dent Hayes" said General Huide-
koper. 81 called upon the President
He was very cordial He had no ad.
vice 10 give me excepting to try tc
advance the efficiency Of the Phila.
delphia postofice He suggested tC
me that call upon the postmaster o.
New York. Thomas L. James, 81
that ! could get from him some idea.
which the highly satisfactory ad
mnistration OF the New York cit,
postoffice might furnish me.
81 did call upon Mr.. James, and
never shall forget the kindness will
which was received. I was tolC
that every facility would he given m'
TO study the methods in vogue in th'
New York city postofice.
During our conversation | OBJ
served that a colored man who acteC
as a SORT Of messenger brought in ;
basket filled with letters and PLACED
the basket upon the postmaster
desk While Mr. James continued tC
chat with me he revealed his ability
to do two things at once, for he tool
the addresses on each one Of thu
envelopes. probably displayed som.
curiosity az what was going on. FOL
Mr. James began to explain to m'
what he was doing and why.
He said the basket contained al
the letters that had been deposited
at the postoffice that day unstamped
He was therefore taking down thu
addresses on the envelopes so tina
he could send an official card L
every one 10 whom the letters werl
addressed, saying that unstampei
letters TO the address had been de
posted In the New York postoffic
and would be forwarded upon re
ceipt of stamps.
"He told me that there was moth
ing in the law that compelled him 4
do this. but that he felt that It Nigh
be Of great advantage to the person
TO whom the letters we're addressed Z
know. so that they could have ther
forwarded Otherwise the letter
would 60 to the dead-letter ofic
where they nigh remain a goo
while
81 determined to adopt this plan
the Philadelphia postofice. ! keI
account OF the number Of unstampe
letters which I received each da
and also the number Of replies I r.
ceived from those to whom I had sci
card notifying them that a lett'
was held az the Philadelphia pos
Office and would be forwarded on r.
oeipt Of stamps.
81 found that 50 per cent. Of tho'
TO whom sent the card replied
return mail inclosing stamps. on
12 per cent Of the letters went 10 Il
dead-letter Office at Washington.
THAT was the way in which
custom which was generally adopt'
throughout the United State bega
II was begun by Mr. James for Il
good Of the service, and the gener
adoption OF II by postmaste
throughout the United States. {
gether with the very large numb
Of answers inclosing stamps so tn
these uns,amped letters could
forwarded. showed how great me-
there was for a service Of this kind
Copyright. 1918. by f. ]. Edward
All rights reserved.
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will Z
How the Two-hour Service Betve
, - x.~l- ,rd Dli1a 1adolnhia 0ris