The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-22
Crowds Throng There All Day
Long.
PARCEL POST IS POPULAR
Thousands Of Packages Han
died by Busy Clerks.
little Difficulty," Says Powell,
Things Work Smoothly.

Office today has been greater than any
other day in the history OF tho onico.
Receipts. aided by parcel post. are
much higher than December q. 1917.
From O'Clock this morning until late
this evening. the Kellam building has
been crowded to the limit with people
armed with Christmas packages. The
two regular windows have lines ex-
tending to the door Of the office; two
men handled a vast quantity Of bust
ness in the lobby and the window OF
the assistant postmaster was mustered
into service by the parcel post depart
ment. And even at that there was q
short delay for the patrons.
The incoYcing mail is almost as great
as the outgoing, and three wagons are
spending the day delivering parcels all
over the city. On each wagon IL
driver and two carriers and by sys-
tenn Of cooperation. the entire city has
been covered in q shorter space OF time
than ever before.
Mail Wagons Busy.
Every mail wagon in the city has
made dozens OF trips to the depots with
mail returning with a load to the citi-
Gems of Topeka. The large basement
at one time was ''swamped," but by the
speed Of many clerks. the mall was
brought under control again.
The mail carriers. who had nothing
to do with the parcel post, this morning
carried great loads Of mail. Several
thousand little packages were received
at the office this morning and the let
ter carriers have the job to deliver
them. The estimate of the number OF
Christmas letters and cards received
today has not been made, but it was
immense.
Part Played by Parcels Post.
Parcels post. a new factor in Christ
mas business, has proven q success
and has been ably handled In all large
cities this month. The senders Of
packages have taken good care to
few are broken. Today Topekans will
receive many parcels, with the words
on them. do not open until Christ
mas" Receivers Of parcels from To-
peka are located in all parts Of the
country-in the backwoods Of Mis-
souri,. the cities Of New England, the
swamp LANDS OF Florida and other
points in every state. Last month
there was q quantity Of mail sent to
Europe and the. Indies. Tons Of mail
bearing Topeka postmarks have been
sent out Of the city for Christmas and
tons more will be sent Tuesday and
Wednesday.
1t is believed that today win be the
biggest day in the receipts OF the Of
flee for this year. Tuesday. wednes-
day and Christmas will be heavy days
but Monday has received the better
share of the holiday business.
1t takes several clerks to take the
mail away from the windows every
few minutes; sort 1t over: put on the
precanceled stamps: throw it in the
right mail sack: put it into the wag-
ons; take 1t to the depots and turn It
| over to the railway mail clerks.
But Little Difficulty.
1--WE have handled the mail today
| with little dinicu1ty.'' Leroy Powell,
superintendent Of mails. said this
| morning. with the exception of q
few minutes in the basement, the
clerks did the work fast. All Of the
mail was on its way a short time after
it was received at the windows and
the incoming mail received the same
treatment. We have had no COM
plants about any mistakes in the
rush. The clerks are working over
time. as are the carriers, and should
| be complimented on the efYicient way
they IRE working
The Office will be open Christmas
| morning and mail will be delivered as
usual at that time. In the afternoon
| the employees will get a much earned
rest.