The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-20
PREPARED FOR RUSH
Of CHRISTMAS
MAIL
PosTOFFTCE GIVES ADDITIONAL.
INFORMATION TO THOSE WHO
WOULD NoT HAVE DlsAppoINT-
wENT--MAIL NOW TO REACH
DESTINATION IN TIME.

/ Early Christmas shopping near It's
! conclusion. early mailing now under
way and the rush of people to pne
postofflce and the substations for
1 mailing parcels Of various shapes ana
sizes TO all parts Of the country, IN
! formation for the guidance of those
who have yet to do their mailing Is
timely.
| Though the force OF clerks a; the
/ Richmond postoffice has been great
~ enlarged To take care OF the I'M
usually heavy mail traffic that must
be handled during the remaining
seven days. including Sunday, before
Christmas, every man on the job has
all he can do. And the helated
matters those who wait until Christ
mas Eve to get present to friends
several hundred miles distant. per-
haps, by Christmas morning, are go
| ing to be disappointed.
/ Each year the postoffice depart
ment early takes into its confidence
those who use the mails and advises
them to mail early. Every bit of
information that may help is freely
given and the people are urged to
get their Christmas mailing done
early Each year there are the lag
gards-able to buy early for they
! do it--who wait until the last minute.
Each year these clog or nearly clog,
the machinery Of the postoffice de-
partment on both outgoing and In
, coming mails Each year many are
disappointed that their gifts are
/ day or two later in reaching their
/ destinations than they had wanted
them to be Each year the dtsap-
/ pointed ones "cuss out" the postof-
! fee department from the latest sub
stitute up TO the postmaster general.
TO Avoid Disappointment.
| For those who have not yet mailed
and who may be sincere In their de-
sire TO avoid disappointment. the fol-
:, lowing Information is presented
| Address all letters and packages
! plainly, giving street number as well
as city and State, and put return ad-
dress on upper left hand corner of
Il envelope or package.
Post cards having mica or other
mineral matter on them are unmail-
able. except when enclosed in a sealed
envelope and postage prepaid as first
tCtass matter HuAdreds OF such cards
mel ses in, IN e ,'s were were d, DE-
Christmas,
Letters. cards ard circulars when
mailed In large quantities. viii he
greatly expedited in their dispatch ~
faced. and, when the quantity war
rants. separated by States before de-
posted in the postoffice.
Many business men send their mall
for the entire day to the postoffice
at one time in the evening, thereby
causing congestion and delay. 1t
would greatly facilitate the dispatch
of their mail If they would send "
In at least three instaliments during
the day,
Matter bearing precanceled stamps
cannot he delayed by congestion. but
will he dispatched imme dia 3ely on
, receipt.
Valuable Time Wasted.
Packages containing Christmas or
New Year presents, If delayed in mail
ing until a day or so before those
holidays are liable to be caught III
the congestion, and may not be re-
ceived until several days after the
date intended. Delivery OF such mat
ter may be expedited, and the object
Of the sender fully accomplished, by
mailing ii several days in advance,
with inscription on the wrapper:
Not to be opened before Christmas
or New Year, or words Of similar inn
port.
At the holiday season. don't In
quire for letters or packages over
the telephone The accumulation of
matter lR so great tnat a search Tor
any particular letter or package be-
fore the regular distribution has been
made. would almost certainly he
futile. and, In any event. would be
a waste OF most valuable time. All
letters and packages will be dis
patched as rapidly possible, and
perisha bile packages. when they can
not be delivered In regular course
will be reported to the addresses.
and may be sent for
Parcel Post Rates and Terms.
Note the following essentials to
| efficient parcel post service:
See that postage is fully prepaid
Don't enclose letter with package
Mail the letter separately. or with
sufficient postage on it. tie the let
ter on the outside of the package.
See taat the parcel is securely
raped and fastened but not closed
against inspection.
Let the name and address OF the
sender appear on the face of the
package. as well as that OF the adj
| dressee.
Insure 1t If compensation Is ex-
g.. IA ~f-ts