Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-19
POSTOFFICE READY
FOR THE USUAL
CHRISTMAS RUSH
Even Trees May Be Shipped, if
They Are Properly
Wrapped Up.

Every department in the postoffice
has been equipped to handle the rush
of Christmas mail which is expected
TO begin next Monday. With the eX-
ception of standing room for the
public In the front corridor, there
have been improvements made in
each branch of the service, and Post
master Frank ]. Book today de-
clared there would be no question of
Christmas mail being delivered on
time II mailed early enough.
There was a large increase in the
volume of mail sent from the Newark
postofflce during the week, but 1t did
not measure up 10 the rush the week
before Christmas in former years.
The rush is four or five days behind
the schedule. for some reason un-
known TO the postmaster.
a total Of 900 letters and post
cards vcrs received at the postoffice
yesterday. while on Thursday there
were I7O.O0o pieces. Holiday post
cards comprise the bulk of the $4,000
increase. Each day the number of
postcards increases. and the post
MASTER has asked that the cards be
mailed early. 50 they can be de-
ivsred in time More than a million
uos.cardS we're mailed here last
Christmas eve. and it was impossible
70 deliver them all before the hoi-
lay.
In tha parcel post department the
increase has been heavy during the
week Yesterday there were more
: ID slIer, ffahn1 from
the once. an Increase of about 5000
over the preceding day. Most of this
mail is being sent to Western cities
50 that il will reach its destination
by Christmas Two chutes are used
70 facilitate the handling of parcels.
The chute en- the Broad street side
was in operation last year. Another
chute has been built in the western
side Of the building for the packages
collected in wagons, and this is big
factor in the speed with which mail
is handled.
Packages Quickly Handled.
A large manufacturing concern sent
out 500 packages by parcel post last
week and these were received and
stamped at the postoffice in nine min
rtes. The large truck which brought
the packages was backed UP to the
new chute facing the driveway on
the western side of the building. AS
fast as the packages were placed on
the chute they were sent sliding to
q receiving table, where three clerks
affixed the postoffice cancellation
stamp.
Under the old system packages had
to be placed in a rolling truck,
lowered on an elevator to the cellar
and then placed on the receiving
table, necessitating four landings,
where they are handled but twice
rnder the present system. The post
master said the chute has paid for
tself a hundred times over since it
was installed and has proved a
wonderful time saver.
Christmas trees may be shipped by
parcel post if they are wrapped up
20 comply with the regulations. The
rules are that no packages may be
sent by parcel post that measures
more than seventy-two inches in
length and girth. This
would enable anyone to send a |
Christmas tree about five feet tall !
f the branches were folded in and
wrapped tightly. Christmas ever
green's and holly may also be sent
through the parcel post. No trees
lave DEGn TeCeiAEd 1T AAlt lOibi OlAASO
or shipment to date, but baskets Of |
svergreens are being shipped every
1ay. 1t is necessary that the trees
md evergreens be wrapped secu"elr
50 that they do not injure other mail
natter.
Thirty additional mail wagons and
drivers will be placed in service on
Monday to handle the rush that Is ex-
oected, Each driver will be assigned
10 a certain route in the city, SO that
al packages mailed at sub-stations or
package boxes on the streets will be
collected at intervals. During the
night two large automobile trucks
will make tour of the city, picking
up the packages mailed after O'Clock
n the evening.
There will be 175 extra clerks and
letter. carriers added to the force.
The carriers will be used chiefly for
the collection and delivery of parcel
post mail. AS usual, extra tables VIII
be fitted up in the front corridor,
where clerks will weigh packages and
inform each person how much each
package will cost. Large rolling
hampers will be placed in the corridor,
SO that packages may be placed in
them, instead o fwaiting in line to de-
posit them in the regular slot. The
postmaster declared that no detail will
be overlooked in helping the public to
send off Christmas gifts in time.