The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-09-23
Practical Postof flee Methods
By Frederic j.. Haskin


The postoface department at Wash
lington has just issued an order which
will abrogate all the contracts for
hauling mail In the cities Of Chicago
and st. Louis, and replace such SER
vice with government-owned equip
ment. mostly automobile trucks. This
reform is expected to save $40, 900
In st. Louis.
This change in method of shutting
mail about a big city comes as re-
suit Of the experiments Of Otto Prae-
ger. a newspaper man who became
lDostnaaster OF the city OF Washing
son, and who has been demonstrate
ing the economical possibilities Of
common sense and organization when
applied 70 the infinitely detailed task
OF handling the mails.
Dir. Praeger found that in Wash.
ington there were contracts for COL
ilecting mail. for distribution, and for
hauling 70 trains, which amounted
to $4,000 a year. He thought this
service could be performed much
more cheaply by government-owne,i
equipment, and It's correct handling
would accomplish a great saving. He
was allowed to buy the necessary
trucks and finaugurate his system.
Idle Trucks.
The problem seemed to be to keep
the trucks working as much Of the
time as possible. The merchants de-
Livery truck works but forty per cent
OF the time, on the average, and is
standing idle waiting for a load sixty
per cent Of the time The task was
to arrange the work so that the
trucks would be running steadily.
1T was found possible to use q
lsingle truck for almost all the tasks
of the postoffice. The same vehicle
would gather mails at certain hours,
distribute them at other hours. and
haul them to the trains at other
times. Each of these services might
have been performed by different
contractors under the old system.
Soon 1t was found to be possible for
truck to be working sixty-tive per
cent of its time and idle but thirty
five per cent. This was a great inn
provement. 1t meant that the opera
ton Of a truck cost the postofice
but nine cents mile where 1t cost
the commercial user fourteen cents
1 a mile.
This method reduced the annual
cost Of performing this service for
the city Of Washing ton from $4,000
n under the old CONTRACT system, to
II $lS, 900 under the new afrank eineRt.
Therefore the new order has been is
sued w e htcago and st. Louis, with
probab i1ity OF Its extension to many
other cities. 55s
This is but one Of the many re-
forms that have been worked out in
Washington under its newspaper man
postmaster eforms that have meant
saving Of 1927 900 a year to that
lefty. Washington, for instance, had
ldeveloped a system Of Independent
sub-stations where mails were made
lup and distributed. This system Is
also in operation in some other cities.
" was found that by a concentration
of the distribution system saving
IN clerk hire alone Of $4,000 could
be effected. It was likewise found
that the handling OF mails at but
the one center made 1t possible to
develop greater efficiency. Mistakes
were decreased until complaints fell
on ninety per cent.
Additional Service.
The postal service Is virtually self
supporting. and therefore, when saw
ings are effected, It becomes possible
TO give the people additional service.
The administration Of the Washing
ton Office. having saved certain money
through its reforms, exerted itself In
working out schemes that would
mean extra accommodations to The
public.
There was the matter Of listing the
farmers Of the community, the pro-
duce they had for sale, and the prices
they wanted for it. Washington was
the first Office to perform this SER
vice. By statements printed in news
papers and farm journals 1t was an
nounced that the post Office would
make up such lists. Farmers were
asked to send in their names, with
1temized lists of their prices and pro-
duce. Great numbers Of them did
so. These lists were printed and made
available to purchasers, and the re-
suit was an immediate increase in
the volume Of business thus trans
acted directly between the producer
and the consumer. Before these lists
We're Issued the Washington post
Office was handling 1876 such parcels
post packages day. Soon this had
been increased to 900 packages. There
was built in the postofice great
Ice box with 500 cubic feet Of space
for storing perishable goods that
could not be delivered Immediately.
But q no less important opportuni-
ty was given In developing parcel
rost business through the local mer-
chants. The Washington office nut
zone man out among the merchants
and let him work constantly in ex-
planning to them the possibilities Of
using this service. Other clerks were
required to fill in spare time expound-
iLg the detail. The postofIice went
after parcel post business just as any
Bve commercial house would hustle
for trade.
Cake BY Mail.
A baker, for Instance, was an.
preached and 1t was suggested to him
that there were many postoffices near
Washington that were not reached by
the express companies. but which
might use his product II he would
ship It by parcel post. It was found
that the expense Of sending LOAF
OF bread worth fivn nanto ,,,.,.1. = /. :