Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-09-27
PUBLIC INDUSTRY MA NAGEAIENT
Thousands Of Dollars Saved Annually
in Post Office Department.

t2irs Is considerably heightened when
they learn that the revenues Of the
government are wisely and judicious-
~ managed. A statement Of econom-
icai expenditure which Is susceptible
Of proof will always attract attention
and please the thoughtful reader.
Among the varied industrial enter
prises Of the Post Office Department
in Washington is an establishment
devoted entirely to the manufacture
Of mail Jocks and the bag attach
ments used in mail transportation
When this administration came into
power the department sorely needed
an improved type OF mail lock. The
shop was Immediately reOrganiZed,
placed on business basis, and its
activities enlarged SO us to meet this
imperative demand. Within a very
short time new and greatly i'm
proved lock had been devised and it's
production begun
The lock IN use weighed ~
ounces; the new one weighs AS
ounces. AS 100000 OF this new pro-
duct have been put into service, the
difference in weight (the government
paying as much for the weight Of
equipment rs it does for the mail it.
SSllJ Cdll US CdSllS lie
locks replaced by this new and bet
ter style cost 81 cents each to make;
those now being manufactured cost
8 1/2 cents, direct and indirect
charges considered. the saving thus
shown on original cost Of production
to date amounting to $53,750. OF
the old style, $4,000 were annually
returned for repair at a cost Of about
Q cents EACH or the new style, out
Of the great number sent into the
service, but 906 have been returned,
and as these new style locks can be
repaired at cost of cents each,
the annual saving on this item will
amount to over 50, 100.
The department has in this admin
| istration encouraged it's employees
to give their best service to the gov
ernment and many instances have re-
Gently come to notice wherein the
department has greatly proiited by
this wise policy. In the lock shop a
recent achievement in this direction
is an improved cord fastener, the
work of three Of its employees, for
use on bags; also one designed for
locking large quantities OF parcel
post matter, which has heretofore
been without this protection. 1t can
be made at a very low price, requir
ing less material and a fewer num-
ber Of operations. The significant
part OF this lies in the great number
required in the service, between
three and four millions, the output
being 100000 annually. AS the cost
has been reduced by the new method
from 1/2 to 3 cents each, 1t will be
seen what splendid showing this
makes for administrative economy.
Another valuable Improvement has
been the perfected locking cord fas-
tener designed for use on tie sacks,
something which the department for
ored to accomplish. This device will
be Of great value to the postal SER
vice at large by increasing the capac-
ity and efficiency OF mail bags to a
degree difficult to estimate. The
modern system OF business methods
and the proper encouragement Of
employees to take an active and
earnest interest in their work, both
Of which desirable features this ad-
ministration Of the department has
favored and put into practice, Is re-
sponsible for the many improvements
made and the advantages gained.
Active experiments are constantly
being made for the betterment Of the
service. For many years tremen-
dous expense has been the labelling OF
the immense quantity Of mail bags in
use. The form Of label used in the
past and still used by clerks all over
the country Is the doubling and re-
folding OF what Is known as "fac-
ing Slip" The preparation Of these
labels by the thousands has been and
is an expensive proposition yet
thora npDoorc n hoyn haan No 0fPcrt
on the part Of previous administra-
tioDs to progress from the old me-
thods. Under present direction
perforated label in sheets and runs
has been designed which Is practical
IL ready for use when furnished to
employees. Every postal clerk in the
country and thousands OF post Office
employees will find this new method
of great advantage and 1t will result
in large economy in the service.
There have also been some other
notable improvements made, viz, the
substitution Of steel where brass was
formerly used, at a very considera-
Bile lessening Of EXPENSE; a device
for fastening foreign mail pouches,
doing away with the old-fashioned
method of string and seal; a scheme
for saving twine by. means Of SIM
pie holder which permits free and
easy use without waste, and a flexi-
bic stamp design, for which the con-
tract price was 80 cents, but which
will now be made at q cost Of but 8
cents. A mechanical pickup or fac
ing table for use in facing and stack
ing letters In first-class post offices
has also been developed and will soon
be perfected. This device is consid-
cred superior to those now in use