West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-07-20
The Intelligent Management of Pub.
lie Industry

go N'aaNAN "AN NAStAg aNu JuulIlouS-
ly managed. a statement of economi-
cal expenditure which is susceptible
of proof will always attract attention
and please the thoughtful reader.
Among the varied industrial enter
prises of the postofiice department in
Washington is an establishment de-
voted entirely to the manufacture OF
mail locks and the bag attachments
used in mail transportation. When
this administration came into power,
the department sorely needed an i'm
proved type of mail lock. The shop
was Immediately roorgauizod. placed
ON business basis, and it's activities
enlarged so as 20 meet this imperative
demand. Within a very short time a
new and greatly improved lock had
been devised and it's production be
gun.
The lock in use weighed 5l% ounces.
the new one weighs 24-5 ounces. As
100000 of this new product have been
put into service the difference i'm the
weight tthe government paying as
much for the weight of equipment as
IL does for the mail itsclD can be cas-
ily calculated The locks replaced by
this new and better style cost 2l cents
each to make; those now being manu-
facturod cost Sta cents. direct and in
direct charges considered. the saving
thus shown on original cost OF produc-
tion to date amounting to s53,75O or
the old style. 10000 were annually re-
turned for repair at a cost OF about Q
cents each OF the new style. out OF
the great number sent snto the ser
vice. but 906 have been returned. and
as these new style locks can be re-
paired alta cost of cents each, the
annual saving on this item will
amount to over $2.1OO
The department has in this admins
tration encouraged its employees to
give their best service TO the govern
ment and many Instances have recent
ly come TO notice wherein the depart
ment has greatly profttcd by this wise
public policy. In the lock shop "A re-
cent achievement I'm 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. II can be made at
very low price, requiring less mater
ial and fewer number of operations.
The significant part of this lies i'm the
great number required in the service.
between three and four million. the out
put being 100000 annually. AS the
cost has been reduced by the new
method from AZ to 3 cents each, It
will be seen what a splendid showing
this makes for administrative econ
omy.
Another valuable improvement has
been the perfected locking cord fas-
teuer designed for use on the sacks.
something which the department for
years has needed and vainly endeav-
ored TO accomplish. This device will
be of great value to the postal service
at large by increasing the capacity
and efficiency OF mail bags to a degree
difficult to estimate. The modern sys-
TEN Of business methods and the prop
er encouragement OF employees to
take an active and earnest interest in
their work, both Of which desirable
features this administration of the de-
partment has favored and put into
practice. is responsible for the many
improvements made and the advan-
tages 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 I'm
use. The form Of label used I'm the
past and still used by clerks all over
the country is the doubling and re
folding Of what Is known as a FAC
ing slip" The preparation Of these
labels by the thousands has been and
is am expensive proposition, yet there
appears 10 have been no effort on the
part OF previous administrations 20
progress from the old method. Under
present direction "a perforated label I'm
hccts and runs has been designed
whi@ Is practically ready for use
whom furnished 70 employees. Every
postal clerk in the country and thou
sands Of postonice employees will find
this new method great advantage and
It viii result in large economy in the
service
There have also been some other no
table improvements made. VIZ, tho
substitution OF steel where brass was
formerly used. at a very considerable
lessenlng OF expense; q device for fas-
tening foreign mail pouches. doing
away with the old fashioned method Of
string and seal; scheme for saving
twine by means OF q simple holder
which permits free and easy use with
out waste, and a flexible stamp design.
for which tho contract price was %
cents but which will now be made at
a cost OF but 8 cents. A mechanical
pickup or facing table for use I'm fac
ing and stacking letters IA Gra-ciass
postOnices has also been developed
and will soon be perfected. This de-
vice is considered superior TO those
now IN use and costs less than one
third as much TO manufacture. Those
at present in use cost approximafefv