The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1916-08-10
HANDLING u. S. MAIL
IMMENSE UNDERTAKING.

loaded on postal cars from the |
mail wagons or see them thrown |
of, can form no idea OF the I'm
mensity OF this branch OF the |
public service. StatiStHS and |
tales OF figures may have little |
interest for the ordinary reader. |
bH when it is stated that the to |
tai number Of mail bags used for
transporting the mals amount to
about five millions, and if placed
emf 10 end would stretch from
Boston % sam Francisco and eN
tend into the Pacific ocean. some
estimate may be formed OF the
tremendous nass - such equip
lncmt needed in the dispatch OF
public business
Al the begmuig of this adj
minlStIatiOm an inventory was
taken TO learn what equipment for
railway postal transportation the
government had ON hand 1t was
discovered that the grand total
OF such property was 3,54J,4o9
pieces. OF winch los. $40 We're
ANAL pouncheS. 2,5J2.419 were
S:ickS, ami 4SS.i 64 were mail
locks Since this inventory was
mad.. the growth cd the service
Required the purchase Of over ]
million ami half mail bags to
meet the steadily Increasing de
mand
The money required from time
10 time for the purchase of this
great supply and the price To be
paid, SO as 10 come within the
appropriation. We're matters of
grave concern 90 those IN charge.
In the summer OF 1913. the De
Pannent was paying 81 IA for
Tor It's ordinary mail pouches.
Tins price was deemed too high,
and experts We're sci TO work to
devise something which would be
Of equal capacity, equal durabil-
lty. at les, cost The result was
that a pouch WAS designed which
the Department contracted for
and purchased FOR less than go
been produced in large quantities
and IS replacing those formerly
under contract. Experts were
lalS0 placed on the proposition OF
designing cheaper but equally
effective pouch for the exchange
L OF mails by moving trains. The
Department was then paying @l7O
Tor these catcher pouches. With
IN a short time a pouch was e
volved, designed on scientific
principles, which IS giving far
better service and at a greatly
reduced cost, viz, 80 cents each
The repair and proper main
tenance OF mail bags is provid-
ed for IN an establishment local
ed at Washington.
One of the difficulties connect
ed with this repairing process,
which was also something of u
Hardship to the operators, was
I the accumulated dirt and dust
which attached to these bags
when returned from the service
and which was menace to the
health of those so employed. No
attention had ever been paid to
the dangerous and unsanitary
I conditions under which this work
WAS done A system was finally
adopted consisting of large tumb-
ling barrels, each having a capa-
lefty for holding several hundred
;: bags. Driven rapidly by electric
power, the dust confined to a
tightly constructed room and
carried off by blowers and lodg-
ed in immense canvass recepta-
cles. resembling dirlglble bal
loon when inflated, this process
was found thoroughly suitable,
I for careful tests showed that all
dust was completely removed
Four Thousand day are now
l treated by this process
l The life of a mail bag is about
six years. but the rough usage To
/ (which 1t is exposed renders many
l OF them unfit for repair. Such
u6ags pass into the hands OF ex-
\ pert inspectors who utilize such
l parts as still have some good
material Ieiit In making what Is
4 known as "pieced bags. The
bags or part OF bags which can
not be utilized are sold under
! yearly contract To the highest
l bidder. The amount thus reallz-
l ed and turned into the treasury
the past year was over