The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-05-07
AT YOUR DOORSTEP
BY GRAHAM RoMEYN TAYLOR

steamships blast as she carries the
mail into Philippine harbor there is
no more regular and usually more
welcome reminder of the citizens con-
Germ in government service
Every stamp collecting boy can trace
on the pages of his album the devel-
opment of the postal service, from the
picture of the galloping pony post
on early stamps to the bicycle boy on
the modern special delivery stamps and
the various modern ways of transport
ing mail as shown on recent issues,
particularly designed for the parcel
post. But the last few years. with their
wide extension of the rural free de-
livery, their Introduction of postal saw
ings, and their establishment of the
parcel post have seen more progress
than any previous decade.
NEW POSTOFFICE METHODS
Newspapers and magazines tell al
most every day and week of some new
way in which the parcel post Is serv
ing the business man or householder.
But experiments with new methods are
by no means confined to that branch
of the postoffice departments activi-
ties. There is still and perhaps newt
ably in SO large an organization, much
red tape which would appear to hamper
the departments greatest usefulness,
one instance being the regulation
against using postage stamps for small
remittances to the government.
Perhaps not so picturesque as parcel
post experiments, but counting DIR
much in daily efficiency and admin
istratlve economies, are the short cuts
and new devices which are rapidly
being developed. These new adminis-
trative methods are best seen if you
get chance to observe them at work
IN one of the more progressive local
postoffices, some of which are def
|nitely regarded as try out" places, for
innovations.
The local postoffice in the city Of
Washington is rendering especial
service in this respect. and for very
good reasons; it is situated where the
postmaster general and other big Of
ficials of the service can be in close
been equipped with one of the finest
land most up-to-date postoffice build
ings in the country
The new postoffce at Washington,
costing 100000, is notable addition
to the imposing architecture of the
capital. But its modern equipment and
arrangement make it's efficiency quite
an intricate system of moving belts, in
stalled at a cost of nearly 100000, for
tie distribution of mail.
EARN TO-TABLE' SERVICE
Modern appliances, including the in
stallation of refrigerator for perish
able matter in the parcel post, helped
| greatly in the successful development
of the "fram- to table" service of the
| postoffce.
| While eggs, butter and poultry seem
| to furnish the main volume Of business,
| almost every other farm product finds its
| way through the parcel post-fruits and
| vegetables in season, preserves and jellies.
meats, honey, etc. Some farmers are MAX
| ing speciality of dinner hampers con-
tanning everything from turkey to apples.
| The pick up service for parcels which
was started in Washington is greatly APP
preciated by residents of the district. Any
householder can telephone the Washing
ton postoffice in the morning that he has
a package for the parcel post. BY after
noon a collection wagon arrives in the
course of its rounds to letter collection
boxes The collector brings the scales
and parcel post guide into the house,
weighs the package and tells the amount
of postage required. When the stamps
are affixed there is no further bother to
the householder except perhaps to answer
his phone that same evening, and hear
his friend in another part of the city ac-
knowledge the receipt of the parcel. This
service is limited to packages weighing
not more than 10 pounds each or aggre-
eating not more than that weight At
some business houses regular stops are
made each day