Evening star., 1917-11-04
AFFLECK'S POSTAL
BRANCH IS CLOSED
Inability to Get Clerks for Al
IoWance Is Given as
the Reason.
FLEMER'S WILL FOLLOW

Several postal substations. located
in drug stores. have been closed, and
other drug stores are considering SINH
lar action.
One of the busiest of these, that at
the drug store of Philip C. Affleck. at
18th and streets northwest, closed
last evening, and another one which
handles a large volume OF business,
that of Lewis Flemer. at 18th street
and Columbia road. has notified the
city post office that 1t will close short
ly. Mr.. Flemer closed the substation
located at his northeast store, 9TH street
and Maryland avenue, September !.
Reasons given are the Inability to get
clerks to handle the postal business and
the growing volume OF the parcel post.
registry and money order business at
the stations.
Patrons of the AMeck substation
made continued inquiries last evening
about the reasons for its discontinue
ance.
Mr.. Aff1eck stated that he had decided
to forfeit his contract. signed last July
TO run for two years, because the bust
ness had become too large for the two
young women he now employed TO han
die it. and the Post Office Department
had declined to approve the request of
Postmaster NJ. o. Chance to increase
the amount paid him SO he can engage
a third one.
Two Clerks Needed at Time.
II do not wish to mako any money
out of the contract" Mr.. Affieck stated
last evening. II employ two young
women. working in shifts. to handle
the present stamp, parcel post and
money order business. but I find that
in the busy portions of the day two
clerks at time are needed for 1t.
Il made the request that the allow
ance to me be increased from $3.50
year to $500. that l could engage q
third clerk at 50 a week. Il wish to
emphasize. in fairness to Mr.. Chance.
that he recommended that the increase
be made to the Post Office Depart
ment. but the department declined to
approve it,
"Since one clerk cannot handle the
line of patrons at the stamp window
efficiently 1 decided to give up the
In the past month the stamp business
at Mr.. AfIleck's store was $3.50 the sta
ton handled i.107 registered packages.
insured and sent c. o. D. So parcel post
rate Of 40 or so daily. aggregating from
$500 to $1,000 daily. and handled nearly
1000 parcel post packages.
The selling of stamps. it was explained,
a substation. Clerks must ascertain the
contents of insured parcel post packages.
must determine the zone and amount of
postage. must give receipts to senders.
make records of the packages, stamp
them and write in the number of the sub
station.
Had to Pay For Loss.
One drug store cashier stated that in
one instance she lad been made to pay
$3.50 because a parcel marked ''mer-
chandise" had been lost. and since 1t
had contained coupons was not regard
ed as properly marked. and she also
had to pay $3.50 for package contain
ing a fan which had been broken. be-
cause she had neglected to mark IL
fragile" Clerks also are held for de-
struction OF perishable goods. such as
fruits or candies. IL they are not SO
marked. or II they are sent beyond the
zone permitted at the governments 10
sponsibility.
Mr.. Flemer stated he received $3.50 Q
year for his northeast substation ana
$3.50 for that at 18th and Columbia
road. He said he would not have closed
them if he had been able to get clerical
help to handle the business. The price
of competent clerks. he stated. has be-
come so high that the cost of operating
a station is three or four times the
amount received from the government.
Establish New Sub-Station.
Postmaster N. o. Chance last evening
said that the city post office would ar.
range another sfa.ion in the CiciD-