Evening journal., 1919-12-15
MAIL FLOOD
AGAIN EXPECTED
Postofiice Prepares For the
Biggest Rush in
History.
WILL EMPLOY MANY
EXTRA WORKERS

The Christmas mail at the Whining
ton Postonice will be the heaviest ever
received. according to the early indi-
sations. The officials say the rush may
be due partly TO a realization by the
public that the motto, Mail early Is
just as important for good service as
the motto. shop early" There will be
parcel post service TO practically all
the foreign countries for The first time,
as the war had made this impossible.
However, packages and letters to points
in this country are said TO be increas-
ing in a proportion nearly as great
What Is a holiday season for nearly
everyone else is the busiest and most
wearing period Of the year for the pos
tai officials and employees. The Ordi-
nary working eight hours a day are
heightened TO from 10 10 i6, according
10 the individuals capacity for work.
The men, OF course, receive extra pay
for the added time
However, even by doubling their
MWl hlAAk NlWMN - AlAf ANNNAhl ARFNH'
are unable 10 take care OF the increas-
ed mail, for at the Christmas season
The parcel post packages are 100 times
more than they are normally, while
The number OF cards exceeds the aver
age by an even greater proportion. Ac-
cordngly about 100 extra men are
employed and will get steady employ
ment from this week until two days
after Chr r'stmas.
The men are paid 80 cents an hour,
ard work rs many hours as they are
physically able 10 do. When working,
and especially when delivering mail,
they wear special badges.
A large amount Of equipment Is re-
Gulrcd also, to take care Of The rush
adequately Nearly 80 automobile
trucks and horse drawn vehicles are
hired. while the add tonal hand trucks,
mail tubes, carriers satchels. mail bags.
straps buckles and other things run
mp 10 the thousands.
Then, too, extra tables and stands
have to be provided for The clerks.
Tables for facing" the mail that is.
placing the letters In The proper posi-
tion TO have the stamp cancelled, have
10 be placed in the best positions.
Cases FOR primary selection" which
is special sorting Of the mail in the
P0slonlce 10 keep the increased guam
Titles from piling up at other points,
are put up. space Is allotted and a
man assigned 10 take care Of the badly
wrapped packages and those Incorrect
ly addressed, so that they may be
quickly returned or the senders noti-
fed. However, The public is doing
better In these two respects than 20
years ago. it is said A SPECIAL chute
for the quick handling OF parcel post
packages Is made so that the excess
may not crowd the platform.
And when all these arrangements
are made, a few d7Ns before Christmas
they must be all reversed For during
the first part Of the holiday season the
largest part Of the mail Is going out
of The postofllce. but IN the few DAYS
Immediately preceding Christmas The
bulk OF the tratlic is coming into the
poslo1lce. So no sooner are plans per-
fected and arrangements working
smoothly one way than they have TO
be all turned around again.
All postal men agree that Christmas
is not very merry as far as they are
concerned, and they say that II is in
deed wise ruling Of the postoflce
regulations which forbids anyone to
take any Of their yearly leave during
The two weeks OF the holiday season.