The Washington times., 1919-12-24
XMAS HEG|RA
ON IN CAPITAL
Holiday Throngs Leave District.
P. O. and Express Company
Break All Records.


departments closed at noon and
thousands Of Federal officials and
war workers having left the city to
spend Christmas at their homes the
National Capital found early Christ
mas Eve practically deserted except
for the permanent residents Of WASH
ington.
Trains leaving the Capital this
morning and last night were packed
TO capacity with officials and Gov
srnment workers departing from the
city.
Practically the only building this
afternoon retaining Its normal ac-
ivity was the White House where
President Wilson prepared TO spend
very quiet Christmas.
Ne Tree THIS Year.
There was no tree and no children
TO make the mansion merry. The
President gave 1876 turkeys to White
House attendants and guards, and
.endered a gift-in the shape OF
lalf holiday today and a half holiday
New Year Eve to employees Of the
FEDERAL and District of Columbia
governments.
President Wilson also was expected
soday to sign pardons for ten or
custom to grant a number of pardons
IN Christmas Eve.
Most all shops in the District will
De kept open until 8 o'clock this
evening to permit last-minute shop
oers to purchase their Christmas
presents. A rush is looked forward
o by the shopkeepers, and every IA
'ility will be afforded to help out the
5elated shoppers.
-
;lear, crisp weather, not only in
Washington, but throughout the mid
lie Atlantic States. according to the
atest forecast by the Weather Bureau.
The prediction was substantiated
oy feather of snow this forenoon.
Tonight will be cloudy and cold,
deal weather for a mysterious REIN
ieer trip over house roofs. The tenn
lsrature Is expected to be sufficiently
ow to keep the whiteness on the
ground through the holidays.
Postoffice officials and those Of the
american Railway Express Company
ire using every endeavor to have all
Christmas packages and mall deliv-
red tomorrow morning. Those par
cells that lag into the postoffice and
sxpress company's office tomorrow
will be speedily delivered by an aug
amented corps Of workers.
All previous records in the Dis
trict for the receipt and distribution
Of Christmas mails, including small
and large parcels, have been broken
this year. according to postoffice ana
express company officials.
All Mail Cleared Away.
Not a parcel OF Christmas mail or
xpressage received in Washington
up to last midnight Is on hand today.
Ill Of it having been delivered this
morning.
With the delivery wheels Of the
Dostofnce and express company offices
oiled and working to capacity, the Of
lcials say all Christmas mails and
packages pfceived up to midnight to-
light wilfbe also delivered the FIRST
hing tomorrow morning.
Belated Christmas mail and pack
.ges received tomorrow will be deliv-
,red promptly throughout the day. so
rot a Washingtonian who should re-
ceive a gift should be without 1t to-
morrow.
Postmaster NJ. o. Chance Is deter
mined that every Washingtonian get
his or her Christmas package as quick
ly as 1t can be dispatched to the home.
L. r. Rice-Wray, superintendent of
delivery of the American Railway Ex-
press Company, is as determined 10
get express packages to their destina-
ton without delay.
1,266,esO Letters Collected.
For the twenty-four hours preced-
ing last midnight approximately l.
266, 900 letters, postal and Christmas
cards were collected in the District.
This does not include thousands OF
Christmas parcels gathered at sub
stations and branches of the postof-
flee.
Nearly 1000 special delivery letters
and parcels were delivered yesterday.
record which postoffice officials
declare outdoes any single day during
the war period which was considered
record making.
All of the temporary Postoffice sta
tions in Washington will be closed at
6 o'clock tonight, and all substations
tomorrow will be closed to the pub
lic However, windows of the main
postoffice will be open for business.
There will be only one mail deliv-
cry tomorrow morning-at 7:30
o'clock, but special delivery letters
and Christmas parcels will be deliv-
cred throughout the day. Also, there
will be only two collections tomorrow
one at o'clock in the afternoon,
and 1880 o'clock tomorrow night.
Approximately 1900 express pack
ages were delivered by the American
Express Company officials yesterday.
Most of the parcels contained dressed
poultry, fruit and candy, shipped
from farmost corners of the United
States to war workers and others
here in the Capital. Superintendent
Rice Wray stated this morning that
an average of 10000 packages were
delivered to Washingtonians during
the past five days.