Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-11-28
WOULD IMPROVE
POSTAL SERVICE
Department Seeks to Inn
prove the Service for
Annual Christmas
Rush.
USE SCHOOL HOUSES
Postmaster General Sends
out Suggestions to
POstmasIers.
USE SCHOOL HOUSES

out Suggestions to
POstmasIers.
Postmaster General Hays has sent
out the following suggestions to post
masters and the public regarding
Christmas mail:
Christmas Rush.
Very soon it will be time to put our
several houses in order aud get thor
oughly organized for the Christmas
rush. I shall welcome information
concerning any original or unique
methods that have worked out prac-
tically in the expeditions and econon-
ical handling of Christmas mail in the
different offices of the country. These
we would like to publish for the benefit
of other postmastes.
Use of School Building.
A rather novel idea was put into
practice in one of our offices last
Christmas which think might work
out successfully in other cities OF tho
country to the end that a more ex-
peditious and economical cleanup Of
the holiday mail might be effected.
Permission was secured from the
school authorities to utilize school
buildings as distributing centers and
without cost to the postOffice depart
ment. The residential section OF the
city was laid ont in units with the
school ns a center. the outside limits
being within short radius Of the
school building. Distribution was made
at night for such units and delivery
made by horse-drawn or motor vehicles
very early in the morning to the differ.
ent schools. There it was set up by
blocks in the corridors nearest the
street entrance and from there deliv-
cred by footmen. This practice was
put into operation four days before
Christmas and continued until the day
after Christmas. Reports indica ted that
it provided the cleanest. fastest and
cheapest delivery on record at that par
ticular office. 1t is particularly advan-
tageous in the colder regions owing to
the fact that vehicles are detained ny
snow and deliverymen are slowed up
on account of the cold. BY this system
the dcliverymen work out of the school
houses on short trips. returning ire
uuently for new loads. 1t also permits
better supervision of deliverymen.
many of whom at this particular sea-
son are new and unfamiliar with the
city and waste time in searching for
locations. 1t also effects great saw
ing in vehicle hire. l would suggest
wherever pOstmasters think the plan
practical that they approach the
school authorities and ask for similar
cooperation in their locality. l should
be pleased to have reports rs to tho
success with which it is employed.
Cards Of Unusual Size.
Please urge the public to desist from
using small size cards and envelopes
which are common ut the Christmas
period. We hope that the stationers
will not stock up on these small sizes
An untold amount of time is used in
canceling such mail by hand, as it will
fhn .,unan1inp
chimes which are built to cancel the
proper sizes of envelopes at the max
imum rate of $1,000 an hour. The hand
stamping not only causes delay to the
small size card and envelope hut also
delays the other mail which follows
In this connection we appeal to the
women especially to avoid stylish
forms OF handwriting. "Deblltante
stuff" as one postal worker calls it,
and use instead plain and not so
pretty handwriting.
Wrapping and Tying.
Postmastcrs will be granted permits
sion to offer to the public facilities for
wrapping and tying packages previous
to the Christmas rush. 1t is suggested
that concession be given to someone
who will take space in the lobby and
give courteous and proper attention TO
| the needs of the public. charging a
reasonable amount for his services and
materials used This activity mlsSt he
carefully supervised to see that the
public is thoroughly pleased and salts
fled with the service. and should be
discontinued following the rush.