Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-30
Postmaster Tells Local
Business Men HOU Theu
Can Help Speed Service

Following Is an address given
yesterday before the klwanis
club, in which j. HI. McNicol, 10
cal postmaster, discusses postal
affairs from q local and general
standpoint, giving mnny suGgcs-
tions for facilitating the local
Scrvice.)
You local men are in big business;
| you are joint owners in the biggest
business in the United State-the post
office department.
There is so much that could be said
on this subject that I hardly know
where to begin. Statistics are not in
teresting so 1 will keep away from
them as much as possible. but to get
it straight in your mind thai it is big
business, just remember that the
gross for the year ending
June 80, 1921 was over $46s.0 0o. 900
a s per cent increase over 1890.
The department is divided into sub
! divisions known as postmaster gener-
al, first assistant. second assistant.
third assistant, fourth assistant Ind
auditing department.. These sub-div-
sions are again divided into about 81
y SSCLAOAo lAh< 4AoAuLC SHC WI NAA6 VI
s~anization of over $4,000 postoff1ces
throughout the country, as we'll as
different methods of transportation,
such as boats, freight trains. passen-
ger trains, fast mail trains and aero
planes.
Just a word about aeroplane serv-
ice, the fastest and freight train serv-
ice. the slowest.
The areoplane service operates be-
%~,o4n NY~-r C~~1- o-l Cow T~u vHcso40
via Chicago and Omaha The planes
used at first with a carrying capacity
of 400 pounds each cost IS cents per
mile to operate. A change in machine
cut the cost to II cents per mile.
November LIST Special DeHaviland 4
planes OF 500 pound capacity were put
into service without any additional
operating expense.
A test through flight trip vas start
ed at San Francisco for New York, a
distance of 1928 miles and was made
in 80 hours FL minutes with actual
flying time of rs hours 16 minutes,
an average speed of 104 miles per
hour.
AS you no doubt know, a lot of per
iodicals are started out on fast freight
trains. During 1926 there were 1861
car loads thus handled. In 1921 il
was reduced 473 cars on accoun OF
utilizing space on return movement OF
equipment and Of course was a say.
ing. The freight service is being elm.
mated as fast as possible.
Local Business
The department is working on a
decentralization plan that will cut
costs, eliminate delays, thereby i'm.
proving the service. Heretofore al
most everything had to go to Wash
ington. Now q central accounting
office is established in each state ard
supplies, claims, ETC., from second
third and fourth class offices a
handled through the central account
ing office. This plan is to be en-
larged upon and while each office
will have more detail work it will b.
more satisfactory in every way, anc
will eliminate a lot Of delay and e1'
pense in Washington.
Postoffices are divided into foul
classes. Ours is one Of the 500 office!
of the first class, of which North Da
kota has five-Bismarck, Fargo
j. Grand Forks, jamestown and Minot.
Our office has Two branch offices
n is divided into two divisions
finance and mail. The finance depart
ment handles the stamps, registers
We have 40 employees including JAM
tors and mail drivers. The averag'
amount paid for help is $4,000 pc
i. year; receipts $1,000
The average number of letter
handled through the cancelling ma
= chine in "a hours is $4,000. Thi
number a run up to $4,000 at tn
end of the month and does not in
clude permit or pre-cancelled matter
magazines, papers or parcel post.
Four Mail Glasses
Nail is divided into four classes:
First class, written matter, 2 cent
per ounce.
: Second class, newspapers and peri
odicals / cents for 4 OF. This doe
not include rates to publishers whic
Y is handled on 0 u and advertiser
basis.
Third class, circulars, papers an
t periodicals not included in secon
class cent for 2 ounces. M
g Fourth class, or domestic parct
: post. The territory is divided into
$ zones and rates are figured on weigh
e and zone to which mail is going. TT,
r maximum weight for the first, sccon
! and third zones is 10 pounds, for tn
balance, SO pounds. The size of pack
y g is "a inches, girth measurement
plus length.
To expedite handling the depart
ment permits first and third ella.
matter to be mailed under perm
number when $50 pieces are mailc
at n time. This saves stampin
and also W. time in the Office q
it does not have to be cancelled.
1t is also permissible to sell pre-
I cancelled stamps for S IN matte
than is not easily cancelled by han
or machine. thus saving delay at o.
fee.
Parcel post mail is handled niue
e the same way except c.. o. D. pacl
ages are recorded and turned over
the parcel post delivery man, the otf
ers are thrown on paper racks fl
boxes or carriers; the larger ones e
to the delivery trucks.
n Parcel post matter car be Sc,
Y special delivery for an addition;
charge of 10 cents per package.
may also be insured up to $500 #
3 cents; $500 for S cents; $4,000 fl
10 cents; $4,000 for Is cents. Pare
post must be delivered at postoffic
for mailing.
d. Any kind of postage stamp may /
used Tor special delivery letters +.
packages when Special Delivery
n large letters is written just under IL
stamps. OF course the regular spe,
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