Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-09
COLONEL GEORGE KEMP
On Postal Service

TN THE first delivery Of mail in the MORN
L ing the Postoficc performs one Of the
greatest of it's services to the public, In the
opinion Of Colonel George Kemp, the new
Postmaster of Phladclnhia.
'Thc publ ic at large is probably in ig-
norance of the fact. said Colonel kcmp,
THAT two thirds of the clerical work of the
Postofice is done ut night, and, for that
matter. two thirds of>thc whole work Of the
Postoficc is done while the people of the
city are asleep.
''My own experience rs n station super
intcndent has taught me that one of the
chief desires of the public which We serve
is for an early delivery of the mail in the.
morning. And, speaking Of the work OF
station superintendent, | might say that
such II position gives a man peculiarly
good opportunity for obtaining on excellent
training in postal work.
Superintendent Work
THE station superintendent is in singu-
larly intimate relations with the public.
II Is he who receives their complaints, 1t
is he who receives the orders from the
'front.' and it is up to him TO get the re-
suits. BY reason Of this relation, there
fore, he knows as we'll us any postal official
what the wishes Of the public arc with re-
gard TO the mails.
Without taking up ut this time what
ever of reorganization may be found neceS-
sary in the POstoticc ] realized at once
that the matter of the first delivery in the
morning was nm important matter TO the
people. My first order. therefore. was to
the effect that the Curri"rS must leave the
Office for the first delivery promptly at I
a. NJ.
1.-The importance of this first delivery
may be realized, when it is known that more
than two thirds Of tho cancellation work.
that is, the cancellation of the stamps by
the machines used for that purpoSc--is done
at night. In the central Office alone there
are moro than 500, 900 pieces of mail can
cclcd each night, and in the whole city the
number is approximately l,5OO, 900 pieces.
Quantity OF First Delivery
IAN night long the city's mail i pouring
| in upon us by every train, and the Office
force is busy to the full extent of its capa-
bilities This vast amount OF work. done
while the city is sleeping, makes the guam :
| tity of mail sent out on the first delivery
| caual to from 60 To 20 per cent of the
| entire mail of the day.
"The matter Of the first delivery has al
ways been something Of n problem for the
| postal officials Of Philadelphia and the other
| great cities, purity for the reason that i'm
| uOrtunt NATL trains sometimes arrive later
than their scheduled time. In this case the
most rapid kind of work is necessary in
| handling the mail for delivery on the first
man in the station is put to work helping ia
sort it and prepare II for the carriers
ITO. accomplish this early delivery ha.
also required considerable revision O,
the transportation facilities Of the city. botl
| train and automobile
THE early first delivery will mean TIM,
1868 carriers, in addition to the superyis.
ing officials, will have to rise at a much
earlier hour In the morning. This will no,
be the case. however, in the matter of Tho
clerks, because they work at all hours OF
the day and night.
Some may think this Il hardship. but
do not consider it as such, and | have don,
it for many years myself. | always mad,
il n point AS a station superintendent neye,
to issue an order which ! wns not willInt
10 obey myself. and l never expect 70 issu,
such on order. Our whole idea In the con
ducting of this great governmental deDart
ment, through which such an enormous
amount of business Is done each day. As n
give the best service possible. That Is m,
idea, and find that it is heartily concurrc,
in by all the employees OF the Postofice. from
the highest to the lowest. With snch
spirit We should accomplish good results.
Speeding First Collection
another thing which | feel will greatl
benefit the public s the speeding up of tn
first collection, This is made from the mai
boxes by the carriers when they make tn
first delivery.
Under this new plan the carrier, instea
of collecting from the mail boxes as h
makes the first delivery, will complete hi
delivery of the incoming mail. Then rs h
! returns he collects from the boxes on tb
, way back to the Office.
kThis makes the first collection at ~