Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-15
P. 0. STATISTICS
GIVEN ROTARY
BY ". CLUST0N
Four Clerks in Great Falls
Office Who Have Speed
Record.

room of Hotel Rainbow and. there were
given two interesting addresses full of
information by Postmaster William e.
Cluston and by Walter f. Bennett.
register of the United States land Of
flee in Great Falls.
Postmaster CluSton gave detailed
figures of the business done in the
Great Falls postoffice and at the con-
clusion of his remarks. set forth the
claim that he had the best and most
efficient office in the state. He cited as
an instance that there were four clerks
in his employ who were able to handle
from 30 to Al pieces of mail a minute
on a test, whereas the requirement is
only 16 pieces IA minute. On the basis
of 100 per cent requirements. these
men rank considerably above that
point.
Ten Million Letters Annually
Mr.. Cluston said:
The Great Falls office has II car
rlers, one of whom is employed ex-
clusively on parcel post delivery. one
special delivery messenger, one mail
messenger hauling mail to and from
the depots, % postoffice clerks and
three supervisory officers.
More than 10 million letters are
handled annually. pretty evenly divided
between incoming and outgoing. Four
hundred and sixty thousand parcels are
handled annually, 22O.0 0 incoming and
100000 outgoing. You will notice there
is a difference of 10000 in favor of
the outgoing parcels which shows that
Great Falls is pretty well established
as a wholesale center.
Forty thousand money orders were
issued and 10000 paid during the past
year. Great Falls is a depository
office for money order funds for about
200 outside offices. The annual bust
ness from, this source is nearly 81. OOO.-
600. There are 300 registry %transac-
tons and go c. 0. d. transactions
daily. Wa savings and treasury GER
tificates sold during the past year.
SS4,222.91; redeemed, $30,327O1.
Business Has Increased
The postal funds are the only
money placed in the bank to the credit
of the postmaster and from this fund
all the expenses of the office are paid
and the balance RENTED to the state
depository at Helena. twice a month
The gross postal receipts for the last
year were $3.50 .2SO.S3; disbursements.
S~S4,419.4S; RENTED to deporitory.
S9'-SO1:3o. The business stability of
Great Falls is shown by an increase
of So per cent in the postal receipts
during the last seven years.
Comparatively few people realize
the magnitude of the United States
postal service with its $4,000 en-
ployes. l will quote a few annual
figures: 10000, 0O0. 1000 letters. 3,OOO.-
UoO.OO parcels mailed, $4,000. 900. 900
postage stamps, 2,750. coo. 600 stamp
ed envelopes. 1,O25 ,OOO. 900 postal
cards sold, 100000 miles of Irvine used
tenough to wrap the earth 80 times).
l9:ioo,VD letters sent to dead letter
office, $4,000 without any claimants.
Return of Unclaimed Letters
Under the postal laws and regula-
tons, a collection of a fee of three
cents each for re-enveloping, redirect
ing and returning letters to the senders
is charged. Notwithstanding this pro-
vision, more than 100000 in fees is
collected annually from two classes of
who d~esignedly or th~oughtless- |
~ fali to assist in securing the return
OF their letters unopened. These are
the ones who, from whatever reason
may exist, do not desire to reveal their |
identity until the letter has been
opened, and advertisers who expect
their advertisements to receive more
consideration if the envelopes are first |
opened by the addresses. This extra
expense to the patrons of the mails
would be avoided if the sender's address |
were placed on the envelope before
posting. Total turnover, 5000, 900, 900.
Cost of service, 5000, 900. 900. Deficit.
500, 900, 900.
First Air Postal Service
There are 6 5.00O,OOO mail sacks in
use, $4,000 rural routes serving g.
100000 families, 1864 star routes,
Slo2,OOO.OOO dollars postal savings de-
Money order business, 81, 800
OOO,0O0. There is twice as much bust
ness done in the post office in New
York city as in the entire dominion of
Canada.
There are 33. 900 copies of daily
newspapers printed each day, many of
ment. The United States is the first
in the world to establish an
air mail route. Last year the air mail
covered 100000 miles and
carried 10000 0 letters.
The greatest drawback to prompt
postal service is the careless manner in
which many letters are prepared for
mailing. About 1000, 900. 900 letters
ire either incorrectly or insufficiently
each year. New York alo9e
100000 such letters daily, l
10 not know the cost of extra handling
involved, but l do know that 10 costs
,SOO a year to handle the compara-
small number of 1900 that come
% our local office daily. In addition
% the cost there is a delay in delivery.
for general delivery and box de-
livery are delayed from one to three
hours and for carrier delivery half a
lay.
Encourage Early Mailing
"a strenuous effort is being made by
he department to educate the public
long the lines of early and correct
mailing and beneficial results are be-
to show. Plans are being form
lated, with good prospects of success,
every school child will be +.
aught the principles of correct mailing.
"Genilemep of the Rotary club. Your