Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-08-25
Record for Rapid
Distribution Of Mail

What is believed to be record I'M
paralleled in the history of the postal
service in the rapid distribution of
mail has just been established by
post office clerk in the Detroit office.
The clerk. who is none other than
Miss Nina f. Holmes pitting her skill
against thousands Of men IN the Post
Office Department and then triumph
ing over them, was employed at the
Detroit post Office two years ago.
Placed at one of the numerous distrib-
uting cases she began the mOnotonous
grind of placing letters IN pigeon
holes, but the task was not burden
some one for her. Within two years
she has acquired a speed record that
has never before been equalled.
Miss Holmes on an eight-hour shift
of work in the Detroit office recently
distributed by actual count 2O,6lO
pieces of mail on a primary distribu-
ton. This is at the rate of AZ letters
a minute and if the time spent IN ty-
ing the bundles of mail was Subtracted
the rate per minute would approx
mate the startling record OF % pieces
of mail per minute. A mail dlstrlou-
tor ordinarily in the postal service
averages about 10000 letters day
after three or four years OF contin-
uous experience.
II is not so much what Miss Holmes
does. either. as what she actuaiiY
knows. To be a post Office clerk the
most requisite quality is an excellent
memory. A post office is place where
there is a premium on brains. Ac-
cording to Postmaster John W. smith,
of Detroit, distribution on the city
primary mail involves a knowledge OF
the limit street number of 36l split
streets. that is, streets extending
through two or more station areas
and a KNOWLEDGE also of the station
location of 1861 single streets includ-
inc the names Of | 200 business firms
located in scores of office buildings. In
Miss Holmes case IL means that she
knows the distribution TO be given the
mail addressed to $500 or more firms
If received without the proper street
addresses. The Detroit post once Is
very proud of her record Formerly
Miss Holmes was a country school
teacher in one of the upper Michigan
counties before she took the position
i'm the Detroit distributing room.
eve doubt if any other post office
has q clerk who possesses her Su-
,pcrior in speed and accuracy" de-
clared Postmaster Smith in a letter
10 Assistant POStmaver General BART
lett. Remarkable as Miss Holmes
achievement is, | probably would not
make il the subject of letter to the
Department were it not for the tact
that she gives to the. service every day
the very best that is in her and that:
too. without necessity of supervision.
Assistant PoStmaster-Gencral Bart
lett has complimeuted the ethcIent
clerk in a reply to Postmaster Smith;
"When the fact is considered that
Miss Holmes has had less than two
wears i'm the postal service, having hrSt
been appointed Substitute clerk on
October 4, 1920, the record which she
has made is indeed remarkable, and |
doubt if it has ever been eXcelled by
other distributors, male or bemale, OF
the same post office experience. Inc
service and your Office are to be con.
graduated in possessing a clerk Oh
Miss Holmes rare attachments, which
must rebound TO the benefit of the pub
lie and serve as an inspiration to 9th
ers. Please extend to Miss Holmes my
hearty congratulations and the appre-
citation of the Department upon her
accomplishments
Miss Holmes is 20 years old and is
scarcely more than five feet in height