The Delta independent., 1922-11-17
BE CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR
ADDRESSES ON PACKAGES

Mr.. John H Bartlett, First Assis-
an urgent appeal to the general pub
lie, that it be careful to have pack
ages addressed carefully and correct
ly. in order that the postoffice depart
ment may render better service to the
public. The article appeared in the
November Postal Bulletin" and
was at follows:
Stop This Waste
(By DR.. Frank Crane)
The other day the postmaster at
Chicago had placards put on the mo-
tor vehicles operating in the Postal
Service reading as follows:
STOP THIS WASTE
100000 Pieces of Mail Annual
ly are Delayed or not Delivered at
All Because They Are Incorrectly
Addressed or Improperly Packed.
The postal authorities call our at
tention to the fact that there are 25,-
100000 pieces of mail that they must
handle three to seven times oftener
than they would have to handle them
if they had been properly prepared.
And after they have exhausted ev-
cry means of Identification and sal.
wage they succeed in delivering only
slightly more than one-fifth of that
amount.
And this does not include large
quantities of circulars and newspa.
pers which are not properly address
ed. and which are destroyed because
they can not be delivered.
In Chicago there is one building
that is used as storage place for
mail OF obvious value and for mail OF
first class which can not be delivered
Twice year the contents are auc.
toned Off because there is no way OF
finding the owners. In this building
the bins OF shoes, quantities of cloth
ing, dress goods, automobile parts
and tires, sporting goods. suit cases
everything from a bird case to a
mouse trap. These are lost to both
the one who sent them and the one
who should receive them because
somebody was careless in tying 8
knot. or use flimsy wrapping paper
| VI kAs OA q 0CACStiNS 0uuACSS.
Nearly 300 employees are engaged
in correcting the common, prevent
ables Of the people. The only reason
the post office can stand this drain o.
carelessness upon its resources il
that the people pay the bill.
There ought to be a general cam
paign OF education with the object o
impressing upon the people the i'm
portance OF properly preparing ant
addressing anything they put into the
mail box.
Another waste caused by sheer
thoughtlessness, arises from the Gus
tom Of many business houses holding
their mail until the close of the bust
ness day. when they release it to the
postifice in a perfect deluge. All day
cancelling machines, distributing
cases. and the other facilities for
handling mail lie practically idle. and
just after five o'clock p. M. they are
taxed beyond their capacity. II peo-
pie would simply change their mail
ing habits to the extent OF depositing
their mail even two hours earlier than
they do at present. 1t would revolu-
ttonize the Post Service.
This article is written in the hope
that many people will adopt the idea
OF paying better attention to their
mail matter.
After all the post office is the great
public servant, and It behooves every
citizen Of the country to make that
servant as efficient as possible.
Much iof the criticism sleveled at
the postoffice 10 due TO the carless.
ness OF the great public.
$500 ~ y. ~. John n. Bartlett,
First Assistant pnstm aster Genaral