Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-01

handling several millions of dollars
annually with gross receipts mount
ing we'll above 100000 for the last
fiscal year. 1t Is a cooperative es-
tablishment, for without it's aid Au-
gusta's big publishing houses could
scarcely exist, and without the pub
fishing houses, its greatest source of
revenue would be lacking. Uncle
Sam is the proprietor and the gen.
eral manager is Hon. Frederick w.
the Augusta Federal Biulding-but
home folks commonly refer to it sim
ply as "the postoffice."
Postmaster Plaisted is justly proud
of "his plant"
did you know" he said to the
Journal reporter. that the Augusta
postofIice is one of the so great post
offices of the country"
"Of the thousands of postoffices in
the United States there are SO whose
combined money order business alone
aggregates three-fourths that Of the
entire nation-and our office is well
up on this list"
Besides the great bulk that goes
into regular mail cars from the office,
we dispatch in addition from two to
five cars daily loaded with sacks.
When the mail is running heavily,
we will hahdle over 5000 sacks of
second class matter in a single day
from 20 to so tons of this matter
passes through our hands in the
course Of "a hours"
Augusta people looked with pride
on the business of the office when the
late Joseph Fl. Marley was postmas-
ter in 1SS9-it ranked then as a lead
er. and yet the gross receipts for that
year We're but s41,227 as compared
with S545,212 the PAST year. The
number of pounds of second class
matter dispatched from this. office
was 1.713,522 as compared with 49,
12G,77 pounds last seasOn-or about
onesiXth as much. The number of
sacks of second class mail dispatched
that year was 50,6Sl~ last year it was
302,S50. The postal savings business
and sale of government securities has
grown proportionatcly. In the month
Of September, we received over S10,-
600 for the sale of treasury certifi-
Gates"
Il have taken a great deal of pleas
ure in watching the growth of this
office since becoming postmaster and
custodian of the building in 1914.
There has always been a steady
growth, but it has been my good for
tune to serve in a period when the
business of the Office has forged
ahead by leaps and bounds"
During the eight years that have
been in office, 1 have seen the gross
receipts or revenue more than doub-
le-from &22,435 in 1914 to s545.o1o
this fiscal year ending June so: in 1914
we paid 415,959 money orders aggrc-
eating $5o7,7O4 and last year we paid
610,17S orders involving the dis
bursement of s1,371,707."
1.-THE number Of domestic money
orders issued my first year in office
was 1880, valued at s123,6SO: last
year, VIC issued 1929 orders agcre-
eating s237,S53. Our parcel post
business has grown from single
team to three auto trucks and we re-
ceive goods for all over the United
States and for foreign countries in a
much greater bulk than you would
imagine"
THE second class publications that
are printed on Augusta presses are
splendid periodicals. They have
taken prominent place in the STAN
dard literature of the country. and
in subject matter. mechanical ap-
pearance. and general tone compare
with the best in the nation. Their
calculations have increased by leaps
and bounds. and have been, of course
a great factor in the increase of the
business of this Office"
Il contend that we have in Angus
ia the most efficient staff of postal
workers in the country" continued
Mr.. Plaisted. land it is generally ad-
mitted by the inspectors who visit us
here. I am proud of the loyal, eff
cient, trustworthy men in this office
it has been a pleasure to work
with them"
1--WE have made quite a change in
the organization recently" he added.
"The increased receipts of the office
warranted the appointment of a pos
tai cashier, relieving Mr.. Arnold, the
assistant postmaster, of the clerical
duties pertaining to his Office, and
John ]. Ryan, former assistant SUI
perintendent of mails, has been pro-
NOTED to that position; Fred B. Hill,
former foreman of the day crew,
takes Mr.. Ryan's place as assistant
superintendent. c. Walter Poor has
been promoted from foreman of the
money order department to the new
Office of money order cashier"
I'VE are now running in strict ac-
cordance with the two division sys-
tem-the financial division and the
division of mails. John c.. Arnold,