The Dolores star., 1923-05-04

collected. Rural route carriers were also given
permission to assist state authorities in dstribut
Ing food TO starving birds
More than S4OO.OOOOOO out of Sj5OOOOO 600 worth
OF war savings stamps maturing January l. 1923,
which have been redeemed thus far have been
handled by the Post Office department. OF this
amount about SG5OI0OO0 worth were exchanged
for new treasury certificates More than $4,000
cases OF redemption requiring special procedure
such rs Claims account of lost registered GER
tlhcates, payment Of certificates belonging to de-
ceased owners, and so forth. have been adjusted
10 date During the calendar year S336 232 40
worth OF treasury saving certificates has been so
large as to nearly overwhelm the postal service,
causing both postmasters and employees in the
held and the department to work many hours
overtime
The worlds greatest mail terrnlnal-two blocks
long, six stories high, and so feet wide-was
opened In Chicago at the beginning of 1923 to con-
soidae the mail activities of this important trans
portalion center of the nation. This new terminal
mas equipment capable of handling the postal bus
ness for the present and for years to come Four
miles Of belt conveyOr, the longest system ever in
stalled rapidly carry incoming mail to distribu
tors and deliver sacked mail to spiral chutes lead
Ing to the mail cars. II is consprvativey estimated
ihat 600 I-er cent Increase in efficiency chiefly
through the use of machinery adapted for parcel
post IS effected in Chicago postal operations in the
new building. The new, specially designed dis
trlhution system constitutes revolution In the
methods of handling parcel post, and when in full
operation has capacity of 100000 sacks an hour,
On the truck over which the terminal is built az
cars receive mail at one time.
No steps have been left untaken In extending tho
beneicences of rural mail delivery to the farming
populations of the country. A total of 74l new
rural routes were added during the past two wears
giving daily mail facilities to 3S1 900 people In
addition. by the lengthening and readustinp of
over 1000 existing rural routes, some 2e3 600 in
haht pf lnJ,
service. These changes had the direct effect Of
giving every modern postal convenience to more
than 100000 persons bringing the number of rural
routes In full operation to 44,1S6 supplying mail
to approximately G,425.0OO families or 20 742 OOO
individuals living In rural districts PartIcuIor
efforts were also made to supply mail to farming
sections lacking in transportation and railroad nd
vantages by horsedrawn and motor vehicles with
the result that the number of star mail routes was
increased to 1O,715 involving an annual travel n,
gregating s3,2Os65G miles
successful movement to facilitate tbo do,,
of malls was the campaign for the Installation ~
householders Of mail receptaces at their FROM
doors Started In the summer of 1922 this cru
sade was pushed energeticay by the POST Oa,ca
department through postnasters Hundreds =,
letter carriers also succeeded in inducing tho mo-
irons on thei: routes to provide these convepencos
estimates compiled and submitted to the pubIIc
during the course Of the campaign showed tbot ~
sum OF S335o,ooO would be saved in the time Of tho
35,ooo carriers formerly wasted in stonr,p1 n.
front doors, ringing door bells, and WHITING ror -,
sponses from househoders. Another advanto ooon,
feature OF particular appeal was the eIiminat,on
OF thc necessity OF patrons going to the door evo-
Time the mail man called Practically every home
throughout the United States is now eou,nnsd ,;.,
mail box door slot ~