Evening star., 1924-12-21
Post Office and Stores Re-
port 1923 Mark Already
EcIipsed in Volume.
MAIL IS 35 PER CENT
HEAVIER, COUNT SHOWS
Mooney Expects Top Tonight OF
Tomorrow-Purchases Ke
fleet Prosperity.

TO go, washington merchants have
filled Santa Claus pack to overflow
ing already in one of the busiest
Christmas seasons the Capital has
ever known
While comparative figures in dol
lars and cents are lacking, a survey
OF the leading stores yesterday re-
Vealed that while three busy DAYS re
main. business has already passed the
record of last year for Washington.
while the city post Office, from records
of incoming and outgoing mail, indi-
Gates that washington's prosperitv
is shared by the nation as a whole
35 Per Cent Gain Noted.
According to City Postmastes
Mooney, the city post office to dale
has handled 35 per cent more mail
than it did last Christmas. with the
peak of the seasons mail expected
tonight-certainly by tomorrow night
Through the cooperation OF the pub
lie in responding to the 'Shop early
mail early" slogans. there has been
no congestion, and none is expected
The regular and special forces Of en-
ployes at the post Office have been
able to keep up with the rush so far
although the last few days is always
heavy and are expected to be so this
year.
Postmaster Mooney calls attention
to the fact that the number Of in
coming packages received at the
post office has increased commensu-
rately with those mailed from Wash
tngton, indicating that Washington
is not alone in its whole-hearted re-
turn to generous giving at Christmas
time.
Stores Busy for Weeks.
| The post office is not the on;y
| "shop-early" slogans Washingtonfs
merchants report that their stores
have been filled-weli filled, ever
since the real Christmas buying rush
started the latter part of November.
The interesting thing about these
| crowds, however. is the fact that they
have not shown any great increase as
the last days for shopping neared
/ The crowds came early and distrib-
uted themselves over the shopping
| season. thus avoiding the last minute
rush and turmoil usually associated
with the approach of the might be
fore Christmas" Consequently, while
| the few remaining shopping days are
expected to show a last minute rush
of those who put of until tomorrow
what they should have done two
i weeks ago. the crowds are not ex
pected to be as dense as heretofore.
Despite the absence OF any rush
and congestion in the downtown
| stores, the managers interviewed yes
| terday afternoon reported that bust
ness this year has increased notice
! ably over last. One of the contribut-
! ing factors was the release of approx
! imately s3,7S0,25o in cash from the
Christmas savings clubs, an increase
J \.
the general prosperity now en-
ioyed on every hand, according to the
managers. and another is the fact
! that the people are gradually return
| ing to the custom of generous Christ
mas giving which was interrupted for
! several years during and after the
! World War.
| PocketbookS Sell Fast.
Santa Claus. according to his as
! sistants in Washington's stores, has
/ been stocking up on everything in
| general and nothing in particular.
| One large store reports an extraordi-
! narily heavy sale in leather wallets
! and pocketbooks-a cheerful sign
that somebody expects somebody else
to have something to put in said wal
| let's during the coming year. Another
! interesting angle in Christmas shop
| ping was the fact that the public has
| been turning to the bicycle as good
| present for the youngster. This now
! ancient form OF locomotion, 1t would
| seem. has not been put off the map
I despite the congestion of present day
| city traffic. The manager Of one of
| the larger stores said the sale of
| bicycles this year had been unusually
| heavy and surprising.
| The buying public has gene in this
| year for popular priced" articles.
| and, according to the merchants, II
/ has spent a good amount on the pur-
| chase of inexpensive gifts, evidently
deciding to give many things rather
! than few high priced articles
| Nevertheless jewellers have not been
| passed up by the numerous assistants
| of Santa Claus. Watches and dia
monds have been selling in unusually
| large quantities, it Is reported.
Toys Popular, As Usual.
Toys have been popular this year.
as always. When Johnnie wakes up
Christmas morning, the store man
ages say, he will revel in the things
that Santa has put III his bag for
him. The five-and-ten-cent stores
say that Christmas tree trimmings
have been continually demanded by
their patrons, with the result that
there will be many Christmas trees
in w aShlngton MONIES tnlS year. RI
amos and talking machines, radio sets
fur coats and necklaces, and the
usual Christmas candy and tobacco
are among the other articles which
have staged a record sale for this year,
Peak Due in - Hours.
Tonight and tomorrow are ex-
pected to see the peak OF the Christ
mas rush of articles through the
City Post Office. Postmaster Mooney
believes that Miss, Mrs. and Mr..
washingtonian, having more time on
their hands today than during the
week, will wrap packages and ad-
dress cards today and his force OF
employees will be waiting to receive
them at the main office this morn
ing and afternoon, which periods OF
the day 1t is hoped the public will
utilize to avoid the large crowds
anticipated at the main ONCE in the
evening.
Some of the larger postal stations,
however, will remain open tonight
from to 8 o'clock. They are: Co
lumbia road station, ITS Columbis
road: Connecticut avenue station, 1920
Connecticut avenue; Florida avenue
fCoDfinued m pcre q Column Tl