New Britain herald., 1926-12-22
BREAK RECORDS AT
 POST OFFICE HERE
(Continued from First Page)

ters has made it's appearance at the
 post office and as usual will be de-
 liycred into the hands of the gentle
 man o whom thy are addressed.
 Postmaster Erwin has had the aid of two additional assistants in handling mail tor Santa Claus and the letters will be delivered by Ensign Carl
 Frederickson of the Salvation Army and Miss Cora M, Beale of the Well
 fare Association. There are about
 800 of these letters.
 Parcel post packages are arrlNlns by the carload on every mail tram. Eight large trucks with two men 10 a truck are delivering them through out the city as rapidly as they come in. and the close of the day finds the parcel post station cleaned up every evening, Not until last year has the local post office ever kept up with it's incoming mail the week be- fore Christmas. It is expected to keep up this record until Friday eve ming. Everything which arrives in inc city up to and including Friday evening will be delivered.
 Half Holiday on Christmas
 Christmas Day is a half holiday in tho post office and full speed will be maintained until noon Saturday. when everything will stop dead. Windows and doors will be closed when the clock strikes l2, and mail men will eat Christmas turkey with thetr families unmolostcd.
 One of the sideights on the mail service, and one which the post master never talks about is a cer- tain amount of service demanded of the postmaster himself. At the close of a hard day when the post master has had his dinner, or sup per. or whatever it is he eats when he gets into his cozy house coat and comfortable slippers, lights up lis pipe eff he smokes a pire), and thinks he is settled for the night, when the telephone rings, "Hello. is this the postmaster" Yes, what can | do for you?" Well this is Mrs. ------~-. of Such and Such a street. I expect Christmas package from my aunt in Oilville, Pa, and~l 1t didn't come. Have you seen It
 Instead of sarcasticallc calling the woman's attention to the fact that no one man could possibly see a small portion of the packages which 20 through the office in day. that i it takes more than 10o people to 1 handle the days mail: that mail is | coming in hourly by the carload and | a days total would make pile al- l most high enough to bury her house, 1 the postmaster takes her number. | calls the parcel post station, sends [ some one to look through the last { lead of incoming packages, calls her ! back and informs her that her aunt probably was day late in sending the parcel. or that heavy snow storms in onvillc have delayed the mails, or that the package has ar i rived and will be delivered in the ! morning. Or possibly Joe Doe wants to know the quickest way 10 get | letter to Chicago. Mall 1t before : e:3o tomorrow afternoon by air i mail and your man will get it first thing the next morning." is the re- ply.
 It Is not an uncommon thing for the postmaster to ho called to his telephone as often as a dozen times in an evening to satisfy someone who wants information about the service. He even has been known to so h1ck to the oiilco simply as matter Of accommodation. ,Hy |
 Its all part Of the iob. We are here 10 give service" is the only comment he makes. II is whis rered, however, that he hopes to he able to enjoy Christmas afternoon