New Britain herald., 1926-12-28

handkerchief. two or three old let ters and a number of other items, taking the time ir which clerk could wait on half dozen other people. "lf peopl could be taught to have their money ready, have their packages securely wrapped and know whether ar not they want them insured before they come to the window. it would save lot of time" Mr. Grace added.
 Although almost 50 per cent of the packages mailed during the Christmas rush were improperly wrapped. the cogestion in the lobby was less this year than ever, ac- cording to MT Grace. He gives credit to the army and navy re- cruiting officers who helped handle the crowds for keeping the lines moving.
 Crepe paper, MT. Grace says bothers the clerks a great deal. Crepe paper used for wrapping packages will not stand handling, and ofttimes this is tied on with q single piece of string. Packages going to and coming from Canada usually are carelessly wrapped. he added. Dolls in loose cardboard boxes which would crush if squeezed are handed in for mailing frequently. 4 suggestion made by MT. Grace is that department stores feature the service next year of wrapping pack ages for mailing. If packages were properly wrapped and properly ad- dressed there would be no lines at the post office" he commented.
 Gives Public Credit
 "The public started mailing carly and this helped great deal,' said John F. Meehan. assistant superin- tendent of mails and superintendent of carriers. The Christmas rush Of mail usually carries little else than Christmas cards, parcels and news papers, MT. Meehan said, and the mailing of packages early by the public enabled the postal department to handle and deliver packages with more satisfaction.
 Carriers were enabled to deliver many Christmas cards early in the week. he said. Approximately 20 or 30 per cent more mail was handled this year than last by the carriers. Carriers worked the night before Christmas until midnight and some of them until one and two. in the morning, while almost all of them were on the job at o'clock Christ mas morning he explained. Two men were placed on each route and by 10 o'clock all mail was delivered.
 On Christmas Day 35 carriers de- livered more than 5000 pieces each. The public is careless sometimes, MT. Meehan believes and people will stand around in the lobby talking, then dump a handful of letters in box, without stamps. During the week more than 800 letters required due stamps.
 Fewer "Nixics" This Year
 There were fewer ''niXies" this year than ever said John F. Sheehan, for 23 years on the force. Mr. Sheehan is "niXie" clerk. 'Nixies" are letters or parcels im- properly mailed. The custom which has developed recently of mail order houses sending out packages which have not been ordered and guaran- teeing return postage if refused, gives the postal department consid- erable trouble, according to Mir. Sheehan. In the last two months he has sent back more than 1000 pieces.
 Charles Hitchcock, in the post office for 27 years and now foreman of clerks, said there was more mail this year than he had ever seen be- fore, and that 1t was handled better. Everybody worked hard and more efficiently" he said. We had 8 much better system and had more than 45 clerks handling the mails. Tuesday We handled S2,000 letters and cards in excess of what we handled on the same day a year ago. Altogether In the five days we ex- ceeded the same period last year by more than 100000 pieces of first class mail"
 Probably the least disturbed of any part Of the office was the money order department in charge of Miss Margaret Sheehan. While money or ders slightly exceeded that of any other year, most of the money seemed to be spent at home, accord ing to Miss Shcehan and the increase was not in the same proportions as first class mail and parcel post.
 Part Of this is due 10 the fact that the government will not accept money for mailing to Soviet Russia. One time large sums were sent to that country
 There is no question that the public mailed early and helped con- siderably." said James B. Grace, su-