Evening star., 1938-01-16
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.

Another Abraham Lincoln landmark
Is to make way for progress and to
meet growing needs of the Government
service. The House has been consider
ing the Treasury-Post Office appropria-
ton bill in which provision is made
Tor new annex building for the Gov
ernment Printing Office. The present
annex building, at North Capitol and
n streets is the identical building chosen
by Lincoln as the first home of the
Government printery. 1t is dilapidated
to an extent that is unsafe and its
1urther use Is not practicable.
Due principally to delay in securing
equipment the Atlantic airmail
appropriated for last year has not yet
started, but Chairman Ludlow of the
Appropriations Subcommittee told his
colleagues that it is now expected it will
be in full operation by the beginning
OF the next fiscal year, July l. The
domestic airmail service has had rapid
growth to where it will cost s15,8O0 900
next year An increase of $1,000 900
provides for a new service from New
York to Montreal, and for an increase
OF 1,676,000 in miles flown.
y X
The miles flown in the airmail service
have increased from 100000 900 in the
fiscal year 1884 to 100000 in the year
1887, and are expected to reach As ,O0O,-
700 this current year. The mail-pound
miles performed have increased from
4,513, 100000 in 1884 to 1872 900 900 last
year.
The Post Office Department has a de-
tective and police force all its own
which safeguards all the people of the
country. This inspection force now
numbers 585 inspectors and IS inspec-
tors in charge. During the next fiscal
year it is to be increased by TO- bringing
the total to 610. Four years ago the
number was $50.
Uncle Sans mail business has grown
so large that it requires 15.OOOOOO mail
bags In steady use, some 100000 to 600, 900
OF which get worn out and have to be
condemned annually. All the mail bags
and locks are made in the Government's 3
own shop at Fifth and w streets NV.
In Washington. Officials in charge re-
port that 100000 new mail bags and
I'll, 900 new mailbag locks will be needed
IN the next fiscal year, besides 31,5OO
locks of different type for street letter
boxes and apartment house mail re-
ceptacles-a total of 9O2,5OO new locks.
X
The parcel post mail for the current
year has broken all records according
to Jesse M. Donaldson, Deputy Assistant
Postmaster General. Exclusive of air.
f1,n ~, To-
$4,000 100000 pieces of first-class mail for
$384. 100000 postage. This required the
services of 72,325 clerks.
The philatelic agency in Washington
has grown marvellously in the past few
years. For the convention of the So
ciety Of Philatelic Americans held In
Asheville, N. c., recently special SOU
venir sheet, using the design Of the
Smoky Mountains National Park stamp.
was issued. More than $5O0,OOO worth
OF these stamps were sold. Receipts
at the agency for the current year are
estimated to exceed $4,000, ,O0O-in 1888
the receipts were 02,619.54 The Susan
B. Anthony stamps were the most popu-
lar of all the commemorative series
225,000000 of that issue alone were
printed last year. and practically all of
them were sold. The issue of Sesquicen-
tennial of the Constitution stamps was
75O00,000, and 880,1OO were sold the
first day. There is an increased demand
from collectors all over the country for
new stamps. The philatelic agency re-
ceives $50 to 400 such requests q year,
but it is possible to issue only between
IL and 18 during the year.
In explaining the Treasury Post Office
appropriation bill to his colleagues
Chairman Louis Ludlow of the commit
tee In charge, paid a well-deserved
tribute to veteran employe, and the
House members showed their approval
by prolonged applause. He said: II
will add as an honest confession of
the soul, right from the heart, that as
a subcommittee chairman I would be
hopelessly and irretrievably sunk if it
were not for the friendly advice and
uner Ing guidance of Marcellus c.
Shield, who has just completed 30 years
of extraordinarily efficient service as
clerk of our Committee on Appropria-
tions" The while Mr.. Shield sat at
the House leader table and "blushed
like school boy"