The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-05
YULE PACKAGES
DELAY F0RESEEN
Postmaster Urges Early Mail
ing Of Christmas Mail To
Avoid Congestion

With the holiday season business
already having increased approx
mately 500 per cent, p%ostoffice Off
Gals have found it necessary to en-
ploy inexperienced help during the
coming rush period to handle the
large quantity Of mail passing
through the Wilmington office, Will
bur r. Dosher, postmaster, said yes
terday.
These men, he said, are not train
ed postal workers and cannot be as
rapid or efficient as those who have
been trained and therefore their work
cannot be expected to maintain the
standard Of the regular employees.
"This same condition prevails in
the railway mail service, and ma
terially contributes to the congestion
at junction points of mail service,
and deliveries will necessarily be
slowed up. Every effort will be made
to cover congestion, but it is not
humanity possible to expect usual
standards of service under holiday
conditions" he said.
1--WE are asking the public to CO.
and letters be mailed at least one
week earlier than under normal con
ditions-i. e.-under normal condi-
tons about six days are required for
ordinary mail and parcels to reach
points on the west coast; under holi-
day conditions at least twelve days
should be allowed. The same ratio
will pres-ail to other points in the
United States. To overcome the dis
advantage of having parcels opened
before Christmas, the words DO not
open until Christmas can be written,
stamped or pasted on any parcel be-
ing mailed.
wrapping and packing: Proper
wrapping and packing is most i'm
portant. During the holiday season
the post office maintains a bad Or.
der hospital where packages in bad
order are placed for deferred atten-
ton. Some of these packages have
contents spilled and gone, others
broken or mutilated; others poorly
tied, etc. It is urged that the mail
ing public give particular attention
to the preparation and wrapping OF
all parcels, using heavy wrapping
paper and very strong Irvine.
Fragile articles: When these are
prepared for mailing, strong wooden
boxes or reinforced corrugated ones
should be used, and proper cushion
ing placed in same to insure delivery
in good condition.
Liquids: All liquids should be
prepared in individual containers and
placed within a box sufficiently
strong that crushing in transit will
be prevented.
"Perishable matter: Perishables
should be properly prepared and
plainly marked 'Perishable.' Such
matter should not be dispatched to
points at a distance beyon! a reason
able delivery time.
Address,: Address all mail plain
ly-preferably in ink or with type
writer - giving complete street adj
dress and post office Of destination.
Be very sure to place a complete re-
turn address in the upper left cor
ner. Do not mail Christmas { 'eet-
ing cards in red, green, or other dark
colored envelopes or in very small
envelopes.
Postage: Be sure that postage is
fully prepaid OH the various classes
of matter, as short-paid postage
greatly retards prompt delivery.
Greeting cards should be sent by first
class mail for best results. Otherwise
cards can not be sealed; will not be
forwarded; will not be returned;
must not contain writing; are hand
led as circular matter.
Special delivery service: The use
of special delivery service will assure
prompt delivery of parcels and let
tiers; also delivery on Christmas Day
if mailed at proper time.
INSURED and registered mail: 1t is
important that valuable mail be in
sured or registered, to insure especial
protection.
Request to business firms: The
post office will have a large street
letter box placed in the lobby for
business mail only. This is intended
to expedite the prompt dispatch Of
business mail so that it will not be-
come mixed with Christmas greeting
cards and subjected to delay. 1t is
therefore requested that business
firms cooperative by placing the"
business mail in this box in the -obby
instead Of in the letter drops or win
dows during the holiday season"