Evening star., 1942-08-06
Woshington's War Boom Mail
EcIipses YuIe Season Peaks
Post Office May Use Women Later,
But Men Still Weld Tremendous Load

are late THESE Gays, que 10 war
factors. Air mail is less certain of
prompt delivery because many lines
have been forced to curtail their
service. On long hauls, however,
there usually are sufficient planes
to assure speedy arrival.
The congestion is most noticeable
in post Office lobbies, where at GER
tain hours patrons wait in line for
stamps. On Government pay days
there are long queues at the money
order windows, for many Govern
ment workers do not have checking
accounts and use the post office
to send money home and pay bills.
More than 100000 money orders
a month, with value OF $4,000, 900,
are being issued.
Washington has one Of the few
post Offices In the country where
postal receipts have shown large
increase. Postal receipts are the
revenue from the sale of stamps,
post cards and stamped envelopes.
They do not include money orders.
The postal receipts here increased
from s527, 900 in July, 1888, to $780,
900 in July, 1942.
Parcel Post Increases.
In most cities the parcel post
business has fallen off because GER
tain commodities have become scarce
or unobtainable. But here this
trade has increased because OF the
big Jump in population.
These are other effects of the war
on the post office:
In two years, incoming mail has
increased close to so per cent and
outgoing mail SO per cent.
Outbound during June, 194l, there
were $4,000 pouches of letters and
other first-class mail, and in June,
1912, the total was $1,000.
The outgoing business in sacks
containing other classes of mail
amounted to 100000 in June, 1s41,
and $4,000 in June, 1912. During
July of last year, these sacks num-
bered 46O 900 and in the same month
this year 100000
The special delivery business went
up At per cent in year and the
trade in registered letters increased
IS per cent.
Three years ago the post Office
operated about 100 trucks a day.
Today the number averages 240.
Takes Over Departmental Mail.
On July l, 1910, the post office
took over the job of picking up and
delivering official mail for all Gov
ernment departments. Before that,
each department had its own serv-
ice. Around go trucks day haul a
tonnage of about $50 to and from
Federal buildings. This system is
considered much more efficient than
the old plan.
Within 18 months the post Office
has extended to fast-expandlng
Washington new carrier and pickup
services amounting to from IS to 18
per cent of the total load. These
services have gone to outlying Sec
tiOnS.
The nearby Maryland communi-
ties OF Chevy Chase, BETHESDA ana
Takoma Park are included in the
city postal service.
1t was necessary in 1941 to open
the new branch post Offices OF
Friendship Station on Wisconsin
avenue and Columbia Heights in
the 1400 block of Irving street
NV. The Anacostia and Bennings
branches were enlarged.
Negotiations are under way for a
new post Office branch in the South
eastern section in the vicinity Of
Pennsylvania and Minnesota ave-
nues.
Sale OF War bonds and stamps
has added another responsibility to
the Washington post office system.
Investment in War bonds amounts
to around 81. .OOO. 900 a month.