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diff --git a/old/44171-h/44171-h.htm b/old/44171-h/44171-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3292843 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44171-h/44171-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4124 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of + The Postal System of the United States and + The New York General Post Office, + by Thomas C. Jefferies. + </title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover_image.jpg" /> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +p.author {margin-top: -1em; margin-right: 5%; text-align: right;} +p.indent {text-indent: 1.5em;} + +p.f90 { font-size: 90%; text-align: center; } +p.f110 { font-size: 110%; text-align: center; } +p.f120 { font-size: 120%; text-align: center; } +p.f150 { font-size: 150%; text-align: center; } + +p.space-above1 { margin-top: 1em; } +p.space-above2 { margin-top: 2em; } + +p.space-below1 { margin-bottom: 1em; } +p.space-below2 { margin-bottom: 2em; } +p.space-below3 { margin-bottom: 3em; } + + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%; } + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + .tdl {text-align: left;} + .tdr {text-align: right;} + .tdc {text-align: center;} + .tdru {text-align: right; text-decoration: underline;} + +.pagenum { + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 12%; + margin-right: 12%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.gesperrt +{ + letter-spacing: 0.2em; + margin-right: -0.2em; +} + +em.gesperrt +{ + font-style: normal; +} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} +p.ph1 { + text-align: center; + font-weight: bold; + font-size: 200%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; +} +p.ph2 { + text-align: center; + font-weight: bold; + font-size: 120%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; +} +div.tnotes {background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px solid black; padding-left: 2em; padding-right: 2em; } +.covernote {visibility: hidden; display: none;} +@media handheld { + .covernote {visibility: visible; display: block;} +} + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Postal System of the United States and +the New York General Post Office, by Thomas C. Jefferies + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Postal System of the United States and the New York General Post Office + +Author: Thomas C. Jefferies + +Release Date: November 13, 2013 [EBook #44171] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POSTAL SYSTEM OF THE U.S. *** + + + + +Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, Paul Marshall, The +Philatelic Digital Library Project at http://www.tpdlp.net +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="tnotes covernote"> + <p>The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.</p> +</div> +<h1>The Postal System<br /> +of The United States<br /> +<small>and</small><br /> +The New York<br /> +General Post Office</h1> +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/title.jpg" alt="title page" width="400" height="333" /> +</div> +<p class="ph2"> +<i>Prepared and Issued by</i><br /> +<big>Manufacturers Trust Company</big><br /> +New York Brooklyn Queens +</p> +<div class="figcenter"> + <img src="images/chapter_head.jpg" alt="decoration" width="500" height="49" /> +</div> +<p class="ph1">THE POSTAL SYSTEM<br />OF THE UNITED STATES<br /><small>and</small><br /> +THE NEW YORK<br />GENERAL POST OFFICE</p> +<p class="f110 space-above2">BY</p> +<p class="f150">THOMAS C. JEFFRIES</p> +<p class="f90 space-below2">ASSISTANT SECRETARY<br />MANUFACTURERS TRUST COMPANY</p> +<p class="f90 space-below2">Copyright, 1922, by<br />MANUFACTURERS TRUST COMPANY</p> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-002.jpg" alt="Hubert Work" width="600" height="410" /> +</div> +<p class="f150 space-below1"><i>Honorable Hubert Work, Postmaster General.</i></p> + +<p class="blockquot"><span class="smcap">Honorable Hubert Work</span>, Postmaster-General, +was a practising physician for many years in Colorado prior to entering government service, +and was also President of the American Medical Association. He served as first assistant +postmaster-general under Postmaster-General Will H. Hays, his predecessor, who, upon +assuming management of the Post-office Department, practically dedicated it as an institution +for service and not for politics or profit. Since that time all possible efforts have been +made to humanize it.</p> + +<p class="blockquot">The administration of Mr. Hays was ably assisted +by Mr. Work who had direct supervision +of the 52,000 post-offices and more than two-thirds +of all postal workers. By persistent efforts +to build up the spirit of the great army of postal +workers and bring the public and the post-office +into closer contact and more intimate relationship, +the postal system has been placed at last on a +footing of <i>service to the public</i>.</p> + +<p class="blockquot space-below1">Mr. Work is an exponent of a business +administration of the postal service, and representatives +of the larger business organizations and Chambers +of Commerce, from time to time, are called into +conference, in order that the benefit of their suggestions +and their experience may be obtained +and their fullest co-operation enlisted in the campaign +for postal improvement.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/inscription.png" alt="_" width="400" height="425" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_head.jpg" alt="decoration" width="500" height="49" /> +</div> +<h2>Statement Prepared for the<br />Manufacturers Trust Company</h2> +<p class="f110"><span class="smcap">By Honorable Hubert Work, postmaster-general</span></p> + +<p class="indent">The need for a more general understanding of +the purpose of the postal establishment, its internal +workings and the problems of operation, +is paramount if it is to afford the ultimate service which +it is prepared to render.</p> + +<p class="indent">The business man, whose success is definitely +connected with its smooth operation, especially should be +concerned with the directions for its use. The post-office +functions automatically, so far as he is concerned, +after he drops the letter into the slot; but before this +stage is reached, a certain amount of preparation is +necessary. He could scarcely expect to operate an +intricate piece of machinery without first learning the +various controls, and no more is it to be expected that +he can secure the utmost benefit from such a diversified +utility as the postal service without knowing how +to use the parts at his disposal.</p> + +<p class="indent">Accordingly our efforts have been directed to the +circulation of essential postal information, and with the +aid of the public press and the coöperation of persons +and organizations using the service, the people throughout +the country are now better informed on postal affairs +than at any time in its history.</p> + +<p class="indent">The recognition of the human element is a +recent forward step in postal administration. Although the +post-office has probably been the most powerful aid to +the development of a social consciousness, the management +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +until recently seems to have overlooked the relative +value of the individual in the postal organism.</p> + +<p class="indent">The individual postal worker is now considered +to be the unit, and the effort to maintain the service at a high +standard of efficiency is based upon the betterment of +his physical environment and the encouragement of +the spirit of partnership by enlisting his intelligent interest +in the problems of management and recognizing +his real value to the postal organization. Suggestions +for improvement are invited and considered from those +within the service as well as those without, and it is +believed that a full measure of usefulness will not be +attained until the American public, which in this sense +includes the postal workers themselves, are convinced +that the service belongs to them.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_end.jpg" alt="decoration" width="350" height="147" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_head.jpg" alt="decoration" width="500" height="49" /> +</div> + +<h2>GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE<br /> POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT</h2> + +<p class="indent">The postmaster-general is assisted in the +administration of the Post-office Department by four assistant +postmasters-general. The first assistant postmaster-general +has supervision over the postmasters, post-office +clerks, and city letter carriers at all post-offices, as well +as the general management of the postal business of +those offices, the collection, delivery, and preparation +of mail for despatch. The second assistant postmaster-general +is concerned entirely with the transportation of +mail by rail (both steam and electric), by air, and by +water. He supervises the railway mail, air mail, foreign +mail services, and adjusts the pay for carrying the mail. +The third assistant postmaster-general is the financial +official of the department and has charge of the money-order +and registry service, the distribution of postage-stamps, +and the classification of mail matter. The +fourth assistant postmaster-general directs the operation +of the rural delivery service, the distribution of +supplies, and the furnishing of equipment for the post-offices +and railway mail service.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">In addition to the four assistants there +is a solicitor, or legal officer; a chief post-office inspector, who has +jurisdiction over the traveling inspectors engaged in +inspecting, tracing lost mail, and investigating mail +depredations, or other misuse of the mail; a purchasing +agent; a chief clerk, who supervises the clerical force +at headquarters in Washington; and a controller, who +audits the accounts of the 52,000 postmasters. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-008.jpg" alt="Manager Portraits" width="600" height="956" /> +</div> +<p class="center"><i>The Postmaster General and General Administration Assistants.</i></p> + +<p class="space-below2">   1—<span class="smcap">Hon. Hubert Work</span>, <i>Postmaster General</i>.<br /> +   2—<span class="smcap">Hon. John H. Bartlett</span>, <i>First Assistant Postmaster General</i>.<br /> +   3—<span class="smcap">Hon. Paul Henderson</span>, <i>Second Assistant Postmaster General</i>.<br /> +   4—<span class="smcap">Hon. W. Irving Glover</span>, <i>Third Assistant Postmaster General</i>.<br /> +   5—<span class="smcap">Hon. H. H. Billany</span>, <i>Fourth Assistant Postmaster General</i>. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + +<p class="f110">UNITED STATES POSTAL STATISTICS</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="stats" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdc">Year</td> + <td class="tdr">Post- </td> + <td class="tdr">Extent of</td> + <td class="tdr">Gross Revenue</td> + <td class="tdr"> Gross Expenditure</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">(Fiscal)</td> + <td class="tdr">offices</td> + <td class="tdr">Post-routes</td> + <td class="tdr">of Department</td> + <td class="tdr">of Department </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> (Number)</td> + <td class="tdr">(Miles)</td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1800</td> + <td class="tdr">903</td> + <td class="tdr">20,817</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 280,806</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 213,884</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1850</td> + <td class="tdr">18,417</td> + <td class="tdr">178,672</td> + <td class="tdr">5,499,985</td> + <td class="tdr">5,212,953</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1860</td> + <td class="tdr">28,498</td> + <td class="tdr">240,594</td> + <td class="tdr">8,518,067</td> + <td class="tdr">19,170,610</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1870</td> + <td class="tdr">28,492</td> + <td class="tdr">231,232</td> + <td class="tdr">19,772,221</td> + <td class="tdr">23,998,837</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1880</td> + <td class="tdr">42,989</td> + <td class="tdr">343,888</td> + <td class="tdr">33,315,479</td> + <td class="tdr">36,542,804</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1890</td> + <td class="tdr">62,401</td> + <td class="tdr">427,990</td> + <td class="tdr">60,882,098</td> + <td class="tdr">66,259,548</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1900</td> + <td class="tdr">76,688</td> + <td class="tdr">500,989</td> + <td class="tdr">102,354,579</td> + <td class="tdr">107,740,267</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1910</td> + <td class="tdr">59,580</td> + <td class="tdr">447,998</td> + <td class="tdr">224,128,658</td> + <td class="tdr">229,977,224</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1921</td> + <td class="tdr">52,050</td> + <td class="tdr">  1,152,000</td> + <td class="tdr">  263,491,274</td> + <td class="tdr">  620,993,673</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<p class="f110 space-above2">COMPARISON OF MONEY-ORDERS AND POSTAL NOTES ISSUED,<br /> +FISCAL YEARS 1865 to 1921, INCLUSIVE</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 50em;" cellspacing="4" summary="stats" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc">Money</td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><b>Domestic Money-orders Iss.</b></td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><b>International Money-orders Iss.</b></td> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><b>Postal Notes Issued</b></td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">Year</td> + <td class="tdc">order</td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">(Fiscal)</td> + <td class="tdc">offices</td> + <td class="tdr">Number </td> + <td class="tdr">Value </td> + <td class="tdr">Number </td> + <td class="tdr">Value </td> + <td class="tdr">Number </td> + <td class="tdr">Value </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1865</td> + <td class="tdr">419</td> + <td class="tdr">74,277</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 1,360,122.52</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1870</td> + <td class="tdr">1,694</td> + <td class="tdr">1,671,253</td> + <td class="tdr">34,054,184.71</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">$ 22,189.70</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1875</td> + <td class="tdr">3,404</td> + <td class="tdr">5,006,323</td> + <td class="tdr">77,431,251.58</td> + <td class="tdr">102,250</td> + <td class="tdr">1,964,574.88</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1880</td> + <td class="tdr">4,829</td> + <td class="tdr">7,240,537</td> + <td class="tdr">100,352,818.83</td> + <td class="tdr">221,372</td> + <td class="tdr">3,463,862.83</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1885</td> + <td class="tdr">7,056</td> + <td class="tdr">7,725,893</td> + <td class="tdr">117,858,921.27</td> + <td class="tdr">448,921</td> + <td class="tdr">6,480,358.83</td> + <td class="tdr">5,058,287</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 9,996,274.37</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1890</td> + <td class="tdr">9,382</td> + <td class="tdr">10,624,727</td> + <td class="tdr">114,362,757.12</td> + <td class="tdr">859,054</td> + <td class="tdr">13,230,135.71</td> + <td class="tdr"> 6,927,825</td> + <td class="tdr"> 12,160,489.60</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1895</td> + <td class="tdr">19,691</td> + <td class="tdr">22,031,120</td> + <td class="tdr">156,709,089.77</td> + <td class="tdr">909,278</td> + <td class="tdr">12,906,485.67</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1900</td> + <td class="tdr">29,649</td> + <td class="tdr">32,060,983</td> + <td class="tdr">238,921,009.67</td> + <td class="tdr">1,102,067</td> + <td class="tdr">16,749,018.31</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1905</td> + <td class="tdr">36,832</td> + <td class="tdr">53,722,463</td> + <td class="tdr">401,916,214.78</td> + <td class="tdr">2,163,098</td> + <td class="tdr">42,503,246.57</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1910</td> + <td class="tdr">51,791</td> + <td class="tdr">77,585,321</td> + <td class="tdr">558,178,028.35</td> + <td class="tdr">3,832,318</td> + <td class="tdr">89,558,299.42</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1915</td> + <td class="tdr">55,670</td> + <td class="tdr">105,728,032</td> + <td class="tdr">665,249,087.81</td> + <td class="tdr">2,399,836</td> + <td class="tdr">51,662,120.65</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1920</td> + <td class="tdr">54,395</td> + <td class="tdr">149,091,944</td> + <td class="tdr">1,342,267,597.43</td> + <td class="tdr"> 1,250,890</td> + <td class="tdr">23,392,287.46</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1921</td> + <td class="tdr">54,183</td> + <td class="tdr"> 144,809,855</td> + <td class="tdr"> 1,313,092,591.08</td> + <td class="tdr">876,541</td> + <td class="tdr"> 16,675,752.16</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above1"><i>The Post-office of General Concern</i></p> + +<p class="indent">There is no governmental activity that comes so +uniformly into intimate daily contact with different classes +of this country's inhabitants, nor one the functioning +of which touches practically the country's entire population, +as does the United States postal system. Mr. +Daniel G. Roper, in a volume highly regarded by postal +executives, entitled "The United States Post-Office," +called the postal service "the mightiest instrument of +human democracy." This system, as we know it to-day, +represents the growth, development, and improvement +of over a century and a third. In the last seventy-five +years this growth has been particularly marked; +the total number of pieces of all kinds of mail matter +handled in 1847, for instance, was 124,173,480; in 1913 +it was estimated that 18,567,445,160 pieces were handled, +and to-day about 1,500,000,000 letters are handled +every hour in the postal service. In 1790 the gross +postal revenues were $38,000 in round numbers and the +expenditures $32,000. In 1840 the revenues were $4,543,500 +and expenditures $4,718,200. In 1890 the +revenues were $60,880,000 and the expenditures $66,260,000. +In 1912 the revenues were $247,000,000 and +the expenditures $248,500,000.</p> + +<p class="indent">The revenue of the postal service for the fiscal +year ending June 30, 1921, including fees from money-orders +and profits from postal-savings business, amounted to +$463,491,274.70, an increase of $26,341,062.37 over the +receipts for the preceding fiscal year, which were $437,150,212.33. +The rate of increase in receipts for 1921 +over 1920 was 6.02 per cent., as compared with an increase +in 1920 over 1919 of 19.81 per cent. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">The audited expenditures for the year were +$620,993,673.65, an increase over the preceding year of +$166,671,064.44, the rate of increase being 36.68 per +cent. The audited expenditures for the fiscal year were +therefore in excess of the revenues in the sum of $157,502,398.95, +to which should be added losses of postal +funds, by fire, burglary, and other causes, amounting to +$15,289.16, making a total audited deficiency in postal +revenues of $157,517,688.11. The material increase in +the deficiency over that for 1920 was due to large increases +of expenditures made necessary by reason of +the re-classification act allowing increased compensation +estimated at $41,855,000 to postal employees, and +to increased allowances of more than $30,000,000 for +railroad mail transportation resulting from orders of +the Interstate Commerce Commission under authority +of Congress.</p> + +<p class="indent">The revenues of this department are accounted for +to the Treasury of the United States and the postmaster-general +submits to Congress itemized estimates of +amounts necessary under different classifications; Congress, +in turn, makes appropriations as it deems advisable.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">In 1790 there were a total of 118 officers, +postmasters, and employees of all kinds in the postal service. +Postmaster-General Work to-day directs the activities +of nearly 326,000 officers and employees. The number +of post-offices in the United States in 1790 was seventy-five; +in 1840 the number had increased to 13,468; in +1890 it was 62,401; and on January 1, 1922, there were +52,050. The greatest number of post-offices in existence +at one time was 76,945, in 1901, but the extension +of rural delivery since its establishment in 1896 has +caused, and will probably continue to cause, a gradual +decrease in the number of smaller post-offices. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>The Post-office in Colonial Times</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The first Colonial postmaster, Richard Fairbanks, +conducted an office in a house in Boston in 1639 to receive +letters from ships. In 1672 Governor Lovelace of New +York arranged for a monthly post between New York +and Boston, which appears to have been the first post-route +officially established in America. Much of this +route was through wilderness, and the postman blazed +the trees on his way so that travelers might follow his +path. This route, however, was soon abandoned.</p> + +<p class="indent">In 1673 the Massachusetts General Court provided +for certain payments to post messengers, although the +first successful postal system established in any of the +Colonies was that of William Penn, who, in 1683, appointed +Henry Waldy to keep a post, supply passengers +with horses, etc. In the following year Governor Dungan +of New York revived the route that had been +established by Governor Lovelace, and, in addition, he +proposed post-offices along the Atlantic coast. In 1687 +a post was started between certain points in Connecticut. +The real beginning of postal service in America +seems to date from February 17, 1691, when William +and Mary granted to Thomas Neale authority to conduct +offices for the receipt and despatch of letters. +From that time until 1721 the postal system seems to +have been under the direction of Andrew Hamilton and +his associates. In the latter year John Lloyd was appointed +postmaster-general, to be succeeded in 1730 by +Alexander Spotsward. Head Lynch was postmaster-general +from 1739 to 1743, and Elliott Berger from 1743 to 1753. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">In July, 1775, the Continental Congress +established its post-office with Benjamin Franklin as its first +postmaster-general. Mr. Franklin had been appointed +postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737. Samuel Osgood, +of Massachusetts, however, was the first postmaster-general +under the Constitution and Washington's administration. +From Samuel Osgood to Hubert Work there have been forty-five +postmasters-general, that official becoming a member of the +President's cabinet in 1829.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Fast Mails of Pioneer Days</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Post-riders and stage-coaches were the earliest +means of transporting the mails, to be followed by steamboats, +railway trains, and, in time, by airplanes.</p> + +<p class="indent">In considering our modern mailing methods, no +feature of the development of our postal system is more +striking than the improvement that has been made in +methods of mail transportation.</p> + +<p class="indent">Up to a few decades ago, pony express riders sped +across the western part of our country, and back, carrying +the "fast mail" of the days when Indians and road-agents +constituted a continual source of annoyance and +danger to stage-coach passengers and drivers, and made +the transportation of valuables extremely hazardous. +The coaches carried baggage, express, and "slow mail," +as well as passengers, while the "fast mail" was handled +exclusively by pony riders.</p> + +<p class="indent">The inimitable Mark Twain has given us a great +word-picture of these pony express riders, from which +we quote the following: +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p class="blockquot indent space-above1"> +In a little while all interest was taken up in stretching our +necks and watching for the "pony rider"—the fleet messenger +who sped across the continent from St. Joe to Sacramento, carrying +letters nineteen hundred miles in eight days! Think of that +for perishable horse and human flesh and blood to do! The +pony rider was usually a little bit of a man, brimful of spirit +and endurance. No matter what time of the day or night his +watch came on, and no matter whether it was winter or summer, +raining, snowing, hailing, or sleeting, or whether his "beat" was +a level straight road or a crazy trail over mountain crags and +precipices, or whether it led through peaceful regions or regions +that swarmed with hostile Indians, he must be always ready to +leap into the saddle and be off like the wind! There was no +idling time for a pony rider on duty. He rode fifty miles without +stopping, by daylight, moonlight, starlight, or through the +blackness of darkness—just as it happened. He rode a splendid +horse that was born for a racer and fed and lodged like a gentleman; +kept him at his utmost speed for ten miles, and then, as +he came crashing up to the station where stood two men holding +fast a fresh, impatient steed, the transfer of rider and mail-bag +was made in the twinkling of an eye, and away flew the eager +pair and they were out of sight before the spectator could get +hardly the ghost of a look. The postage on his literary freight +was worth five dollars a letter. He got but little frivolous +correspondence to carry—his bag had business letters in it, mostly. +His horse was stripped of all unnecessary weight, too. He wore +a little wafer of a racing-saddle, and no visible blanket. He +wore light shoes, or none at all. The little flat mail-pockets +strapped under the rider's thighs would each hold about the bulk +of a child's primer. They held many and many an important +business chapter and newspaper letter, but these were written +on paper as airy and thin as gold-leaf, nearly, and thus bulk and +weight were economized. The stage-coach travelled about a hundred +to a hundred and twenty-five miles a day (twenty-four +hours), and the pony rider about two hundred and fifty. There +were about eighty pony riders in the saddle all the time, night and +day, stretching in a long scattering procession from Missouri to +California, forty flying eastward, and forty toward the west, and +among them making four hundred gallant horses earn a stirring +livelihood and see a deal of scenery every single day in the year. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-016.jpg" alt="Pony Express Rider" width="600" height="413" /> +</div> +<p class="f150"><b><i>The Pony Express Rider.</i></b></p> +<p class="author space-below2">Photo by Courtesy of American<br />Telephone & Telegraph Company +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> + +<p class="blockquot indent">We had had a consuming desire, from the beginning, +to see a pony rider, but somehow or other all that passed us and all +that we met managed to streak by in the night, and so we heard +only a whiz and a hail, and the swift phantom of the desert was +gone before we could get our heads out of the windows. But now +we were expecting one along every moment, and would see him +in broad daylight. Presently the driver exclaims:</p> + +<p style="font-size: 120%; text-align: center;"><b>"HERE HE COMES!"</b></p> + +<p class="blockquot indent">Every neck is stretched further, and every eye +strained wider. Away across the endless dead level of the prairie a black +speck appears against the sky, and it is plain that it moves. Well, I +should think so. In a second or two it becomes a horse and rider, +rising and falling, rising and falling—sweeping toward us, nearer +and nearer—growing more and more distinct, more and more +sharply defined, nearer and still nearer, and the flutter of the +hoofs comes faintly to the ear—another instant and a whoop and +a hurrah from our upper deck, a wave of the rider's hand, but no +reply, and man and horse burst past our excited faces, and go +winging away like a belated fragment of a storm!</p> + +<p class="blockquot space-below3">So sudden is it all, and so like a flash of unreal +fancy, that but for the flake of white foam left quivering and perishing on a +mail-sack after the vision had flashed by and disappeared, we +might have doubted whether we had seen anything at all, maybe.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Mail Transportation To-day</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Mails are now carried over about 235,000 miles of +railroads. Service on the railroads is authorized and paid +for under a space basis system authorized by Congress +and approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The present post-office organization dates from +about 1836, as the period that followed that year was one of +transition from stage-coach to rail car for the transportation +of mails. As railway mail service was increased +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +and extended, sometimes railroad companies +made arrangements with contractors to handle it. +Occasionally contracts were transferred to the contractors +at the same rates received by the railroads. +Frequently the compensation was divided pro rata as +far as the railroad covered the route. It was not uncommon +for postmasters in large cities to make the +arrangements for the department. Naturally such a +lack of uniformity of procedure and control invited +irregularities of one kind or another, although they +were for the most part not serious ones, and were eventually +corrected and a system of standards and of unified +control put into effect.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Origin of Mail Classes</i></p> + +<p class="indent">In 1845 any letter that weighed one half ounce +or less was classified as a single letter without regard to the +number of sheets it contained; a five-cent rate was +charged for distances under three miles and ten cents +for greater distances. In 1847 the postage-stamp was +officially adopted and placed on sale July 1 of that year +at New York. In the year 1848, 860,380 postage-stamps +were sold; in 1890, 2,219,737,060 stamps were +sold, and in 1921 there were issued to postmasters +14,000,000,000 adhesive stamps, 1,100,000,000 postal +cards, 2,668,000,000 stamped envelopes, and 80,800,000 +newspaper wrappers.</p> + +<p class="indent">In 1850 the rates were reduced to three cents +for any distance less than three hundred miles, if prepaid, and +five cents if not prepaid, and, for a greater distance, six +cents if prepaid and ten cents if not prepaid. The prepayment +of postage was finally made compulsory in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +1855. In 1863 a uniform rate of three cents for single +letters not exceeding one half ounce in weight was +adopted for all distances, and twenty years later, in +1883, the two-cent letter was adopted. In 1917 the +rates of three cents on letters and two cents for postal +cards were adopted, the extra cent in each case being +for war revenue. On June 30, 1919, however, the three-cent +letter rate and the two-cent postal-card rate expired +by limitation, and the two-cent letter rate and +one-cent postal-card rate returned.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">When the parcel post was established in +1913, and the air mail service was inaugurated in 1918, special +stamps were issued, although they were soon discontinued. +Our friends who collect stamps may be glad +to know that a philatelic stamp agency has been established +under the third assistant postmaster-general at +Washington, which sells to stamp-collectors at the face-value +all stamps desired which are in stock and which +may have special philatelic value to stamp-collectors.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Emergency Measures During the War</i></p> + +<p class="indent">As a war measure, on July 31, 1918, by executive +order issued in accordance with a Joint Resolution of the +House and Senate, the telegraph and telephone systems +of the United States were placed under the control of +the postmaster-general, and on November 2, 1918, the +marine cables were also placed under his control. These +utilities were conducted by a wire control board, of +which the postmaster-general was the head. The +marine cables were returned to their owners May 2, +1919, and the telephone and telegraph lines were returned +to their owners in accordance with an act of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +Congress on August 1, 1919, having been under government +control just one year.</p> + +<p class="indent">When the telegraph was invented, in 1847, +the first line between Washington and Baltimore was built +through an appropriation authorized by Congress. +Then, as now, there were public men who advocated +government ownership of the wire systems as a means +of communication, the same as the postal service. It +was placed in private control, however, one year after +its inauguration, and has grown up under that control. +The Government's operation during the war of both +the wire and railroad systems seems to have cooled +the ardor of even the most enthusiastic advocates of +government ownership of such utilities.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">Early in 1919 the Post-office Department +used the wireless telegraph in connection with air mail service. +A central station is located in the Post-office Department +Building at Washington, and other stations are +located in cities near the transcontinental air mail +route from New York City to San Francisco. Experiments +are being made with the wireless as a means of +directing airplanes in flight, especially during foggy +and stormy weather, and it is expected planes will ultimately +be equipped with either wireless telegraph or +telephone outfits. On April 22, 1921, the Post-office +Department adopted the use of the wireless telephone +in addition to the wireless telegraph service, and is now +using both in the air mail service, and also for the purpose +of broadcasting to farming communities governmental +information such as market reports from the +Agricultural Department and the big market centers. It +is not contemplated, however, that the Post-office Department +will maintain the wireless telegraph and telephone +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +except as an aid in the development of the air +mail service; only when not in use for this purpose is it +utilized to broadcast the governmental information referred +to for the benefit of farming communities and +without expense to them.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>The Post-office in the War</i></p> + +<p class="indent">As may be imagined, the work of the Post-office Department +consequent upon the war was enormous; it +participated in and did war work for practically all +other departments of the Government. Besides the +great increase of ordinary mail as a result of the war, it +assisted in the work of the draft, the Liberty Loans, the +Red Cross service, food, fuel, and labor conservation, +the enforcement of the Alien Enemy and Espionage +laws, and nearly every war activity placed upon it some +share of the burden. The Post-office Department, +whose function is purely civil, with responsibility for +a business service that must not be interrupted, kept +open channels of communication upon which the vital +activities of the Nation depended, and unquestionably +made material contributions toward the successful +prosecution of the war.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The department was of assistance to +the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Intelligence of both the +Army and the Navy; the Department of Labor, in collecting +data relative to firms and classes of labor in the country; +the Department of Agriculture, the Shipping +Board, and various independent bureaus of the Government. +Under proclamation of the President, postmasters +of towns having populations of 5000 or less +had the duty of registering enemy aliens. The department +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +collected all the statistics and lists of aliens for +the Department of Justice. A similar work was performed +with respect to the duties of the Alien Property +Custodian. Nine million questionnaires were distributed +for the War Department, each being handled three +times during the first draft; about thirteen million +questionnaires were distributed in the second draft. +The department distributed literature for the Liberty +Loans and the Red Cross, and assisted in the sale of War +Savings Stamps and Internal Revenue Stamps. New +postal service was established for the soldiers at nearly +a hundred cantonments in this country. When the +American forces went abroad an independent postal +service was established in France by the Post-office +Department which was later turned over to the military +authorities. That the United States postal service was +the only one in the world that did not break down during +the war might well be cause for pardonable pride.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Beginning of Registered Mail, Postal Money-orders,<br /> +Savings, Free Delivery, Special Delivery,<br />Parcel Post, and Air Mail</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The registry service was established in 1855 +and the money-order service was established in 1864. About +$1,500,000,000 is transmitted by money-orders annually. +Postal-savings service was established January +3, 1911, and during the first year the deposits reached a +total of $677,145. The increase in this department has +been continuous each year, and in a recent year the +amount was over $150,000,000. The parcel-post system +was established January 1, 1913, and now nearly +three billion parcels are handled annually. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">In 1863 the innovation of free delivery of mail in +forty-nine cities was undertaken, for which 449 carriers +were employed. In 1890, 454 cities enjoyed free delivery +of mail and 9066 carriers did the work. In 1921 +there were about 3000 city delivery post-offices and +about 36,000 carriers. The Post-office Department +owns and operates almost 4000 automobiles in the collection +and delivery of mail in cities, but this is a small +part of the number operating under contract. The regular +use of the automobile in the postal service dates +back only to 1907. The feature of special delivery of +mail was inaugurated in 1885.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The first regular air mail route was +inaugurated May 15, 1918, between Washington and New York, a distance +of about 200 miles, the schedule being two hours, +compared with about five hours for steam trains.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-023.jpg" alt="Airplane mail equipment" width="600" height="403" /> +</div> +<p class="f150 space-below2"><b><i>Airplane mail equipment.</i></b></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">An air route between Cleveland and Chicago +was inaugurated May 15, 1919, and between New York and +Cleveland July 1, 1919. The Transcontinental Air +Mail Route from New York to San Francisco, inaugurated +September 8, 1920, is the only route at present in +operation. This coast-to-coast route is 2629 miles in +length, passing through Cleveland, Chicago, Omaha, +Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Reno. Relays of planes +are used, but, contrary to the general impression, mail +is not carried all the way by air; instead, planes pick +up mail which has missed trains and advance it to +points where it will catch through trains.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">Three rural routes, the first ones, +were established in 1896 in West Virginia. By 1900 there were 1259; +in 1906, 32,110; 1912, 42,199; on January 1, 1922, there +were 44,007. Rural routes now in operation cover a +total of 1,152,000 miles and the number of patrons +served is about 30,000,000. The Rural Free Delivery +Service brings in but about one fourth of its cost. +There are also about 11,000 contract mail routes (star +routes) serving communities not reached by rail or +rural routes.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Postal Business Increases</i></p> + +<p class="indent">In the five years from 1912 to 1917, the increase +in the volume of business as reflected by the annual gross receipts +of the post-office was 33.64 per cent., and in the +ten-year period from 1912 to 1921, inclusive, it was +87.84 per cent. During this decade there was a decrease +in postal receipts in but one year as compared with the +previous year, and that was in 1915, when the percentage +of decrease was 0.23 per cent. For the ten years +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +mentioned the percentage of increase in receipts for +each year over the previous year was as follows:</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="0" summary="percent" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdc"> </td> + <td class="tdl"> Percentage</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1912</td> + <td class="tdl">  3.72</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1913</td> + <td class="tdl">  8.65</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1914</td> + <td class="tdl">  7.59</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1915</td> + <td class="tdl">   .23<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1916</td> + <td class="tdl">  8.63</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1917</td> + <td class="tdl">  5.66<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1918</td> + <td class="tdl">  4.47<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1919</td> + <td class="tdl">  5.91<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1920</td> + <td class="tdl">  19.81</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1921</td> + <td class="tdl">  6.02</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<div class="footnote"><p> +<a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"> +<span class="label">[1]</span></a> Decrease.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p> +<a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"> +<span class="label">[2]</span></a> +Additional revenue on account of increased postage rates incident to the war not included.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p> +<a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"> +<span class="label">[3]</span></a> +Additional revenue on account of increased postage rates incident to the war not included.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p> +<a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"> +<span class="label">[4]</span></a> +Additional revenue on account of increased postage rates incident to the war not included.</p></div> + + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Post-office and Good Roads</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The pony express riders, to whom reference has +already been made, rode over trails and cow-paths made by +herds of buffaloes, deer, or cattle. To-day, however, as +part of our post-office appropriations, large sums are +included for construction and keeping in repair public +roads and routes used by different branches of our mail +service. For the present year there was appropriated +for carrying out the provisions of the Federal Highway +Act the sum of $75,000,000 for what is known as +Federal aid to the States in road construction, and +$10,000,000 for forest roads for 1923. A comprehensive +program has been adopted and, in order that the States +may make adequate provisions to meet their share for +the Federal appropriations, they know in advance just +what Federal appropriation they can depend upon.</p> + +<p class="indent">The total Federal aid funds which have been +apportioned to the States from 1916 to 1921 amount to +$339,875,000. On February 1, 1922, $213,947,790 had been +paid on actual construction, leaving a balance for new +construction of $125,927,214. Between February 1 and +July 1 of this year about $40,927,000 more was put into construction. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Washington Headquarters</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The main Post-office Department Building is +located at 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, +D.C. What is known as the City Post-Office +Building is at North Capitol Street and Massachusetts +Avenue in that city, and the mail equipment shops are +located at 5th and W Streets, N.E. The total number +of employees in the General Department is 2025.</p> + +<p class="indent">The clerks throughout the department, in +character, intelligence, and dependability, are above the average. +Not only must postal clerks be familiar with the location +of several thousand post-offices, but they must know +on what railroad each post-office is located, through +what junction points a letter despatched to that office +must pass, and many other important details. The +schedules of railroads affect the method of despatching +mail, and these are constantly changing so that postal +clerks must be up to the minute on all schedules, etc.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Red Corpuscles for Our Postal Arteries</i></p> + +<p class="indent">A new post-office policy that is well expressed +by the words "humanized service" has been inaugurated. The +postal educational exhibits which have been conducted +in many of the larger offices for the purposes of teaching +the public how to mail and how not to mail letters, +parcels, and valuables were but single manifestations +of this new spirit. Some persons may think—and with +good reason—that only recently have postal authorities +indicated concern in what the public did; but that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +the present interest is genuine is evident to any one. +The department is likewise interested in its workers +and makes an effort to understand them. Says the head +of the department in his latest report: "We are dependent +on the nerve and the sense of loyalty of human +beings for the punctual delivery of our mail regardless +of the weather and everything else. To treat a postal +employee as a mere commodity in the labor market is +not only wicked from a humanitarian standpoint, but +is foolish and short-sighted even from the standpoint of +business. The postal employee who is regarded as a +human being whose welfare is important to his fellows, +high and low, in the national postal organization, is +bound to do his work with a courage, a zest, and a +thoroughness which no money value can ever buy. The +security which he feels he passes on to the men and +women he serves. Instead of a distrust of his Government, +he radiates confidence in it. I want to make +every man and woman in the postal service feel that he +or she is a partner in this greatest of all business +undertakings, whose individual judgment is valued, and +whose welfare is of the utmost importance to the successful +operation of the whole organization. We want +every postal co-worker to feel that he has more than a +job. A letter-carrier does a good deal more than bring +a letter into a home when he calls. He ought to know +the interest which his daily travels bring to the home. +We have 326,000 men and women with the same objective, +with the same hopes and aspirations, all working +together for the same purpose, a mutual appreciation +one for the other, serving an appreciative public. +If we can improve the spirit and actual working conditions +of these 326,000 men and women who do this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +job, that in itself is an accomplishment, and it is just +as certain to bring a consequent improvement in the +service as the coming of tomorrow's sun."</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Welfare Work</i></p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">Few people know that to-day a welfare +department is in operation throughout the postal system which is +directly interested in improving the working conditions +of all the postal workers. The department was organized +in June, 1921, by the appointment of a welfare +director. Councils of employees meet regularly to consider +matters affecting their welfare and to discuss +plans for improving the postal service. The National +Welfare Council has been formed of the following +postal employee organizations:</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Federation of Post-office Clerks</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">The Railway Mail Association</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">United National Association of Post-office Clerks</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Rural Letter-Carriers Association</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Association of Letter-Carriers</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Federation of Rural Carriers</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Association of Supervisory Employees</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Federation of Federal Employees</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;">National Association of Post-office Laborers</span></p> + +<p class="indent space-above1">Mutual aid and benefit societies with +insurance features are conducted, athletics are encouraged, sick +benefits are provided, retirement pensions are in effect, +and postal employees to-day can well believe that somebody +cares about their comfort and welfare. Incidentally, +savings aggregating many thousands of dollars +annually have been effected through the suggestions +and inventions of employees in the service. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">One of the important divisions in the postal +service is that which pertains to the inspection work, much +of which does not attract outside attention and only +comes to public notice when some one has gotten into +trouble with the postal authorities. In a large measure, +inspection work pertains to the apprehension of criminals +and the investigation of depredations, but that is +only a comparatively small part of the division's activities.</p> + +<p class="indent">Post-office inspectors investigate and report +upon matters affecting every branch of the postal service; +they are traveling auditors and check up accounts and +collect shortages; they decide where an office should be +located, how it should be fitted up, and how many +clerks or carriers may be needed.</p> + +<p class="indent">The rural carriers, for instance, must be +familiar with the regulations that cover the delivery of mail, +registration of letters, taking applications for money-orders, +sale of stamps, supplies, etc., but the inspector +must also know all of these and also be able to determine +when the establishment of a route is warranted, +to lay out and fix the schedules and prepare a map and +description of the route, also measure the routes if +the length is in dispute, inspect the service, ascertain +whether it is properly performed, and give necessary +instructions to the carriers and postmasters.</p> + +<p class="indent">Carriers must know their districts, understand +regulations covering the delivery of mail, handling of registry, +insurance and collection on delivery matter, collection +of mail and handling of change of address and +forwarding orders. The inspector, however, determines +when conditions are such at an office that city +delivery service may be installed, the number of carriers +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +necessary, and the number of deliveries to be +made. He lays out the routes, locates the collection +boxes, and fixes the schedules. He is also called on to +investigate the service when extensions are desired or +when carriers are deemed necessary, and is concerned +with clerks, supervisory officers, postmasters, new post-offices, +railway mail service, contracts for transportation +of mail and furnishing of supplies, as well as the +enforcement of criminal statutes covering train robberies, +post-office burglaries, money-order forgeries, +lottery men, the transmission of obscene literature, +mail-bag thieves, embezzlers, etc.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_end.jpg" alt="decoration" width="350" height="147" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">The following regular employees were in the Post-office +Department and Postal Service on July 1, 1922:</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 35em;" cellspacing="4" summary="stats" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Post-office Department proper</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">1,917</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Post-office inspectors</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">485</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Clerks at headquarters, post-office inspectors</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">115</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Employees at United States Envelope Agency</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">10</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">First Assistant Postmasters:</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> First class</td> + <td class="tdr">834</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Second class</td> + <td class="tdr">2,808</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Third class</td> + <td class="tdr">10,407</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Fourth class</td> + <td class="tdru">37,899</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">51,948</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Assistant postmasters</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">2,730</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Clerks, first and second class offices</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">56,003</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">City letter carriers</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">39,480</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Village carriers</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">1,111</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Watchmen, messengers, laborers, printers, etc., in post offices</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">3,063</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Substitute clerks, first and second class offices</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">11,283</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Substitute letter carriers</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">10,765</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Special delivery messengers (estimated)</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">3,500</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Second Assistant:</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Officers in Railway Mail Service</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">149</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Railway postal clerks</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">19,659</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Substitute railway postal clerks</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">2,419</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Air mail employees</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">345</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Fourth Assistant:</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Rural carriers</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">44,086</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Motor-vehicle employees</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">3,177</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Substitute motor-vehicle employees</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdr">447</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Government-operated star-route employees</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdru">   64</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr">Total </td> + <td class="tdr">252,756</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent">The following classes or groups are indirectly connected +with the Postal Service in most instances through contractual +relationship, and take the oath of office, but are not employees +of the Post-office Department or the Postal Service:</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 35em;" cellspacing="4" summary="stats" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Clerks at third-class offices (estimated)</td> + <td class="tdr">13,000</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Clerks at fourth-class offices (estimated) </td> + <td class="tdr">37,899</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Mail messengers</td> + <td class="tdr">13,128</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Screen-wagon contractors</td> + <td class="tdr">201</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Carriers for offices having special supply</td> + <td class="tdr">349</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Clerks in charge of contract stations</td> + <td class="tdr">4,869</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Star-route contractors</td> + <td class="tdr">10,766</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Steamboat contractors</td> + <td class="tdru">  273</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdr">Total </td> + <td class="tdr">80,485</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_head.jpg" alt="decoration" width="500" height="49" /> +</div> +<h2>THE POST-OFFICE IN NEW YORK</h2> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><i>List of New York City postmasters from 1687 to date</i>:</span><br /><br /> +<span class="smcap">William Bogardus</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 4, 1687</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Henry Sharpas</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 4, 1692</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Richard Nichol</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">(Postmaster in 1732)</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Alexander Colden</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">(Postmaster in 1753-75)</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Ebenezer Hazard</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">October 5, 1775</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">William Bedloe</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">(Postmaster in 1785, appointed after close of Revolutionary War)</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Sebastian Bauman</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">February 16, 1796</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Josias Ten Eyck</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">January 1, 1804</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Theodorus Bailey</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 2, 1804</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Samuel L. Gouverneur</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">November 19, 1828</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Jonathan I. Coddington</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">July 5, 1836</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">John L. Graham</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">March 14, 1842</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Robert H. Morris</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">May 3, 1845</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">William V. Brady</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">May 14, 1849</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Isaac V. Fowler</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 1, 1853</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">John A. Dix</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">May 17, 1860</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">William B. Taylor</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">January 16, 1861</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Abram Wakeman</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">March 21, 1862</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">James Kelly</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">September 19, 1864</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Patrick H. Jones</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 27, 1869</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Thomas L. James</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">March 17, 1873</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Henry G. Pearson</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 1, 1881</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Thomas L. James</span> (acting)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 21, 1889</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Cornelius Van Cott</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">May 1, 1889</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Charles W. Dayton</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">July 1, 1893</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Cornelius Van Cott</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">May 23, 1897</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Edward M. Morgan</span> (acting)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">October 26, 1904</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">William R. Willcox</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">January 1, 1905</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Edward M. Morgan</span> (acting)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">July 1, 1907</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Edward M. Morgan</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">September 1, 1907</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Edward M. Morgan</span> (reappointed)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">December 14, 1911</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Robert F. Wagner</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">April 22, 1916. Declined</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Thomas G. Patten</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">March 16, 1917</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Edward M. Morgan</span> (reappointed)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">July 1, 1921</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-033.jpg" alt="Postmasters" width="600" height="462" /> +</div> +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_head.jpg" alt="decoration" width="500" height="49" /> +</div> +<p class="f150"><i>Some of the Early Postmasters of New York City.</i></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above1"><i>Early New York</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The first ships which arrived after the +settlement of New York as New Amsterdam brought letters, and the +first post-office, such as it was, began to function about +the time the city was founded.</p> + +<p class="indent">When vessels arrived, those letters relating +to the cargoes were delivered to merchants; persons who welcomed +the ships received their letters by hand. If a +letter was unclaimed, it was left with a responsible private +citizen until called for.</p> + +<p class="indent">In time a system of voluntary distribution +was developed, which became known as the "Coffee House Delivery." +It was naturally popular and continued for +over a century. At first this method of delivery was +used by vessels and by people from distant points who +left their mail for delivery at some well-known tavern. +Here it reposed in a box accessible to all, or it was +tacked to the surface of a smooth board with tape or +brass-headed nails and placed in a conspicuous part of +the tavern.</p> + +<p class="indent">In the year 1710 the postmaster-general of Great +Britain designated a "chief letter office" in the City of +New York, Philadelphia having been the headquarters +of the Colonial organization up to that time. In the +following year arrangements were completed for the +delivery of Boston mail twice a month, and a foot-post +to Albany was proposed.</p> + +<p class="indent">In 1740 a complete road was blazed from Paulus +Hook, Jersey City, to Philadelphia, over which the mail +was carried on horseback between Philadelphia and New York. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">Alexander Colden was postmaster here at the time +of the Revolution, but when the British troops took +possession of New York, the office was abolished by the +provost-marshal and for seven years little correspondence +not connected with the movement of troops was +handled.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below2">William Bedloe, after whom Bedloe's +Island was named, was the first postmaster after the war, but in +1786 Sebastian Bauman succeeded him.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>The New York General Post-office To-day</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The world's greatest post-office to-day is the New York +General Post-office, located at Eighth Avenue and +West 33d Street, but a short block from the West Side +Office of the Manufacturers Trust Company, and we +are glad to be able to include in this booklet a message +to our readers from Hon. E. M. Morgan, Postmaster, +who directs the activities of that great organization.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_end.jpg" alt="decoration" width="350" height="147" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/chapter_head.jpg" alt="decoration" width="500" height="49" /> +</div> + +<h2>THE NEW YORK GENERAL POST-OFFICE OF<br />THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND<br />THE FUTURE</h2> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">By E. M. Morgan, postmaster</span></p> + +<p class="indent">The growth of business transacted by the New York +post-office is illustrated by the following statement showing the +postal revenues for the years mentioned. It appears that the first +account of revenues of the New York post-office was published +in the year 1786, and the first city directory was also published +in that year, and contained 926 names.</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="0" summary="revenues" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Year</td> + <td class="tdr">Amount </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1786</td> + <td class="tdr">$  2,789.84</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1873 (estimated)</td> + <td class="tdr">  2,500,000.00</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1922</td> + <td class="tdr">  54,109,050.61</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent">According to a recent statement by Hon. Hubert Work, +Postmaster-General, the postal business now done in New York City alone +is equivalent to that of the United States twenty-five years ago, and +is double that of the Dominion of Canada.</p> + +<p class="indent">During my personal experience with the postal affairs +of this great city, the service has been expanded from a post-office with +eleven stations and 973 employees to an enormous establishment +having a total of 362 stations, including fifty carrier and financial +stations, 271 contract stations, and forty-one United States Warship +Branches; requiring a total force of 15,600 post-office employees. +The postmaster at New York is also the Central +Accounting Postmaster for 1375 district post-offices (365 third-class +and 1010 fourth-class post-offices) located in thirty-five +counties of New York State.</p> + +<p class="indent">The transactions of this important office are constantly +increasing in volume as a result of the great expansion and growth of +New York City, which is greatly influenced by the progress and +growth of the entire country. New York City, as the metropolis +of the United States, is taking her place at the head of the large +cities of the world in population, finance, and commercial affairs.</p> + +<p class="indent">If the progress made in the past fifty years by the United States +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +and its possessions in the conduct of national and international +business continues, the postal business here will, no doubt, make +tremendous strides.</p> + +<p class="indent">At the end of another fifty years, or in the year 1972, +the postmaster at New York will be the head of a much greater +establishment than the present office, which will be comparable +to that organization of the future as the first post-office in New +York City, located in the "Coffee House," Coenties Slip, in 1642, +is comparable to the present post-office. The future postmaster +of New York, in 1972, will probably be the head of a number of +consolidated post-offices in the metropolitan area, and, no doubt, +other public services will be placed under his supervision.</p> + +<p class="indent">The further development and improvement of the aëroplane +mail service will no doubt result in a greater use of that facility +for the transportation of mails. The transportation of the mails +through the streets of New York is a great problem. At present +motor trucks are principally used for that purpose. It is +anticipated that even with this service augmented by the +re-establishment of the pneumatic tubes, future extensions to the +underground method of transportation will be necessary. It is +likely that before many years are passed a system of tunnels +for the transportation of mails in pouches and sacks will be built +and placed in operation.</p> + +<p class="indent">Congress and the Post-office Department are now looking +into the matter of providing the post-office at New York with a large +amount of additional room in new buildings specially constructed +for post-office purposes and it is the constant aim and purpose +of all concerned in the operation of the New York post-office to +furnish its patrons the best postal service.</p> + +<p class="author"><b>E. M. MORGAN, Postmaster</b>. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The New York Post-office</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Conceive, if you can, an organization that is +incessantly and perpetually going at top speed; that knows not a +moment of rest the year round, or generation after +generation; which never sleeps, nor pauses, nor hesitates; +that disposes each day of a mountain of +14,300,000 pieces of ordinary mail, or more than any +other office in the world; that does a parcel-post business +that makes the business of the express companies +seem small in comparison; that handles in excess of +41,500,000 pieces of registered mail each year; that +issues nearly four million money-orders annually, and +pays over seventeen million more; that, as a mere +side issue does a banking business which is exceeded +by but a few banks in the whole State; that has in its +safe custody the savings of approximately 140,000 +depositors, amounting to more than $44,000,000; that +employs an army of 15,000 men and women; that occupies +one of the largest buildings in the city, two +blocks in length, and then overflows into approximately +fifty annexes, called "Classified Stations," and nearly +200 sub-annexes, called "Contract Stations"; that has +receipts in excess of $52,000,000 per annum; that has +doubled its business in ten years. Having conceived +this, you will begin to get some idea of the New York +post-office, the biggest thing of its kind in the world +and still growing.</p> + +<p class="indent">The average man's conception of a post-office +includes little more than an impression of a letter-carrier +in a gray uniform; a mail wagon recently dodged by a +narrow margin; a post-office station somewhere in his +neighborhood, and a hazy picture of a dingy place in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +which men sometimes post letters. Of the details of +the organization aside from these things, the extent and +complexities of the service, or how it accomplishes what +it does, or of the executive experts operating the system, +he knows practically nothing. He is aware, it is +true, that letters are collected and that letters are delivered, +and that continents and oceans may divide the +sender and addressee; but by what mystic methods +delivery is accomplished he has never stopped to think. +Yet the organization that lies behind the words "New +York post-office" is one of the most complex, efficient, +and interesting in the world, and yet it operates with +a simplicity and a smoothness that betoken master +design and perfection of detail.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Postmaster</i></p> + +<p class="indent">At the head of this great organization and +directing its every movement, watching its development, adjusting +its activities, is one of the most experienced and +efficient postal experts in America, in the person of +Postmaster Edward M. Morgan, whose interesting +statement is included at the head of this section.</p> + +<p class="indent">Mr. Morgan entered the postal service in 1873 +as a letter-carrier, at the foot of the ladder, and by an +industry that was tireless and force of character he +worked his way up, round after round, to the very top. +In the course of his long public service he transferred +from the carrier force to the clerical force, and then +graduated from this to the supervisory ranks, discharging +each successive grade with conspicuous ability. His +several titles in the course of this career were: carrier, +clerk, chief clerk, superintendent of stations, superintendant +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +of delivery, assistant postmaster, acting postmaster, +postmaster. He was first appointed postmaster +by President Roosevelt, and reappointed by President +Taft. For an interval during President Wilson's administration +he was out of office, but was reappointed +by President Harding. With such a record of progress +and experience it is very evident that he must "know +the game," but if one knows nothing of his history, and +meets him for a few minutes, his grasp of detail and +vision of opportunity for future development become +at once apparent.</p> + +<p class="indent">Postmaster Morgan has gathered around him +as his heads of divisions a corps of enthusiastic aides who +have grown up in the service under his tutelage, and +each of whom has advanced step by step under the +keenest competition, demonstrating his competency +for the position he fills by the satisfactory manner in +which he has discharged the duties of the position of +lower rank. Among his aides there are no amateurs; +all have been tried for a generation or more in positions +of varying and increasing importance, and they have +stood the test; they are recognized the country over as +postal experts, and the work they are doing and the +efficiency they are showing are proof that their reputations +are well merited.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Organisation of the New York Post-office</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Next in rank to the postmaster are the assistant postmaster +and the acting assistant postmaster, the first at +the head of the financial divisions and miscellaneous +executive departments, and the second at the head of +various divisions engaged in handling the mails proper. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-041.jpg" alt="Postmaster's staff" width="600" height="441" /> +</div> +<p style="font-size: 150%; text-align: center;"><i>Postmaster, New York, N.Y., and Staff.</i></p> + +<p style="font-size: 90%;"> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><i>Upper row (left to right)—Edward P. Russell, Postal Cashier;</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Arthur H. Harbinson, Secretary to the Postmaster;</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Joseph Willon, Superintendent of Registry;</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Albert B. Firmin, Superintendent of Money Orders;</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Justus W. Salzman, Auditor.</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 5em;"><i>Lower row (left to right)—Peter A. MCGurty, Acting Superintendent of Mails;</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Thomas B. Randies, Acting Assistant Postmaster(Mails);</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Hon. Edward M. Morgan, Postmaster; John J. Kiely,</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;"><i>Assistant Postmaster(Finance): Charles Lubin, Superintendent of Delivery.</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Assistant Postmaster</i></p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The assistant postmaster is Mr. John J. Kiely, +who has been in the service thirty-seven years, and, like the +postmaster, has worked up from the ranks, advancing +through the various grades as foreman, assistant superintendent, +superintendent, division head, etc., to the +title he now holds. For a number of years he was in +charge first of one and then of another of the great terminal +stations of the city, where the greatest volumes +of mail are handled of any of the stations in this country, +and later was made superintendent of mails, from +which position he was recently promoted to the title he now holds.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/plaque.png" alt="Plaque" width="500" height="291" /> +</div> +<p class="f120"><i>A new kind of sign in Government offices.</i></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Acting Assistant Postmaster</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The acting assistant postmaster is Mr. Thomas B. +Randles, who is responsible for the movement of the +mails, and who, for several years prior to his attaining +his present rank, was assistant superintendent of mails; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +prior to that, he was superintendent of different stations +in various parts of the city. He has seen twenty-eight +years' service in various ranks.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Division Heads</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Next in rank to the officials mentioned there +is a group of division heads, corresponding with the various major +activities of the office, including the Division of Delivery, +the Division of Mails, the Division of Registered +Mails, and the Division of Money-Orders, followed by +the cashier, the auditor, the classification division, etc.</p> + +<p class="indent">The duties of each of these heads are very clearly +defined by Postmaster Morgan, and each head is held to +strict responsibility for the faithful and efficient conduct +of his division or department. The postmaster +himself is ever ready to give advice and counsel, and is +the most accessible of executives, not only to his staff, +but to employees of all rank and to the public. He in +turn requires of all of his aides not only a thorough +knowledge of every detail of their work, but also that +they shall be as accessible to those under them and to +the public as he is himself.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Postmaster's Weekly Conference</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Once each week the postmaster meets his division +heads and department chiefs in formal council, when +the problems of the service are freely discussed and +plans are formulated for such undertakings as may +require unity of action and coöperative effort. These +conferences keep the various heads apprised of what is +of importance in the various departments, and promote +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +an esprit de corps and coöperative attitude that +explain the exceptional unity of effort that is characteristic +of the entire organization. One has only to +study the organization for a short time to discover that +one of its strongest features is the manifest team-work, +the one animating and controlling influence throughout +it all being "the interest of the service."</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Delivery Division</i></p> + +<p class="indent">Closest to the heart of the public of all the +postal employees—probably because they see so many of them +and know so much of their faithful work as they plod +along day in and day out, in all kinds of weather, with +their heavy loads weighing down their shoulders and +twisting their spines—are the letter-carriers. These are +all under the Division of Delivery, the superintendent +of which is Mr. Charles Lubin. Mr. Lubin entered the +service in 1890, as a substitute clerk, and is another +example of the executive who has risen, step by step, +through all the various clerical grades to supervisory +rank, and then through the various supervisory ranks +to his present title. The Delivery Division includes in +its personnel, in addition to 2954 letter-carriers, 3621 +clerks, 282 laborers, and 1800 substitute employees, so +that it constitutes a small army in itself.</p> + +<p class="indent">The New York post-office covers both Manhattan +and the Bronx, with a postal population which greatly +exceeds the population as shown by the census. To +New York gravitate daily hundreds of thousands of +people who are employed in Manhattan and the Bronx +but who reside in Brooklyn, New Jersey, Long Island, +or elsewhere. Hundreds of thousands of others reside +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +at one address in Manhattan or the Bronx, but do business +at another, receiving mail at both addresses. Including +these, the transients, and the commuters mentioned, +it is estimated that the Delivery Division is +receiving mail for approximately 8,000,000 addressees +in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx.</p> + +<p class="indent">Adequately to meet the requirements of this +vast number there are scheduled, for the business section of +the city, six carrier deliveries daily, and four for the +residential sections. Just what this means will be +better appreciated if one will pause and try to visualize +what it means to traverse every street and alley of the +great area covered by Manhattan and the Bronx from +four to six times daily, stopping at every door for which +there is mail, and effecting delivery in apartments, in +tenements, in office buildings, and in factories.</p> + +<p class="indent">Of the 2954 carriers mentioned above, 384 are +employed in collecting mail from the street boxes, both +package and letter, and from the chutes in office buildings, +etc. From the boxes in remote suburban districts +three to five collections are made daily, from boxes in +the residential sections from seven to fifteen collections +daily, while in the business sections the collections run +from fifteen to twenty-seven.</p> + +<p class="indent">Even with the frequency of collection that +takes place in the intensively developed business sections, +the boxes fill up as quickly as they are emptied.</p> + +<p class="indent">To appreciate how quickly, and to make clear +the volume of mail collected by the carriers, it may be +stated that among the office buildings equipped with +chute letter-boxes are the Equitable Life, thirty-nine +stories, and the Woolworth, fifty-five stories, from each +of which fifty-five to sixty full sacks of mail are collected +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +by the carriers daily between 3 and 7.30 P.M. +These sacks are conveyed by wagons to the Varick +Street Station for postmarking and despatch, four carriers +being engaged on the task.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The volume of mail collected at the close +of business in the lower part of the city, and largely from buildings +equipped with chutes and boxes, exceeds that handled +by many first-class post-offices for an entire twenty-four-hour period.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-046.jpg" alt="Rear view of NYGPO" width="600" height="363" /> +</div> +<p class="f110"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Rear view of New York General Post Office and Pennsylvania</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Railroad tracks. Manufacturers Trust Company, West</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Side offices, nearby (in semi-circle).</i></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Stations</i></p> + +<p class="indent">For greater efficiency in handling the mails, +to shorten the trips of carriers and collectors and to serve the +public convenience, as the city has grown, various +classified or carrier stations have been established, and +of these there are now no fewer than forty-eight in +operation and also two financial stations. The classified +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +or carrier stations are practically complete post-offices, +so far as the public is concerned, affording full +facilities for the sale of stamps, money-orders, postal +savings, registration of mail, acceptance of parcel post, +the distribution of mail, etc., and for the delivery and +collection of mail by carriers. The financial stations +afford all the conveniences mentioned for the benefit +of the public, except that they do not make delivery of +mail nor effect its distribution.</p> + +<p class="indent">It is estimated that the delivery division effects +the delivery daily through the carriers assigned to the general +office and to the various stations of approximately +5,000,000 letters, cards, and circulars, 800,000 papers, +periodicals, and pieces of printed matter and small +parcel-post packages, and 65,000 bulky parcel-post +packages, or, in all, close to 6,000,000 pieces of mail of +all classes.</p> + +<p class="indent">But the delivery of mail is only part of the story, +for it is estimated that the public mail daily in the various +chutes, classified station "drops," and street letter +boxes, etc., approximate 5,000,000 pieces of first-class +mail and several million circulars, all of which have to +be gathered together and put through the various processes +of cancellation, sorting, etc., before the actual +work of delivery or despatch begins.</p> + +<p class="indent">The tremendous magnitude of the business +of the various stations is shown not only in the volume of +mail received and delivered, but in the sale of stamps, +the collection of postage on second-class matter, etc., +constituting the receipts.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The receipts at the City Hall Station, for +instance, are greater than the receipts of any post-office in +the United States except Chicago, Ill., Philadelphia, Pa., +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +and Boston, Mass., as shown by the table below, giving +figures for the fiscal year 1921. In the case of all the +offices named, the figures include not only the main +office but all the stations of the offices. In the case +of the City Hall Station alone, the figures are for this +unit exclusively, and no other point.</p> + +<p class="f110">RECEIPTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1921</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="0" summary="receipts" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Chicago, Ill.</td> + <td class="tdr">  $ 42,711,561</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Philadelphia, Pa.</td> + <td class="tdr">15,588,738</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Boston, Mass.</td> + <td class="tdr">11,597,061</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">City Hall Station</td> + <td class="tdr">9,749,018</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Saint Louis, Mo.</td> + <td class="tdr">8,722,633</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Kansas City, Mo.</td> + <td class="tdr">6,490,018</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Cleveland, Ohio</td> + <td class="tdr">6,218,695</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Detroit, Mich.</td> + <td class="tdr">5,742,835</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Brooklyn, N. Y.</td> + <td class="tdr">5,695,037</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">San Francisco, Cal.</td> + <td class="tdr">5,623,409</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Pittsburgh, Pa.</td> + <td class="tdr">5,298,504</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Cincinnati, Ohio</td> + <td class="tdr">4,663,323</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Minneapolis, Minn.</td> + <td class="tdr">4,606,689</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Los Angeles, Cal.</td> + <td class="tdr">4,580,969</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Baltimore, Md.</td> + <td class="tdr">4,323,525</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Washington, D. C.</td> + <td class="tdr">3,661,760</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Buffalo, N. Y.</td> + <td class="tdr">3,438,497</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Milwaukee, Wis.</td> + <td class="tdr">3,311,922</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent space-above1">From these figures it will also be seen +that the receipts of the City Hall Station are greater than the +receipts of the entire city of Saint Louis, as great as the +receipts of Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, N. Y., combined, +as great as the receipts of Detroit, Mich., and +Washington, D. C., combined, as great as those of +Brooklyn, N. Y., and Milwaukee, Wis., combined, or +those of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Minneapolis, Minn., combined. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The rapid increase in the volume of business +at the City Hall Station is shown by the following figures of receipts:</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="0" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdc">Calendar Year</td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1915</td> + <td class="tdr">  $ 6,587,228.98</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1916</td> + <td class="tdr">7,124,138.76</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1917</td> + <td class="tdr">7,544,849.70</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1918</td> + <td class="tdr">8,162,774.76</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1919</td> + <td class="tdr">9,188,449.66</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdc">1920</td> + <td class="tdr">10,253,435.42</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> +<p class="center space-below1">Increase in five years—55.65 per cent.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">City Hall is not the only station of great receipts, +as the following statistics show:</p> + +<p class="f110">RECEIPTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1921-2</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="0" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Madison Square Station</td> + <td class="tdr">  $ 5,458,705.90</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Grand Central Station</td> + <td class="tdr">4,582,718.87</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Wall Street Station</td> + <td class="tdr">2,815,963.56</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "D"</td> + <td class="tdr">2,354,165.33</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Times Square Station</td> + <td class="tdr">2,323,791.88</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">West 43d Street Station</td> + <td class="tdr">1,742,125.04</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "P"</td> + <td class="tdr">1,688,795.83</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "G"</td> + <td class="tdr">1,540,499.66</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "O"</td> + <td class="tdr">1,523,785.14</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "F"</td> + <td class="tdr">1,432,161.03</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "S"</td> + <td class="tdr">1,192,883.02</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Station "A"</td> + <td class="tdr">1,138,459.07</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent space-above1">In addition to the actual receipts +of the various stations, made up by the sale of stamps, etc., as +described, their financial transactions incident to the money-order +and postal-savings business are tremendous, as will +later be shown in detail under the heading "Division of +Money-Orders" and "Postal Savings"; suffice it to say +here that the City Hall Station issued last year +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +money-orders to the value of $3,183,209, and the Madison +Square Station money-orders to the value of $2,004,273, +while Station "B" had to the credit of its postal-savings +depositors $6,786,622, Tompkins Square Station, +$5,580,389, and Station "U," $4,595,974.</p> + +<p class="indent">How greatly the business of the stations has +grown is evidenced by the fact that in 1875 the gross receipts +for the year amounted to but $3,166,946.19, which is +less than the receipts for one month at the present time, +the receipts for last July amounting to $3,821,095.94.</p> + +<p class="indent">To those who are now enjoying the advantage of +free delivery service it seems that it is the natural thing, and +it is difficult for them to realize how a busy community +could get along without it, yet as a matter of fact it +was not established until 1863, when it was experimentally +installed in forty-nine cities, with but 449 +carriers, which number is about a seventh of those employed +at the present time in New York alone.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below2">The number of stations has also increased +rapidly. In 1889 there were but eighteen classified stations and +twenty contract stations in New York, while to-day, as +previously mentioned, there are forty-eight of the +former, two financial, and 271 contract stations authorized, +and also forty-one Warship Branches.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Foreign Mail for City Delivery</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The receipts of foreign mail from Europe is increasing +very rapidly. During the month of July, 1922, there +was received for delivery in New York City from foreign +countries 3,372,767 letters and 2577 sacks of foreign papers. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-051.jpg" alt="Inside of NYGPO" width="600" height="469" /> +</div> +<p class="f110 space-below1"><i>Few people who hasten through the<br /> +New York General Post Office building notice its<br /> +architectural beauty of design and perspective.</i></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">The task of handling the city mail received from +steamers is particularly trying, since many of the addresses +are difficult to read, insufficient postage is prepaid +in many cases, and it comes not in a steady flow +but in quantities at one time; and it is, of course, always +in addition to the regular daily quota of domestic +matter. In exemplification of this it may be said that +on August 11, 1922, a single steamer, the <i>Mauretania</i>, +brought in 8553 sacks of letters.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Division of Mails</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The Division of Mails embraces the Division +of Delivery, which has already been described, the great terminal +stations, that is, the Grand Central Station (including +the Foreign Station Annex); also the Division +of Registered Mails and the Motor Vehicle Service. +All of these, as previously mentioned, are under the +general supervision of Acting Assistant Postmaster +Randles. The Division of Mails proper, exclusive of +the Division of Delivery and of the Division of Registered +Mails, is under the acting superintendent of mails, +Mr. Peter A. McGurty. Mr. McGurty was formerly +assistant superintendent of delivery, and has been +in the postal service in New York since 1897. Mr. +McGurty, like other division heads, served first as a +clerk, and rose gradually, grade by grade, to his present +position. In the Mailing Division there are 4942 +employees. The duties of the Mailing Division are +many and varied. In the main it is responsible for the +distribution and despatch of all outgoing mail, including +the parcel post. It is in itself a complex organization, +employing not only the army of men above mentioned +but an enormous fleet of motor vehicles and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +complex mechanical equipment for the conveyance of +mail from one part of an office to another, and the loading +of it upon railroad cars, ships, etc. The average +daily transactions of the division are as follows:</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="0" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Outgoing letters</td> + <td class="tdr">  3,965,023</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Circulars</td> + <td class="tdr">1,917,190</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Second-and third-class matter</td> + <td class="tdr">1,620,250</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Parcel-post matter</td> + <td class="tdr">363,805</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Customs due matter</td> + <td class="tdr">800</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Collections on customs due matter</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 2,500</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent space-above1">One duty of the Mailing Division is +the weighing of second-and third-class matter to determine the postage +required thereon. The daily average of the matter +thus weighed is approximately 343,000 pounds, and on +this postage is collected to the amount of approximately $10,500.</p> + +<p class="indent">In order to make clear what is involved in the +handling of a great volume of mail such as is disposed of +daily in this division of the New York office, it may be +well to describe the course that is followed by a single +letter. Assume that a letter is mailed in a street letterbox, +in the district of a great terminal; it is brought in +by a collector, who deposits it upon a long table surrounded +by many employees. The table is likely to +be what is known as a "pick-up table," which is one +equipped with conveyor belts and convenient slide +apertures for letters of different lengths, and into these +apertures, with nimble fingers, the clerks grouped +around it separate the mass of letters received, placing +the letters with all the stamps in one direction. As +quickly as they do so, the conveyor belts carry the letters, +according to the different sizes into which they +have been separated, to the electrically-driven canceling +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +machines. These canceling machines are operated +by a second group of employees, who feed in the letters, +which are canceled at the rate of approximately 25,000 +letters per hour. The whirling dies by which are imprinted +the postmarks which cancel the stamps revolve +at almost lightning speed. These postmarks are +changed each half-hour, and the aim is to postmark +the letters as rapidly as they come to hand, so that but +a few minutes intervene between the time of mailing +and time of postmark. This postmark is, in fact, the +pace-maker. Once it is imprinted upon a letter, it can +be determined by the postmark at any time just how +long a time has been required for it to reach a particular +point in the progress toward despatch.</p> + +<p class="indent">From the postmarking machine the letters are +carried, sometimes by conveyors, sometimes by hand, and +sometimes by small trucks, to what are known as the +"primary separating cases." These cases are manned +by employees who separate the letters into groups, according +to certain divisions which facilitate the secondary +and further distributions. Thus at the primary +cases the letters are likely to be broken up into lots for +the city delivery, for many different States, for foreign +countries, and for certain large cities. Each separation +on the primary case will likely be followed by a secondary +separation almost immediately. A sufficient +number of men is kept on the facing or pick-up tables, +on the primary cases, and on the secondary cases and +pouching racks, to maintain a continuous movement +of the mails. The aim is to keep the mail moving not +only continuously from the point of posting to the +point of delivery, as nearly in a direct line as practicable, +but rapidly also, and with only an arresting of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +the movement when this is made necessary by awaiting +the departure of the next train.</p> + +<p class="indent">From the secondary cases the letters are carried +to the pouching rack. By the time they reach the pouching +rack they are made up into bundles, various letters +for the same localities having been segregated and tied +together. In some instances the packages of letters are +tagged or labeled for States, in others for cities, and +still others for railroad lines or for sections of such +lines.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The handling of papers and circulars +is much the same, so far as distribution is concerned, as the +handling of letters, though there is considerable variation +as to the details of segregation.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-055.jpg" alt="mail sorting" width="600" height="481" /> +</div> +<p class="f110"><i>Carriers sorting mail in the General Post Office.</i></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent space-above1">With this distribution of the mails +there goes a system of despatches. In respect to these it may be +said that it is essential that various clerks engaged in the +process as described shall know the time of departure +of the many trains leaving New York for different +points. They must know how much time in advance +of departure is essential between "tying out" the packages +of letters and the actual departure of the train +from the station, and thereby allow sufficient time, but +no more time than is absolutely necessary, to make the +connection. Every detail of the work is plotted; nothing +is left to chance. At a certain hour and at a certain +minute every clerk engaged in the same distribution +at the same station ties out for the same office or route, +and likewise at the pouching rack the pouches are +closed, locked, and despatched according to a fixed +schedule. If the pouch has to be carried from the rack +to the truck a given number of feet, a time allowance +is made. At a set time the truck that conveys the +pouches to the station whence the train is to depart +must leave. The time for the vehicle to traverse the +prescribed route is fixed; sufficient time for this <i>and not +more</i> is allowed. Also the time for unloading the truck +and loading the train is fixed. When it is understood +that this course has to be followed by every one of the +millions of letters handled, and that there are 50,000 +offices in the United States to which mail is forwarded, +and that in addition to this it is being distributed for +practically every city, town, and hamlet in the world, +the complexity of the task becomes apparent. From +the General Post-office alone there are as many as 457 +despatches of first-class mail daily, and forty-five despatches +of second-, third-, and fourth-class matter. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">Within the last few years the burden of the +parcel post has been added to the duties of the post-office. +It is estimated that 75,000 pieces of parcel-post matter are +handled at the General Post-office daily, and that +65,000 additional pieces of this matter are received at +the same point from the stations.</p> + +<p class="indent">Parcel-post packages are commonly very bulky. +Such may now be mailed for local delivery and for +delivery in the first, second, and third zones, that is, +within three hundred miles of the place of mailing, if +they do not exceed seventy pounds in weight, while +packages not in excess of fifty pounds may be mailed +to any address in the United States. The handling of +these packages necessitates the use of entirely different +character of equipment. As far as it is practicable to +do so, this matter is segregated from mail of the other +classes. Many of the packages are too large to be inclosed +readily in mail sacks, and are forwarded "outside." +In the distribution of parcel-post matter, sack +racks are used into which all parcels which are small +enough to be sacked are separated. The distribution, +as in the other classes, is made at primary and secondary racks.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below2">A feature of the Mailing Division is +the handling of such equipment, as pouches, sacks, etc., intended +to be used for the transportation of the mails. Approximately +69,000 sacks and 18,000 pouches are shipped by the New York General office daily. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>The Mailing Division—Incoming Foreign Section</i></p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">In this section mails are handled which +are received from foreign countries. These arrive chiefly on steamers +that make New York their port of destination. +Some of the foreign mails, however, reach New York +via Boston, Philadelphia, Key West, New Orleans, +Laredo, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver. The +number of pieces of mail received from foreign countries +weekly by this section approximates 3,639,000 +letters and cards, 2,631,000 pieces of printed matter, +15,000 packages of parcel post, and 568,500 registered +articles. These are forwarded to their destination after +distribution. Many of the letters and cards are not +prepaid, or are prepaid but partly, and the postage +charged on such matter approximates $14,200 each week.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-058.jpg" alt="_" width="600" height="476" /> +</div> +<p class="f110"><i>Carriers leaving the General Post Office<br />on an early morning delivery.</i></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">Owing to the unsettled conditions in +Europe the rates> of postage in foreign countries are continually +changing. As a result of the depreciation of Russian currency, +letters coming from that country have recently +been prepaid at the rate of 450,000 rubles per ounce or +fraction thereof. Prior to the war a ruble was worth +approximately 51.46 cents. The 450,000 rubles are +now equivalent to fifty centimes of gold, or ten cents +in United States currency.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-059.jpg" alt="_" width="600" height="458" /> +</div> +<p class="f110"><i>Mail at the Post Office ready to be<br />loaded onto trucks.</i></p> + +<p class="indent space-above1">Many peculiarities are noted in the +addresses of incoming foreign letters. Very frequently a letter will +bear upon the envelop a copy of a business letter-head +or bill-head. This is accounted for by the fact that +some one in this country when writing to Europe will +direct his correspondent to address the expected answer +according to the address on the letter-head or bill-head +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +he uses, and the foreigner, not knowing what to select +from whatever is printed, takes what he regards to be +the safe course and copies all. A letter will sometimes +be found to bear a full list of everything sold in a country +store, including hardware, provisions, clothing, +shoes, and periodicals and newspapers. In other cases +the senders cut short the addresses and are satisfied if, +in addition to their correspondent's name, they give +"America" spelled in any way that suits them best, and +the ways are legion.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Mailing Division</i>—<i>Motor Vehicle Service</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The Motor Vehicle Service of the New York +post-office is in charge of Mr. William M. Taggart. The fleet +consists of 329 vehicles. All these are owned by the +Government. The Government likewise makes its own +repairs, employs its own chauffeurs and mechanics, +painters, upholsterers, and various artisans incidental +to the operation, repair, and maintenance of the vehicles. +There are two garages, and in all 727 men are +employed. The garages include fully equipped machine-shops, +and stock-rooms in which are constantly +kept duplicate parts for all the machines in use.</p> + +<p class="indent">The magnitude of the service will be realized +when it is known that during the last fiscal year the vehicles +traveled 4,330,102 miles, or 174 times the distance +around the world.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">During the last fiscal year the motor vehicle +service made 646,967 trips, according to predetermined schedules, +and 67,053 trips which were not scheduled but of +an emergency character. This gave a total of 713,020 +trips. Of this vast number of trips, scheduled and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +emergency, there were but 747 which were but partly +performed and but 1323 which failed.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-061.jpg" alt="_" width="600" height="462" /> +</div> +<p style="font-size: 110%; text-align: center;"><i>Mail trucks loaded with parcel post matter to be<br />transported to different stations in the city.</i></p> + +<p class="indent space-above1">These trucks are maintained in a +condition for operation at all hours of the day and night. No +matter what weather conditions prevail, the mails must be moved, +and the motor vehicles must be maintained in a condition +of efficient repair to permit of their utilization in +this work. Every detail of expenditure for the fleet is +maintained on a strictly scientific cost accounting basis, +the number of gallons of oil, the service of the tires, the +cost of operation per mile, with and without chauffeur, +are all a matter of record. The repairs made on each +machine are carefully recorded, with the cost for the +parts and the cost of the mechanical help figured +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +separately, so that it is ascertainable from the records +what was spent under this heading for each vehicle during +each month and year.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Mailing Division</i>—<i>Transportation Section</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The Transportation Section, under Assistant +Superintendent of Mails John J. McKelvey, is closely coördinated +with the motor vehicle section. The duty of this +section is to effect the loading of the vehicles and to +arrange the schedules so as effectively to move the mails +from the point at which they are made up to their +despatch by train, or delivery to some station or group +of stations. How great is the volume of mail handled +will be understood when it is said that from the General +Post-office alone the average number of pouches +received and despatched daily is approximately 16,000, +while the average number of sacks received and despatched +is approximately 80,000. The pouches contain +first-class mail and the sacks contain mail of other +classes. The average number of pieces received and +despatched daily, too large to be inserted in either sacks +or pouches, is approximately 15,000. At each of the +great terminals there are very extensive platforms; +the one at the City Hall Station is a block long; that at +the General Post-office two blocks long, and these platforms +are under the control of the transportation department. +During the hours when the mails are being +despatched they are among the busiest spots in the +postal system. As many as 1200 trucks commonly +receive and discharge mail from the General Post-office +platform daily. Other platforms are correspondingly busy. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Pneumatic Tubes</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The pneumatic tube service has now been resumed +between the General Post-office, the terminals, and certain +of the principal stations of the New York postal +system, which was discontinued June 30, 1918, owing to +the antagonism to this method of transportation on the +part of the then postmaster-general, Mr. Albert +Burleson. Legislation has been enacted and departmental +action taken within the last year to bring about +the resumption of operation of this valuable system. +The pneumatic tubes form what is practically a great +loop running north in two branches from the City Hall. +One branch goes up the east side of the city, east of Central +Park, and the other up the west side, west of Central +Park, the two lines being joined together at 125th +Street by a line running east and west. This loop and +its extensions link the General Post-office and the +following named stations: <b>A, C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, +N, O, P, U, V, W, Y</b>, Grand Central, Madison Square, +Times Square, Wall Street, City Hall, and Varick +Street. The City Hall Station is also connected +with the Brooklyn General Post-office. The pneumatic +tubes are located four to six feet below the surface of +the city's streets, and through these tubes cylindrical +steel containers are forced by compressed air. The containers +are approximately seven inches in diameter and +twenty-one inches long, and the pressure of air is sufficient +to impel them at the rate of about thirty miles per +hour. Containers carry from 500 to 700 letters each, +and can be despatched as frequently as one every eight +or ten seconds. It will be seen, therefore, that by means +of the pneumatic tubes a practically continuous flow of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +the mails can be maintained between stations. The +pneumatic tubes are not owned by the Government, but +the service is leased on a yearly rental basis. Under +the terms of the lease the company that owns the tube +system operates it, and the Government delivers to +the despatching points within the different stations +and terminals the mail to be transported. Upon arrival +at its destination the mail is again delivered to the +postal employees, who are ready to receive it.</p> + +<p class="indent">There are approximately twenty-eight miles of +double tubes, so that mail can be despatched in both directions +at the same time. During the period the system +was in operation before the tubes conveyed the mails +with remarkable efficiency, and it is said that as to stoppages +and breakdowns, etc., their operation was 99.79 +per cent. perfect. In one day 27,243 containers were +despatched through the tubes, with a total capacity of +more than 10,000,000 letters. They averaged for a +year, though not used to maximum capacity, 5,000,000 +letters a day. One advantage of the pneumatic tubes is +their freedom from interruption by inclement weather. +As the tubes are below the surface of the street, conditions +of ice, snow, and sleet, which are embarrassing to +motor vehicles, do not interrupt operation. At different +times in several of our cities vehicles conveying the +mails have been "held up," but with the tubes, robbery +is practically impossible. It is anticipated that +with the tube system resumed a large percentage of +the letter mail intended both for city delivery and for +despatch to other points will be materially advanced in +delivery.</p> + +<p class="indent">The Foreign Station of the New York post-office +stands out among the postal activities of the country +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +for it is the station at which are made up all the mails intended +for foreign countries, with few exceptions, such +as Canada. The superintendent of the station is Mr. +Thomas J. Walters, who has been connected with it +for many years. It is a busy place, particularly just +before the departure of a steamer, when every effort is +exerted to despatch all mail that can be crowded in, up +to the very last minute. This station has grown in a +comparatively short time and from a very small beginning. +In 1885 the average weekly number of sacks +made up for all parts of the world was only 1200; by +1890 the number had grown to 1900; by 1900 it had +reached about 4500; in 1910 the figures were 10,000, +and at the present time the average is approximately +18,000 sacks weekly. Mail is forwarded to the Foreign +Station from all parts of the United States, and is here +distributed for the various foreign countries and cities +for which it is intended. In this distribution expert +knowledge of foreign geography and political divisions +is required, for a large percentage of the mail received +is indefinitely directed, and only an expert could determine +for what points much of it is intended. The shifting +map of Europe has added greatly to the difficulties, +for many correspondents in this country are still +ignorant of the new boundaries.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">In the equipment of this station are +hundreds of distribution cases, and many of the letters which the +experts at these cases rapidly sort are actually so +poorly written that the average man would not be +able to decipher them without much study. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-066a.jpg" alt="_" width="600" height="467" /> +</div> +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-066b.jpg" alt="_" width="600" height="466" /> +</div> +<p class="f110"><i>Exhibits used for educational work in postal improvement campaign.</i></p> +<p class="space-above1"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">One interesting feature of the Foreign Station +is the parcel-post section. The United States now has parcel-post +conventions with many foreign countries, and the +volume of this business is growing very rapidly. The +rate of postage is but twelve cents a pound, and for this +small fee a package will be accepted, even in distant +California or Oregon, transmitted across the continent, +over the ocean, and to a destination in South +America, Europe, or elsewhere. In the early days of +the parcel-post it was used chiefly by the person who +had friends or relatives in Europe and wished to send +a present to them, but it is now being used very extensively +in commercial transactions. By this means +goods ordered from abroad are forwarded by the great +mail-order houses, and the total volume of this business +is large.</p> + +<p class="indent">Much difficulty is experienced in inducing +senders of mail matter to wrap it securely. A long campaign +of education has been conducted, but there is still room +for improvement, as evidenced by the fact that four +clerks are engaged repacking, rewrapping, and repairing +packages not properly and safely wrapped, and +supplying addresses in the case of indefinite directions, etc.</p> + +<p class="indent">With the increase in the volume of the mail +there has been an increase in the number of ships carrying +the mails, and so, while in August, 1873, there were but +thirty-four vessels carrying mail that sailed from New +York, during July, 1922, 180 such vessels sailed; on a +single day twenty ships left this port carrying a total of +11,299 sacks. During the month of July, 1922, 97,000 +sacks of mail were shipped, a quantity that would tax +the capacity of a large warehouse.</p> + +<p class="indent">A special feature of the service is the operation +of post-offices on U. S. naval vessels. There are more +than fifty such post-offices, serving the convenience +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +of the boys in blue. Whether the naval vessels are +equipped with post-offices or not, the Foreign Station +is kept posted as to their movements by the Navy Department, +and special efforts are made to so forward +all mail received as to reach the addressee at the first +port of call.</p> + +<p class="indent">During the war the Foreign Station experienced +many trying times in its efforts to get American mail +to destination. The sailing time of ships was seldom +known much in advance of actual sailing, and the +utmost secrecy was maintained as to vessel movements. +The Navy Department advised the Foreign +Station of the intended sailing of vessels by cipher, +though such information was most jealously guarded. +The utmost caution was taken in the making out of +address tags, etc., to conceal the identity of the various +units, the mail for which had to go out by the different +ships, and throughout the war there was not a +single leak. The service performed during this trying +time by the employees of the Foreign Station were so +conspicuously efficient as repeatedly to win approbation.</p> + +<p class="indent">A recapitulation of the several classes of mail +despatched from this station to foreign countries is shown +below and indicates the rapidity of its growth:</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="stats" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdc">1914</td> + <td class="tdc">  1921</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Letters</td> + <td class="tdr">110,121,846</td> + <td class="tdr">  140,654,326</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Printed Matter, etc.</td> + <td class="tdr">53,940,035</td> + <td class="tdr">101,905,335</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Circulars</td> + <td class="tdr">12,170,937</td> + <td class="tdr">15,477,570</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Registered Articles</td> + <td class="tdr">4,372,889</td> + <td class="tdr">10,238,298</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Parcel Post</td> + <td class="tdru">  571,997</td> + <td class="tdru"> 1,920,580</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Total number of articles despatched.</td> + <td class="tdr">181,177,704</td> + <td class="tdr">270,196,109</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Registry Department</i></p> + +<p class="indent">One of the most important departments of +the New York post-office is the Registry Division, which is +under the supervision of Mr. Joseph Willon. Mr. +Willon has been long in the postal service, and for +many years prior to his present assignment was superintendent +of some of the larger stations of the city, +including the one at Times Square.</p> + +<p class="indent">In the Registry Division at the General +Post-office 550 persons are employed; at the City Hall Station, +130; and at the Foreign Station there is a large force, +assigned exclusively to the handling of the foreign +registered mails.</p> + +<p class="indent">The registered mails are the most important +and the most valuable. Just how valuable they are no one +knows, but millions of dollars in cash and securities +are handled daily, and the banks as well as other financial +and commercial interests of the country would be +seriously affected if the registry system ceased to operate, +even for a brief period. Some idea as to the +enormous values handled by the registry department +may be gained from the fact that during the last fiscal +year 7546 packages containing diamonds only were +received from abroad, the dutiable value of which +approximated $150,000,000. In all, 73,000 packages +were received that were regarded as dutiable. Notwithstanding +the enormous values handled, the percentage +of losses is exceedingly small.</p> + +<p class="indent">According to the last report of the postmaster-general, +throughout the United States the number of registered +pieces amounted to 78,205,014. The New York post-office +handled 41,592,423, or more than half +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +of the total. As stated, the percentage of losses is +small, and in the case of first-class registered matter +of domestic origin there is an indemnity up to fifty +dollars, and for the matter of the third class an indemnity +up to twenty-five dollars. Under the agreements +that prevail with certain foreign countries +provision is also made for indemnifying the owners +under certain circumstances where foreign losses occur.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below2">The handling of registered mail differs +chiefly from the handling of ordinary mail in the extra care which +is taken to safe-guard it. The aim is to record it +at the time of receipt, and to thereafter require all +persons handling it to account for it as it passes +through their hands along its route. Receipts are required +at all points, and the letters are forwarded in +pouches secured by "rotary locks," provided with certain +numbers running in sequence, controlled mechanically, +the mechanism being such that the lock cannot +be opened without raising the number at which the +lock was set. If the lock is tampered with in transit, +since record is made of the number set when it was +despatched, the circumstance is apparent.</p> + +<p class="f110">REGISTERED ARTICLES HANDLED AT<br />NEW YORK, N. Y., YEAR ENDING<br />DECEMBER 31, 1921</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="registered" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdc"> <br />Station</td> + <td class="tdc"> <br />N. Y. City</td> + <td class="tdc"> <br />Distribution</td> + <td class="tdc"> <br />Foreign</td> + <td class="tdc">Total No.<br />of Pieces<br />Handled</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">G. P. O.</td> + <td class="tdr">10,927,723</td> + <td class="tdr">12,144,069</td> + <td class="tdr">2,331,683</td> + <td class="tdr">25,403,475</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">City Hall</td> + <td class="tdr">2,848,002</td> + <td class="tdr">2,832,993</td> + <td class="tdr">230,124</td> + <td class="tdr">5,911,119</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Foreign</td> + <td class="tdru">     </td> + <td class="tdru">  132,250</td> + <td class="tdru">10,143,579</td> + <td class="tdru">10,277,829</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Total</td> + <td class="tdr"> 13,775,725</td> + <td class="tdr"> 15,109,312</td> + <td class="tdr"> 12,705,386</td> + <td class="tdr"> 41,592,423</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Division of Money-orders and the Postal Savings</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The financial transactions of the New York +post-office are of enormous volume. Through its Division of +Money-orders it issues and pays money-orders of a +value comparable with the business of the large banks +of the city. The Postal Savings System also has on +deposit a sum which is exceeded by the deposits of +only nine savings-banks in Manhattan, and is operated +as part of the organization of the Division of Money-orders.</p> + +<p class="indent">This division is under the supervision of Mr. Albert +Firmin, who has been connected with the postal system +within a few months of forty years, and in point +of service is dean among the division heads. It has +been through Mr. Firmin's especial assistance that we +have been able to obtain so complete a story of the New +York post-office, although every office and every executive +has coöperated in every possible way, for which extended +courtesies we hereby make grateful acknowledgment.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">The New York post-office issues more +money-orders than any office in the United States. The volume +of money-order business, domestic and international, +for the last five years, is shown below:</p> + +<p class="f110">DOMESTIC MONEY-ORDERS ISSUED</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Year</td> + <td class="tdl">   Number</td> + <td class="tdl">   Amount</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1918</td> + <td class="tdr">2,504,473</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 25,014,403.41</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1919</td> + <td class="tdr">2,762,021</td> + <td class="tdr">32,206,933.02</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1920</td> + <td class="tdr">3,306,613</td> + <td class="tdr">43,457,921.55</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1921</td> + <td class="tdr">3,549,742</td> + <td class="tdr">46,699,314.76</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1922</td> + <td class="tdru"> 3,846,676</td> + <td class="tdru">  45,339,319.17</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Total</td> + <td class="tdr"> 15,969,525</td> + <td class="tdr"> $ 192,717,891.91</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> +<p class="space-above1"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> +<p class="f110">INTERNATIONAL MONEY-ORDERS ISSUED</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Year</td> + <td class="tdl">   Number</td> + <td class="tdl">   Amount</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1918</td> + <td class="tdr">194,349</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 2,807,166.44</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1919</td> + <td class="tdr">192,655</td> + <td class="tdr">2,839,846.28</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1920</td> + <td class="tdr">122,088</td> + <td class="tdr">1,824,007.11</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1921</td> + <td class="tdr">76,292</td> + <td class="tdr">1,161,793.74</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1922</td> + <td class="tdru"> 92,303</td> + <td class="tdru"> 1,344,494.51</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Total</td> + <td class="tdr">677,687</td> + <td class="tdr">  $ 9,977,308.08</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> +<p class="f110 space-above1">DOMESTIC MONEY-ORDERS PAID</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Year</td> + <td class="tdl">   Number </td> + <td class="tdl">   Amount</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1918</td> + <td class="tdr">16,869,819</td> + <td class="tdr"> $ 115,059,322.85</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1919</td> + <td class="tdr">16,544,345</td> + <td class="tdr">132,692,080.13</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1920</td> + <td class="tdr">18,321,840</td> + <td class="tdr">174,530,250.50</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1921</td> + <td class="tdr">16,379,250</td> + <td class="tdr">155,812,988.47</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1922</td> + <td class="tdru">17,345,209</td> + <td class="tdru"> 134,217,183.37</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Total</td> + <td class="tdr">85,460,463</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 712,311,825.32</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="f110 space-above1">INTERNATIONAL MONEY-ORDERS PAID</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Year</td> + <td class="tdl">   Number </td> + <td class="tdl">   Amount</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1918</td> + <td class="tdr">51,443</td> + <td class="tdr">962,232.03</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1919</td> + <td class="tdr">65,605</td> + <td class="tdr">1,349,771.29</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1920</td> + <td class="tdr">73,660</td> + <td class="tdr">2,560,337.36</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1921</td> + <td class="tdr">47,493</td> + <td class="tdr">803,782.14</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">1922</td> + <td class="tdru"> 50,553</td> + <td class="tdru">  605,932.87</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Total</td> + <td class="tdr">288,754</td> + <td class="tdr"> $ 6,282,055.69</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent space-above1">During the fiscal year last past, +722,321 international money-orders, amounting to $9,583,425.62, +were certified to foreign countries, and 112,292 such +orders were certified from foreign countries to the United States, +the total amount of these being $1,802,902.66.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below1">Occasionally in excess of 100,000 money-orders +are paid in a single day, and it is the rule that this volume +of business must be balanced to a cent daily. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" > + <img src="images/illus-073.jpg" alt="Postal Machines" width="600" height="896" /> +</div> +<p class="f110 space-below1"><i>Money order accounting machines in use at the<br />New York General Post Office.</i></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">The employees engaged in handling these millions +of orders are held strictly accountable for the accuracy +of their work, and if error occurs resulting in loss, +it must be borne by the person at fault.</p> + +<p class="indent">The most modern methods of accounting are +in use, mechanical labor-aiding equipment being utilized +wherever it is practicable. The method followed is to +perforate a card by means of a small electric machine, +so that the perforations show the various data upon +the paid money-order that are required to record the +payment, the amount, etc. These machines are operated +by skilled women employees, trained in methods +of accuracy and speed, and whose rating and advancement +depend on their efficiency.</p> + +<p class="indent">The cards are then fed into electrically-driven +adding- and printing-machines, known as tabulators, +which automatically print upon sheets, in columns, +all the data shown by the perforations in the card. +From this machine the cards are transferred to sorting +machines, which operate at great speed and automatically +set the cards up numerically according to the +numbers of the offices which issued them. Thereupon +other sheets are printed by the tabulators showing the +orders in their new and correct numerical sequence, +these sheets being used for searching purposes in the +event of applications being made for duplicates, etc.</p> + +<p class="indent">Various other mechanical devices are employed +in other branches of the work, and the equipment is in +all respects up to date, and minimizes clerical work to +the greatest extent. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Country's Foreign Exchange Clearing-House</i></p> + +<p class="indent">In addition to the work which is usually done +in a post-office in the issue and payment of money-orders, +the New York post-office is the International Exchange +Office for the United States, handling all +money-orders passing between this country and Europe, +South America, Africa, etc. The volume of this +business has been materially reduced since the war, +and is affected by the unsettled condition of the old +world finances, but it is nevertheless large, as shown +by the figures given below for the last fiscal year.</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdc">Number</td> + <td class="tdc">Amount</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">International money-orders certified <br /> to foreign countries</td> + <td class="tdr"> 722,321</td> + <td class="tdr"> $ 9,583,425.62</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">International money-orders certified <br /> from foreign countries</td> + <td class="tdr">112,292</td> + <td class="tdr">1,802,902.66</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent">The duty of purchasing foreign exchange also falls +upon the New York post-office, and the transactions +in this are at times very heavy. The total financial +transactions of the Division of Money-orders, exclusive +of the postal savings, amounted last year to +$235,133,669.03.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Postal Savings</i></p> + +<p class="indent">At practically all the stations of the New York +office there are postal-savings depositories which are open +to the public from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. The rate of interest +on postal savings is but two per cent., but the advantage +of absolute safety which the system affords appeals +to those who utilize it. Not more than $2500 is +accepted from one depositor, but a deposit as small as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +one dollar is accepted, and this may even be accumulated +by the purchase of ten-cent postal-savings +stamps, which are obtainable at all stations.</p> + +<p class="indent">New York has on deposit close to one third +of all the postal-savings deposits in the United States. +There are approximately 140,000 depositors in Manhattan +and the Bronx, and they have to their credit in +excess of $44,000,000. Thus it will be seen that the +New York office is not only a colossus among post-offices, +viewed from the standpoint of postal facilities +and postal business, but that as a financial institution +as well it is a giant.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Office of the Cashier</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The cashier is the disbursing officer of the +New York office, and he likewise receives all money derived from +the sale of postage-stamps, stamped envelops, postal +cards, and internal revenue stamps which are disposed +of at the different stations and in all the third-and +fourth-class post-offices in thirty-five counties in the +State of New York. The cashier is Mr. E. P. Russell, +and his financial responsibilities are great. The New +York post-office is the depository for surplus postal +funds from all first-and second-class post-offices in +New York State, and it likewise provides hundreds of +offices with treasury savings stamps and certificates, +and accounts for the revenue received therefrom. +How great is the volume of business of the cashier's +office will be seen from the statistics given below, +which are for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1922. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + +<p class="f110 space-above2">STAMPS</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">  Kind</td> + <td class="tdr">Number </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Ordinary</td> + <td class="tdr"> 1,317,465,292</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Postage due</td> + <td class="tdr">8,584,300</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Parcel post</td> + <td class="tdr">150,750</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Proprietary (revenue)</td> + <td class="tdr">1,768,763</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Documentary (revenue)</td> + <td class="tdr">7,240,444</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Stamps in coils</td> + <td class="tdru">337,852,500</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr">1,673,062,049</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Books of stamps</td> + <td class="tdr">1,403,100</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">International reply coupons</td> + <td class="tdr">30,000</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="f110 space-above2">POSTAL CARDS</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Denomination</td> + <td class="tdr">Number </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Postal cards—1¢.</td> + <td class="tdr">147,515,077</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Postal cards—2¢.</td> + <td class="tdr">29,242,551</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Postal cards—4¢.</td> + <td class="tdru"> 1,163,209</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr">  177,920,837</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="f110 space-above2">STAMPED ENVELOPS</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl"> Kind</td> + <td class="tdr">Number </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Low-back</td> + <td class="tdr">95,826,243</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">High-back</td> + <td class="tdr">29,411,708</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Open-window</td> + <td class="tdr">4,671,750</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Extra-quality</td> + <td class="tdr">466,000</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Special-request</td> + <td class="tdru"> 95,371,000</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr">  225,746,701</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="f110 space-above2">TREASURY STAMPS AND CERTIFICATES<br />SINCE DECEMBER 15, 1921</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdr">$ 1.00</td> + <td class="tdl">stamps</td> + <td class="tdr">  43,017</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdr">25.00</td> + <td class="tdl">certificates</td> + <td class="tdr">12,471</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdr">100.00</td> + <td class="tdl">certificates</td> + <td class="tdr">11,403</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdr">1000.00</td> + <td class="tdl">certificates</td> + <td class="tdr">1,195</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent space-above2">If the postage and revenue stamps +shown above could be placed lengthwise, in one single line, it would +reach a distance of 26,876 miles, more than enough to +encircle the earth.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Pay-roll Worries of Magnitude</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The cashier's office pays the salaries of the +15,000 employees of the New York office, which in the last fiscal +year amounted to $23,594,824.60. It also pays many +of the employees of the Railway Mail Service, this salary +list for the year totaling $5,103,717.11; also all the +rural delivery carriers in New York State, their earnings +being $3,394,540.56 for the year.</p> + +<p class="indent">A feature of the parcel-post system is the +indemnity which is paid in the case of damage or loss to insured +parcels. When applications for indemnities are received +from the public they are investigated by the +Inquiry Section, and when it is determined that payment +should be made, the cashier's office makes the +disbursement. Approximately 200 drafts are drawn +daily to cover these cases.</p> + +<p class="indent">Mention has been made of treasury savings +certificates handled by the New York office, which in the +month of July were sold to the value of about $600,000. +These certificates, as the name indicates, while issued +by the Treasury Department are handled largely by +the Post-office Department as a convenience to the +public and in the interest of the government to better +promote the sales.</p> + +<p class="indent">The large amount of one month's sales indicates the +measure of service thus provided and the extent to which it is used. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Office of the Auditor</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The auditor is the checking officer of all receipts +and disbursements of the New York post-office. The position +is held by Mr. Justus W. Salzmann, another postal +veteran, and his corps audits the postal, money-order, +and postal-savings accounts, prepares statements of +these accounts for transmission to the comptroller of +the Post-office Department, and verifies the money-order +and postal accounts of mail clerks in charge of +post-offices on naval vessels. He also audits the accounts +of approximately 1400 post-offices in the State +of New York known as "district offices," of which New +York City is the Central Accounting office, and he corresponds +with the postmasters of these offices in connection +with the conduct of their offices.</p> + +<p class="indent">The auditor also supervises the examination of +financial accounts at the main office and at all stations, made +by station examiners, corresponds with and prepares +statements for the Commissioner of Pensions in connection +with refunds under the Retirement Act, and +with the United States Employees' Compensation Commission +in connection with injuries sustained by employees +while on duty. He has charge of contracts requiring +expenditures, as well as correspondence relating +to leases of post-office stations and to repairs and additional +equipment required at these stations.</p> + +<p class="indent">The organization of the auditor's office is divided +into two sections, each under the supervision of a bookkeeper; +one has charge of the general accounts of the +New York office and the accounts of district post-offices; +the other has charge of the auditing of the +money-order and postal-savings accounts, the preparation +and verification of pay-rolls, and second-class and +permit-matter accounts. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">The auditor has immediate charge of six station +examiners who report on the financial accounts of all +stations; they also investigate and report on the need +for establishing and maintaining contract stations and +attend to complaints received concerning the operation +of such stations.</p> + +<p class="indent">The auditor, as the checking officer of the New +York post-office, audits receipts and disbursements totaling +over $700,000,000 annually. The postal receipts for +the fiscal year ended June 30, 1922, were $54,089,023.99, +as compared with $52,292,433.91 for the previous fiscal +year, a gain of $1,796,590.08.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Appointment Section</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The Appointment Section corresponds to a well-organized +personnel bureau of a modern business establishment. +This section is under the superintendency of +Mr. Peter Putz. All appointees from the Civil Service +list report to this section, and from here they are assigned +to the various divisions and departments, according +to the requirements. In a force of 15,000 men +there are, of course, many changes daily, caused by +deaths, resignations, promotions, and demotions. +Whatever action is involved in the changes is taken by +the Appointment Section. The efficiency records of all +employees are filed here, and likewise the bonds covering +their financial responsibility. From the day a person +enters the service to the time he or she leaves it, a +record is kept of all ratings, of qualifications as determined +by his superior officers, and of all delinquencies. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Drafting Section</i></p> + +<p class="indent">How diversified the requirements of the postal +service are is illustrated by the work of the Drafting Section, +under the direction of Mr. John T. Rathbun, whose +corps of draftsmen are constantly engaged in laying +out new stations, replotting equipment in different +units as various changes incident to the growth of the +city necessitate, or as changes in the regulations affect +the volume of business at different points. This section +includes also a corps of mechanics engaged in the +repair and maintenance of mail-handling apparatus +and equipment.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Supply Department</i></p> + +<p class="indent">The Supply Department of the New York post-office +corresponds to a well-equipped store and printing +establishment. It is under the superintendency of Mr. +William Gibson. By this division supplies are furnished +not only to the New York office and its stations, +including those on naval vessels, but to post-offices +throughout New York State, as many as 2200 points in +all being cared for. Among the items supplied are +5,000,000 penalty envelops and 1700 different varieties +of forms and books, of which approximately 60,000,000 +copies are used annually. This department furnishes +250 different items of stationery and of janitors' supplies, +and innumerable repair parts for a great variety +of mechanical contrivances used in the postal system. +The aim of the official in charge of the department is +to keep in touch with the latest labor-aiding mechanical +devices that can be utilized in the service, and among +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +the various bureaus and sections will be found more +than 300 type-writers, eighty adding-machines, cancelling +machines, check-writing, check-protecting, accounting, +and duplicating machines. For these numerous +repairs are required and parts have to be secured, +all of which is attended to by this department.</p> + +<p class="indent">A feature of this department is a well-equipped +printing section, which prints a daily paper or bulletin containing +instructions, orders, and information for the +employees, as well as numerous forms, posters, placards, +etc., utilizing in this work a monotype type-setting +machine, two cylinder and five job presses. A +detail in its workshop is the precancellation of postage-stamps, +to meet the requirements of large mailers who +desire to purchase them, of which the yearly output is +approximately 250,000,000.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Classification Section</i></p> + +<p class="indent">In the Division of Classification all questions +involving rates and conditions of mailing are passed upon. At +the head of this section is Mr. Frederick G. Mulker, +whose experience with these matters is probably unequaled.</p> + +<p class="indent">All applications for the entry of publications +as "second-class" matter are handled here, and to this +bureau publishers come to arrange for the acceptance +of their magazines and papers. After a publication is +admitted to the mails at the second-class rate its columns +are scrutinized to detect anything that infringes +upon the regulations, and if anything is found, action +is taken by this section. The law defines various classes +of mail matter, and innumerable questions arise as to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +the class in which certain articles belong, many of the +questions being difficult of determination and involving +numerous technicalities, but here, sooner or later, all +questions are settled.</p> + +<p class="indent">It is to this point, also, that the public comes +for information as to the preparation of matter for the mails, +how it should be wrapped, addressed, and posted; this +section passes upon the mailability of matter under the +lottery laws, which cover everything relating to prize +schemes, contests, competitions, drawings, endless-chain +schemes, etc. Many are the plans submitted, and +while the law is rigid in respect to these matters, the +field is alluring, and each day some novel proposition +is submitted with the hope that it will not infringe the +law, yet be attractive to the public through some subtle +appeal to its gambling proclivity.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Inquiry Department</i></p> + +<p class="indent">This is one of the most interesting departments +of any post-office. The one at New York is under the supervision +of Mr. William T. Gutgsell, and its functions are +many. It handles all inquiries for missing mail, and +during the year ended June 30, 1922, this amounted +to 243,457. The number of inquiries, however, by no +means equals the number of letters and packages which +are found to be undeliverable. Undeliverable mail is +disposed of by the Inquiry Section, and the magnitude +of its work may be appreciated from the fact that no +fewer than 150,000 letters were mailed without postage +during the year. Among the other items that loom +large in the report of the Inquiry Department is the +number of letters directed to hotels which were not +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +claimed by the addressees. Of these there were 1,200,000; +18,000 parcels of fourth-class matter were found +without address, the delivery of which could not be +effected, and 56,000 pieces of unaddressed matter were +restored to the owners. In former years all letters and +packages of value found to be undeliverable throughout +the country and not provided with the cards of the +senders were forwarded to the Division of Dead Letters +at Washington, but on January 1, 1917, branch +dead-letter offices were established at New York, Chicago, +and San Francisco. The branch at New York is +conducted by the Inquiry Section, and its work concerns +Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, +Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York, 5074 offices +being included. From this area last year there were +received 3,518,604 pieces of undeliverable matter of +domestic origin. A very large part of this mail had +to be opened in order that restoration to the owners +could be effected. Many of the letters, etc., were found +to contain valuable enclosures, as indicated by this tabulation:</p> + +<p class="f110 space-above2">OPENED DEAD MAIL WITH VALUABLE<br />ENCLOSURES</p> +<table border="0" style="max-width: 40em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdl">  Number</td> + <td class="tdr">Amount</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Money</td> + <td class="tdl">  10,352</td> + <td class="tdr">$ 27,559.93</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Drafts, checks, money-orders, etc.</td> + <td class="tdl">  35,178</td> + <td class="tdr">  2,528,844.19</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Postage-stamps</td> + <td class="tdl">  98,413</td> + <td class="tdr">4,641.67</td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p class="indent space-above1">Many letters found to contain drafts, +checks, money-orders, etc., are restored to the owners, for if the +contents do not themselves disclose the address of the +owners, the banks upon which the checks are drawn are +communicated with to secure the information desired. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p class="indent">The Inquiry Department includes the Indemnity +Bureau, which reviews, adjusts, and pays claims involving +loss or damage to insured or C. O. D. parcels. +Of these claims 112,432 were filed during the last +fiscal year, and the amount paid on the claims was +$544,314.46.</p> + +<p>Another bureau of this department is charged with +the duty of examining all misdirected letters and parcels +which cannot be distributed or delivered by the +employees regularly engaged in sorting the mails. The +carelessness of the public in the matter of addressing +mail is apparent from the statistics of this bureau for +the year just passed, which show that it handled +1,576,366 letters with the very creditable result that of +this number it succeeded in correcting and forwarding +686,233, from which it is evident that the post-office +took more pains than did the senders. Of the number +handled it also restored to the senders approximately 424,000.</p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Order and Instruction Section</i></p> + +<p class="indent">This department is under the supervision of +Mr. Edward R. McAlarney and is maintained for the issuance +of various bulletins of information, public announcements, +news items, and the circulation through official +publications of instructions, orders, and intelligence regarding +postal matters. It is "the office of publication" +to the post-office; it issues posters, bulletins, news of +the service, notices announcing the change in rates and +conditions, the sailing and arriving of ships, changes in +time of despatch and routing of the mail, etc. It is a +busy department and the magnitude of its service corresponds +to the great volume of work that it performs. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>The Examination Section</i></p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">How the Employees are Trained</span></p> + +<p class="indent">A survey of the post-office quickly illustrates +the fact that it could only be successfully conducted by the +agency of skilled employees, especially trained for the +work. The distribution of the mail is dependent upon +employees who certainly must closely apply themselves +to the mastery of the schemes of separation, and we +should imagine that these are rather tedious to study, +for it seems to be largely a matter of "grind" and memory +taxation regarding absolutely unrelated names and +places, times of train departures, etc. It is a work to +which men must devote a good part of their lives and +must have constant practice in order to maintain speed, +and the duty of standing eight hours a day in front of +a case and boxing letters by the thousand, year in and +year out, must sometimes be closely akin to drudgery. +To add to the difficulties of these men there are constant +changes in the list of post-offices, in the timetables, +etc., so that a scheme of separation is no sooner +mastered than it is necessary to memorize new changes.</p> + +<p class="indent">A department devoted to the training of the +employees engaged in this work is known as the "Examination +Section," and is under the supervision of Mr. +H. S. McLean. As soon as a substitute is appointed +he is sent to this section, where he is drilled in the +fundamentals, in the rules and regulations, and in proper +methods of performing the duties ordinarily performed +by new employees. Later the employees are graduated +to practical work, and are assigned certain schemes +to study on which they are examined from time to +time and required to attain a certain standard of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +proficiency to justify their retention and advancement in +the service. In the examinations, which continue as +long as the employees are engaged in the distribution +of mail, they are tested not only as to accuracy but as +to speed, and if an employee fails to maintain the +required efficiency, demotion follows.</p> + +<p class="indent">A feature of the work is the endeavor to +impress upon the employee the importance of his employment, +the necessity for devoting to it his best efforts and of +not only maintaining but improving the standard.</p> + +<p class="indent">The following statistics in a way show the extent of this work:</p> + +<table border="0" style="max-width: 50em;" cellspacing="4" summary="_" cellpadding="0" > + <tbody><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of regular clerks subject to examination</td> + <td class="tdr">5,956</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Approximate number of substitute clerks subject to examinations</td> + <td class="tdru">2,000</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">  Total</td> + <td class="tdr"> 7,956</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of examination schemes issued to regular clerks subject to examination</td> + <td class="tdr">10,051</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Approximate number of examination schemes issued to substitute clerks subject to examinations</td> + <td class="tdru"> 2,000</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">  Total</td> + <td class="tdr">12,051</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of examinations conducted July 1, 1921, to June 30, 1922</td> + <td class="tdr">15,140</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of cards handled in conducting case examinations</td> + <td class="tdr">12,334,812</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Average case examinations, daily</td> + <td class="tdr">50</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of clerks instructed in post-office duties July 1, 1921, to June 30, 1922</td> + <td class="tdr">4,636</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Average instructions, daily</td> + <td class="tdr">16</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of study schemes in use in Examination Section</td> + <td class="tdr">119</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">  which are divided into examination sections</td> + <td class="tdr">140</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Mail schedule</td> + <td class="tdr">4</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">  divided into examination sections</td> + <td class="tdr">26</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl">Number of schemes examined July 1, 1921, to June 30, 1922</td> + <td class="tdr">564</td> + </tr><tr> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdr"></td> + </tr> + </tbody> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center space-above2"><i>Welfare Work in New York</i></p> + +<p class="indent">In the New York post-office there is a Welfare +Council, which consists of representatives elected by the clerks, +carriers, laborers, motor-vehicle employees, and supervisors. +This council considers all matters pertaining to +the welfare of the employees and makes recommendations +in regard to them to the postmaster.</p> + +<p class="indent">At the General Post-office there has been +established a clinic of the Government Health Service. This +clinic is equipped with an operating table, surgical instruments +and supplies, two cots, and the other appurtenances +of a first-class dispensary. Three doctors and +three nurses are in attendance. The clinic is open +throughout the twenty-four hours with the exception +of a short interval at night. Approximately fifty patients +are treated each day and without charge.</p> + +<p class="indent">The employees also own and operate a coöperative +store and cafeteria in the general office, and among the +terminals and stations there are numerous other similar +undertakings.</p> + +<p class="indent">The employees also maintain numerous associations +formed to better their conditions. Several of these include +sick benefits, insurance features, etc. Some of +these organizations are of national extent, others are +local; every station and department has its own association +or associations in addition to the major organizations +of large membership.</p> + +<p class="indent space-below2">At the newer stations well-equipped and +well-lighted "swing rooms" are provided. These are utilized by the +men during their lunch periods and by the employees +who are awaiting the time to go on duty.</p> + +<p class="f110"><b>The Manufacturers Trust Company</b></p> + +<p class="blockquot">Cordially invites the officials and +employees of the United States Postal System, wherever located, +to make use of its facilities and services, whenever their +interests may thus be advanced.</p> + +<p class="blockquot">This Company conducts eight banking +offices, at convenient locations throughout the City of New York, +and at each of these offices it cares for the needs of its +customers in every department of commercial, investment, +and thrift banking.</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Our officers welcome opportunities to +be of service, or to advise with you regarding your banking needs.</p> + +<p class="author"><br /><span class="smcap">Nathan S. Jonas</span>, <br /><i>President</i>.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<hr class="chap" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Postal System of the United States +and the New York General Post Office, by Thomas C. 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