.OTQ0.NTkwNzg

From Newberry Transcribe
Jump to navigation Jump to search

240

A foreigner is much struck with the amount of business going on at an American Post Office. Society not being in so settled & stationary a condition as with us, a far greater proportion of letters are directed to the Post Office; & must be called for. A list of the name of the persons whose letters have not een called for, is printed twice a week, & hung up in the Post Office Hall, for the inspection of the public. This list is divided intothree separate parts, English, French, & German each part is hung up by itself in its own frame; & there is a window of inquiry for each of the three nationalities. In the Hall of the Post Office, or rather in the screen that separates the office from the Hall, are inmeasurerable pigeon-holes, each with a door to the Hall side as well as the Office side. The key of the Office side door is kept by the officials; of the Hall side door by the person to whom the box has been assigned. Into this box that persons letters are put as soon as a mail is sorted; & he can go, or send at any hour of the day, or night, unlock his door, & take them out. He is not therefore obliged to wait for the general delivery, but can get his letters as soon as the mail arrives. There is, too, less chance of his letters being lost, for they never get into the hands of the letter-carrier. And, as every one whose correspondence is of any unclear adopts this plan, the number & labour of the letter-carriers is much diminished. On account of the large amount of business always going on at the Post Office they separate the Ladies from the Gentlemen, assigning