Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1905 — CHRISTMAS MAIL. [ARTICLE]

CHRISTMAS MAIL.

Records Broken This Year by an Avalanche of Gifts. An avalanche of parceled happiness tumbling down upon Uncle Sain’s mail distributers during the week preceding Christmas nearly buried the service past all recovery. In New York City several clerks were made seriously ill by overwork during long hours, and no doubt like conditions prevailed elsewhere. In the field of foreign mail alone the pressure has been so great as to break all former records. The Etruria brought into New York the heaviest Christmas mail ever landed at that port. She had 4,500 bags and 74 packages of parcels post. The mail steamer was obliged to make two trips down the bay to remove the mails. The St. Paul brought 1,007 sacks of Christmas mails. The American liner Philadelphia carried out 3,226 bags of Christmas mail. It was the largest dispatch of mail in the history of the port. In fourteen days outgoing steamers have carried away $4,142,669. The Philadelphia took the great bulk of Christmas money sent by emigrants to the “old folk.” It had 60,331 international money orders, amounting to $785,405. Great Britain got $292,998, the greater part being billed to Ireland. More than $91,000 went to Italy, and nearly $75,000 to Germany. Sweden got nearly as much, while $60,000 went to Russia. Hungary and Austria got $129,000, $66,000 going to Austria. Denmark got $13,000, Greece $1,655, Belgium $2,381, the Netherlands $1,665, Switzerland $6,000 and Lunenburg $843. All this is but a brief mention of a little bit that has been going on in one locality. All around us similar work has been carried forward in varying degrees. It is safe to predict that if one, could see the grand total the figures would produce the greatest amazement.