Page:The Post Office of Fifty Years Ago.djvu/96

28 "What o'clock would that be?—That would be about half-past nine.

"They were delivered in half an hour from the time they were dispatched?—From the time they were dispatched: 570 were delivered early, the postage £22 19s. 4d.; and 67 delivered in the ordinary way, postage £2 14s. 11d. "What time were they delivered?—Why, they would occupy the Letter Carrier about an hour and a half; then he commenced collecting the postage of the early delivery.

"What! would he be an hour and a half in delivering 67 letters?—Yes, he would thereabouts.

"Considering the extent of the district?—Yes, the time he would wait to get the money for a letter would be about two minutes to a house.

"Have you made any calculation?—Yes, I have one at the office.

"What do you estimate as the time for delivering a letter when the postage is received?—That will occupy him nearly two minutes.

"Two minutes at every house?—Yes; indeed some houses detain him at the door three, or four, or five minutes, in giving change, and various circumstances arise in the delivery of letters that detain the Letter Carriers." "To deliver all the letters in the ordinary way in two hours and fifteen minutes will require from 70