"There are still some St. Louisans who may recall when it was quite the thing on Sunday morning to call at this building--at Third and Olive streets--and get the mail. Then, in proper morning attire, there would be social visits to near-by oases where questions of the day were discussed amid congenial surroundings. Thus did St. Louisans, like the folks in country towns, go to the Post Office long before the civil war was even in the making. Later, as the city moved westward, the building was devoted to other federal uses as it is today in minor degree."
"Two king-size postcards were mailed to President Eisenhower yesterday by postal employees of St. Louis and St. Louis County, urging him to approve legislation to increase postal workers' salaries 26 cents an hour. The cards, measuring 15 pounds each and required $7.24 postage each. They were signed by 3000 of the 5000 postal employees in the area."
"Led by the Letter Carriers Band, approximately 1800 federal employees--1000 of them postmen in full uniform--and their families marched down Market Street to Kiel Auditorium where they attended a mass salary rally in the opera House. The purpose of the rally was to alert the public to their nationwide salary drive. Principal speaker was James C. Stocker, St. Louis regional director of National
"The group of mail carriers at Station A of the old post office system, taken at 3607 North Broadway in 1887. Gallagher is the fifth man from the left in the group."
"Packages pour through the main post office at Eighteenth and market Streets as the Christmas mailing rush hits full stride, but the pileup isn't as bad as it looks thanks to an efficient handling system which keeps the parcels moving toward their destinations. Postmaster Bernard F. Dickmann warned, however, that gifts still must be mailed early to be sure of arriving on time as the load will get heavier."
"Inaugurating fast mail service in the downtown area, Assistant Postmaster General Ralph W. Nicholson, places an ABCD label on a mailbox outside City Hall as Mayor Tucker (center) and St. Louis Postmaster Claude I. Bakewell look on."
"Regional Postal Director John F. Dee (right) and St. Louis Postmaster Claude I. Bakewell (center) introduce "Mr. Zip" to William E. Cornelius, assistant comptroller of the Union Electric Company. The cartoon figure is on display in post offices throughout the country to call attention to the new ZIP code system introduced this month. The Union Electric Company is one of the larger users of postal service in this area, mailing 30,000 first class pieces a day and accounting for $350,000 in annual postal revenue."
"Postmaster Claude I. Bakewell mails the first letter in a new drive-up mailbox installed to the convenience of westbound motorists. Installation of the box opposite one for eastbound motorists resulted from an inquiry by The Globe-Democrat."
"Day before the Post Office auction is inspection day. Catalogues in hand, those who are interested in the items to be auctioned rove the room searching the hamper lots and asking permission to see individual items."
"A bronze plaque, to be dedicated next Saturday at Third and Elm streets to mark the site of St. Louis' first Post Office. The dedication ceremony will follow the laying of the corner stone of the new Post Office Building at Seventeenth and Market streets. The marker has been provided by the Service Relations Council of the St. Louis Post Office and is to be placed by the Young Men's Division of the Chamber of Commerce."
"Mail sacks soaked during the recent rainstorms here are spread by postal workers to dry out in the sun on the Seventeenth street side of the main post office yesterday. The sacks were soaked by water which seeped into the sub-basement."
"People waiting in lines Monday to buy one-cent stamps at the main post office. New postal rates caused a run-on post offices Monday as St. Louisans had to buy millions of the one-cent stamps to supplement their outdated supply of five-cents."
"A new machine for stamping letters, called a mailomat, was introduced here yesterday at the Central Post Office, Eighth and Olive streets. It automatically prints on letters a self-cancelling, postmarked meter stamp in denominations from 1 to 33 cents, and then mechanically deposits the mail in a built-in letter box. Mrs. Maria Salvador, 7908 Page Ave., is stamping a letter after depositing a
"You can attend almost anything if you attend Post Office auctions regularly. Held several times yearly the auctions dispose of undelivered and unclaimed parcel post. Even if you don't buy anything they are a lot of fun."
"Girls, if you have mail troubles with your male correspondents, here's the answer to all your problems. Marilouise Graymount listens to the response from the first talking mailbox on a mid-Manhattan Street. A microphone and loudspeaker circuit connected to a near-by postal queries addressed to the vocal box, which also serves as a letter receptacle."
