News: Neillsville - Post Office (12 Oct 1972)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Krultz, Klassen

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 10/12/1972

Post Office (12 October 1972)

A system, employing the use of a plastic bag, became active at the Neillsville post office and according to local postmaster Mike Krultz, Jr., “the bag will improve special delivery service.”

Earlier this year Postmaster General E. T. Klassen referred to special delivery services as “a disgrace.” At that time, Klassen announced plans of a self-identifying plastic “speedy bag”. The speedy bags will be within the mail system to keep special delivery mail from losing its way among millions of other pieces of mail.

Neillsville’s postmaster Krultz noted that “a six-month test program executed at 4,500 post offices in the west had shown a reliability rate in the high 90’s.”

Krultz said, “All special delivery letters flats and small parcels normally dispatched in mail pouches will be placed in speedy bags.” He added, “The speedy bags then will be place in a mail pouch or lose sack in such a manner that approximately four inches of the green imprint on the speedy bag is exposed when the pouch or loose pack if closed.”

The special bags are made of polyethylene and are 20 inches by 30 inches in size. The postal service eagle and the words, “speedy” and “special delivery,” are printed in green.

Krultz went on to explain that “upon arrival at the destination or processing office, pouches containing speedy bags are opened first and the speedy bag is removed and immediately taken to the distribution area for priority processing.”

Studies have shown special delivery mail to be delayed within post offices when it gets inter-mixed with the standard first class mail. This caused it to miss special delivery runs.

The public also frequently contributes to slow movement, according to the U. S. postal system. When special delivery mail is dropped into street collection boxes or other mail deposit points without checking whether there will be an expeditious pickup afterwards, the special delivery letters may be treated as just another piece of mail until it arrives at the postal station.

“Special delivery mail is best deposited at the post office where it can move promptly to the station that finally delivers it,” Krultz said. “Mailers also should consider whether a particular item should go via air mail special delivery to insure fastest possible movement in transit as well as of the destination,” he added.