REBEXRCE GROUP I

- - - - -

Volume 14 Number 2 Whole number 54 July 2005

U.S. CENSORS AT VANCOUVER - December 26,1941 to February 11,1942

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and the war in the Pacific began. Ships were ordered to seek refbge in allied ports and to transfer all mail to San Francisco for examination. Unfortunately, the United States had very few trained censors and as a result the Trans-Pacific rnail was sent to Vancouver along with five officials fiom Seattle and San Francisco who assisted in the censorship while at the same time learning the art of censorship. Most of the rnail processed by the U.S. Censors was marked with a two ring circular stamp reading "PASSED BY I CENSOR" and where mail was opened it was resealed with brown sticlcy tape. Only in rare cases were Canadii censor markings applied to this mail

Mailed at Elmira, New York, December 28, 1941 to Bagino, Philippine Islands. Probably dispatched to San Francisco and then forwarded to Vancouver for censorship Opened at Vancouver and sealed with brown tape and stamped "PASSED BY / CENSOR and "RETURN TO SENDER I SERVICE SUSPENDED" - No back stamp.

See next page for Vancouver District Director's report on U.S. censorship.

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 438

From G.H. Clarke, District Director, Vancouver, to Mr. k Gagon, Chief Postal Censor, Ottawa. Dated Vancouver, B.C., Septemw 1 1,1945 - - -

Rar i n t h e Pac i f i c December, 19.41,

U.S.A. began . . on Pe Censor sh ip . Area

Pacif

On December 7th , 1941, Japan by su rp r i se a t t a c k : a r l Harbour and Manila began the . war ia t h e Pac i f i c and thereby caused cessat ion of v i r t u a l l y a l l T r a n s - i c mail service , Ships a t sea were ordered t o take

refuge in a l l i e d p o r t s and-eventually the mails they were carrying were returned t o San Francisco. Arrangements were made t o d i v e r t a l a rge p a r t of t h e mails so areturned t o Vancouver f o r Censorship. The United 'S t a t e s now i n s t i t u t e d general censorship and s e n t f i v e o f f i c i a l s from Censorship S ta t ions in San Francisco and S e a t t l e t o Van- couver t o supervise and a s s i s t in the examination of t h i s m a l l and t o gain experience in methods and procedure, The f i rs t consignment of t h i s spec ia l ly diver ted U.S.A, mail reached Vancouver on the 26th of December, 1941, A s examination of t h i s mail advanced th ree of the U,S.A. Exaainers were r eca l l ed and when e h i n a t i o n of t he l e t t e r mails was completed on the 11th of February, 1942, the l a s t t w o U.S.A. Examiners l e f t immediately f o r San Francisco. By hiarch 7 th exambation of the parce l post and p r i n t s mails was completed. This spec ia l ly d iver ted mail consis ted of a t o t a l of 2143 bags, - - . - . . -

-- -- - - - -- - - .-

N C N - m m

- Canada Post - - N U 0

POSTAGE METER 9 - 0 N € 0

Corporate Mail Centre Ic C - 349 W Georgia St 3rd Floor -In (D

REPLACEMENT PROGRAM Vancouver BC V6B 1Y9 m o o N r- N m - o a o - /--

I

OctoberMovember 2005 Performance f

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 439

MODERN DATE STAMP CANCELLATIONS

Prior to 1980, most Canadian post offices were supplied, by Canada Post, with a metal dater bearing the Post Office name, and a rubber Money Order Date Stamp with the post office official number and its' name. Although there were variations in the design of the daters, in general, the classification was fairly easy.

Today not only is Canada Post supplying post offices with a wide variety of postal daters, but also many of the postal franchises are producing their own date stamps, and as result there is little consistency in the general format of these new date stamps. A number of collectors, such as Andrew Scott, Doug Murray, and Kevin O'Reilly, to name a few, have been attempting to keep up with some, but far from all, the new equipment. Thanks to the interest shown by mimy collectors, lists of some but far fiom all of these new daters are being .compiled. You can help with.this project by-forwarding copies.of unusual markings to the Editor. .

The examples shown below are a few of those received by the Editor over the last few -. . . -. . . .

months. -

138800/COOMBES, B C / VOR IMO BENTALL CENTRE/ 045001 / VANCOUVER

642 703 / GIBSONS, BC YON I VO

\ SURREY

165492 /SURREY / B.C.

01 I959

2020 -11- 1 4

rnlPWE\+W P.0. VANCOUVER, SC V6.4 3'3

Blackburn Postal Outlet.

41 571 5 2000' -11- 1 7

*' '' .. ..@ 3050 Boeing Rd.

Prince George, B.C. V2N 2H0 .

CANADA POST CORPORATION WOODGROVE POSTAL OUTLET

.RC 6412902

2000 - H - ' 1 0

NrINAIMO. BC V9T 4T7 '

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 440

MORE PICTORIAL CANCELS - Thanks to Andrew Scott and others

VA/VCOVVER / 64 7365 NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. V L B0 058901

BUREAU DE POSTEWOST 'rr PEACH CrN 101451

NOV 3 0 ZOO4 : I

PENTICTON BC 9'

V2A 5BO

) CA;jADA POST C!'j:;Pj<;:i:;;: 5G[lI'HGATE MALL FgSiki c;!iii1

RC# 386537

I MAY 1 9 2#0 '\

NANAIMO B.C. V9R 6LO

WHOMVOCK, BC number error Andrew Scott

MailedMtr / Pstt apr8s Cut Offnmt? L'haore limi te

2000 -10- 1 2

QUEEN WOm&r, V O T I S . m d

CANADA POST CORPORATION SEAUFOFiT Cl = N E E POSTAL CUTrn

RC #386510

j

1 MAY 2 3 2000

NANAIM0 BC V9S 5K8

- R.V.UJU;V.C.R., - .--

VANCOWER 654647 :: ., . .

.... '.I .'< \ t JAN 1 4 mO ;,::' . . , . . ,. . . : . c:.3 . :.? .~ ---- ....... . . . . . . . . . . . .

''f ,' ...... POSTAGE . ' ;.: .. p , q ~ / p ~ y & :- ' ~ 2 . ~ ; . . -

.-

6492228 (error)

earlier datestamp used 98-07- 1 5 to 99-09-0 1 used 98-08-05 to 99-12-20 code change used concurrently

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 441

FROM CANADA POST - Again thanks to John Gannon and Darlene Lam of the staff at the Pacific Division of the Canada Post Corporation, we are able to provide a listing of the openings and closing dates for post offices in the Pacific Division. Again the format in which the information is provided has changed and as a result some changes of ownership may be shown as separate closings and openings rather than as changed to ...

Outlet

> Address % Pcode Close I

BKI 1'1SH COLUMBIA RESEARCH rage *+A

--

MAIN VANCOUVER POST OFFICE

Officially opened - March 14, 1958

349 West Georgia Sheet - Vancouver 3. B.C.

.

(Block bounded by Georgia, Homer, Dunemuk and Hamllton sheel&)

- - I. _. - _ -

. .. -

MAIN POST OFFICE

--VANCOUVER 3 , B. C.

. .

r

I

WILLIAM Duos. PHOTO

. ~ . .. - - .

LOCATION: 349 West Georgia S t r ee t Block bounded by Georgia, Homer ,

Dunsmuir and Hamilton Streets .

OFFICIALLY OPENED:

March 14, 1958.

b

I Conslructed under authority of Federal Department of F'ubllc Works, Chlef Architect's Branch. Ottawa, O n t I

Architect. .-McCcuter, Nairne and P-era Vancouver 1, B.C.

General Conhadon -Smith Bros. and W l l m Ltd. Vancouver 2. B.C.

Equipment Conhacton -Mathews Conveyor Co. Lld. Port Hope.. Onl.

Tunnel Conhacton -Northem Construction Co. Ltd. and J. W: Stewart Ltd.

Vancouver 1, B.C.

Flrsl post office established Aprll 1, 1874. Named Granville, B.C.

Name changed 'b Vancouver, B.C., in honour of Capl Geowe Vancouver on May 1, 1886.

1 Letter d e r service established lanumy 7, 1895. - - - - - - - \, -

Vancouver's P o s h n p . 1 ~ Period of Service

Henry Harvey . . . . . . . 1/4/1874 - 13/8/1884 W v e r t Slmpson . . . . . . 8/11/1884 - 25/1/1886 Jonathon MIller . . . . . . . 1/5/1886 - 9/9/1908 A. H. MacPheruon . . . . . . 9/9/1908 - 31/1/1920 Fonds E. Harrison . . . . . . 5/3/1920 - 30/6/1928 Gordon H. Clarke . . . . . . 1/7/1928 - 30/3111947 C. C. Storey . . . . . . . . 1/4/1947 - 1/9/1949 James Turner . . . . . . . . . 2/9/1949 - 23/3/1955 W. H. Wllson . . . . . . . 24/3/1955 - To date

I Postal Revenue -vancouvu, LC.

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 443

............................................................... HOW THE MAILS COME AND G O Ship ............. 10;000 Items . . . . . . Highway Transport and Stage ..................................... ..I25,000 Items " I Publlc nlailinc and curbside mail boxes i t Mnin Post

- -- -

Poge Two T H E M A I L B A G Moy, 1961

TRANSPORTATION

-- - Some idea of the quantity and origin of Incoming mail handled

by the Vancouver Post Office in an average working day can be gathered from the following estinlated breakdown:

................ Street letter, parcel boxes & sub post offices 325,000 items .................... .................................................... Plane .. Z25,000 items Train ............................................... -! ........................... I 2 5 , 0 0 0 itenls .... ..... . Stations : ........................... ... 40.000 items

By RALPH SPICER

- -- The new Vancouver Main Post Office was completed kr 1958

at a total cost of approximately $13,000,000. It comprises a m h block of basement and four stories with a three-storey oHire tower above, and is equipped with the most modern type of antonutic machinery designed to speed up the handling of m3jl. Yet. for aU its streamlined devices, its autonlatic conveyors, parcel sortm, and electronic letter sorters, without transportation this huge bee-hive of activity wou!d be just so much useless steel, stone, and idle manpower.

Each day of the year the 900-man staff of this bull- handle, in addition to local collcctiolu, over 1,000,000 pieces of mail that has been trucked, re-trucked, entrained, re-trained, shippal, ! T ~ N - shipped, flown, and re-flown, from all over the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~i~~ is ule key to the ,,.hole complex b l o c k i n g machine called postal operations. IVithout it all local, A n a l , and international postal activities would quickly grind ot a htlt.

One might say tllat mail is the life-blood of the p o d services, and transportation the veins that carry it.

For example:- A letter & rllailed in Sydney, Australla. I t is picked mp by a n

Australian mail courier and delivered to the Sydney Pod Office. From there it is trucked to the sydney airport and wed on a

jet plane. The plane takes and lands 34 later a the van- couver Sea Island airport. There it is met by one of d ~ e &ucks and drivers of the Pony Express, local niail contractor. IVilhin two hours of the plane,s arrival the nlail is deposited on !lie r-ing floor of the blain Post Office.

11 and other mail Is imn~cdiatcly sent upstairs by m Q Y o r belt to the fourth floor and then transferred to the City Floor where it is re-sorted and broken down into Vancouver Zones. F i i sortation is into letter carrier's walks. First class mail is placed a carriers' pouches and once more trucked by Pony Express to the Postal Stations.

At the Stations it is given a final sortation by lelltr carriers, blocked out, and tied into bundles. Bundles are p l a d in s n ~ l l bags and lined up for delivery by Polly Express C-ers to the letter carriers' relay boxes on the walks.

On the walk, our Sydney letter is finally extracted a d delivered to the addressee by the letter carrier.

Even the letter carrier is a f o r n ~ of transportatioa. Many of them.will tell you that they "work like horses."

Conversely, a letter mailed in a Vancouver stred letter box, destined for Sj'drley, is picked up by one of those fur upstanding eager young Inen of the I'orly Express, deposited in r "blue bag" In the truck. and speedily tra~lsported to the second floor unloading bays of tllc ,\lain Post Office. 'nie blue bag Is dropped on rr loving cOrlveyor to the fourth 'hen dumped on a sorting table and the 111ail divided inm two groups: Lettcrs fo r local delivery and letten for delivery -side of the

o Vancouver area. ; Air~nai l letters for foreign delivery are broken down into "British ' and Foreign", and ''Pucific Foreign." Pacific Fore* is in turn

again broken down into the principal cities of the c o a n t r i ~ the Pacific region. Letters are bundled. labelled, packed ~JI blue airmail bags, nnd shot down to the second floor despatching plntform. - _-. -A - - r - -

From the despatching platform they are picked up by Pony ~ x ~ r e s r courier for delivery to outgoing flights at the Sea Island airport.

Eventually, the letter Is delivered to the Sydney addressee, who praises, condemns, o r grunlbles nt the 7,000-mile two-day service, according ot the particular nature of the individual.

- - -- - - - - .......................... Office, and including bus~ness firms X25,000 items A grand total of 975,000 pieces of mail

Publlc mailing facilities a t the Main Post Office cons i s t of Inside unloading zones and hvo curbside '-drive-inw n ~ a i l boxes a t the South side of the building.

From the curbside nldling chutes letters drop o n hor izontal mov- Ing belts 11131 c a n y then1 along and then drop them i n t o a canvns bucket in the "skip hoist." The bucket is then raised t o the fourth f!oor and the mail dumped onto a moving belt which carries it to the facing-up nnd cancelling table.

These curbside niailing chutes d o not have time cards on them, which pronlpted a Vancouver lady to ask of a Pony E x p r e s s courier, "What time a r e these boxes picked up?"

Tine U.C. Pony Express Company, locat contractor (for the past years) for transPonation and handling has been and ' k responsible fo r all street letter box clearances, pa rce l post deliver-

les, clenrances from and deliveries to, airports, shipping wharves, and railway stations; delivery of letter carriers bundles t o relay boxes,

mobile delivery ot business firms and Industrial plants, spec ia l deliv- ery services, postal stations, and sub pod office c learances through- out the Greater Vancouver and tllc Lower Mainland a r e a .

The Pony Express, under the managership of J o h n Hatch and Superintendent Eric Sinlpson, employs over 100 men a p e n t i n g 90 trucks of varying tonnage. In a n average working d n y these men and trucks clear 1,600 street letter boxes on 45 routes. Twenty-five men and t r u c k make 118 trips covering over 2,000 m i l e s and collect approximately of letters and parceLF.

Alrport-500 bags. Planes are nlet 12 tinles every d a y by units of the Pony Express. There are 27 incoming flights daisy from most parts of the world in addition to flights of less f r e q u e n t schedules

Wharves-(lo) 500 bags weekly. Approx. 12 t o n s . Ten ships bringing mail to Vancouver Ue up a t local wharves eve- week.

Four Railways bring 1,000 bags of 24 tons of mall. Train arriv- als are c ~ K - ~ ~ ~ . C S R - ~ ~ ~ . G E R - ~ ~ . p ~ a ~ ~ .

Highway Transport-14 trips-30 tons. Ncarly all mail to and from CPR trains and s t e a m e r s is moved

into the Post Office via the CPR-Post Office tunnel. T h i s tunnel is approxin~ately 2,400 feet in length, ten feet In height, a n d . & about 35 feet below the street surface. A conveyor s y s t e m comprising over a mile of heavy belting, under automatic control, conveys this CPR mail directly to the Post Office.

Relay boxe+1,800 boxes, 2.300 bundles, 36 cour iers . hlobile delivery-100 finns-5,000 items. Special delivery-6 despatches--10 couriers--1,008 miles trav-

elled-950 items. Postal s ta t iom-( l7) 100 clearances. Sub post off ices-( l l5) 350 clenraoces. Parcel post-30 couriers-6,000 parcels. Approxinlnte overall daily n~ileage for all services provided by

- the Pony E~~~~~~ ~ ~ . - 6 , 0 0 0 milcs. ?

Providing these services for the post office would be a compan- tively sinlyle nlattcr if mail flowed in an orderly c o n s e t e n t manner

the Or even week' it doesn't move that way. Each service has I t s unpredicmble peaks and lulls.

Because of this mail couriers must be able to d r i v e almost any make o r kind of vehicle, fro111 the lowly half-ton t o *he big dual- wheel double-mle 3-ton jobs. Couriers must have a c o nlplete know- ledge of allllost every area of the city and niust n ~ e n t a l l y recocru'ze every box and sub on any route by simply h e e i t s r o u t e n u n ~ b e ~ They must be instantly a d a ~ t i b l e t o almost any s e n L c e &her it be clearing boxes, stations o r subs; parcel post, s p e c i a l delivery, or delivering bundles to relay boxes. They must be a v a i l a b k a t any time of the day o r night. The Pony Express is a 3 6 3 day n year operation. Christmas and New Year's being the only idle days. In the case of Special Deliveries Pony Express couriers w o r k 345-6 days a year.

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 444

-- - Relay boxes require 36 couriers between the hours d 7 and

9:30 a.m. and only 6 couriers for the balance of the day. Special delivery, because of fog-bound planes, snow, mud or rock

slides on railways, o r unexpected heavy local ~ndlings, may require . 5 couriers or 20 couriers in any one four hour period.. Parcel post -- - . - . -.- - - - - - -

varies from requirements for 15 ' t n ~ c b OD a quiet day to a high of . 40; and this nlay occur any day of the week at any time of tbe ycar.

An avalanche of nlnil pours into Vancouver's street letter and parcel boxes between 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. each day.

In fact during this 1% hour period. as much, if not more mail L posted, than during all the rest of the business day.

The mail collection service hns been geared to meet this peak load period and also to cope with the vehicular and pedestrinr, traffic flow which also renclles its crcst during this same 1% hour period.

Late trains, planes, and shlps, all contribute to the perpetual headache.

The objective of the Pony Express is to supply truck-(mnsport for the various postal services wherever and whcnever needed. At the same time it is the policy of the company to endeavour to provide a minimum 8-hour day f o r , its employees, with as few Interval- breaks and split shifts as is, possble.

At times, it tnkes the acunlen of a Solomon and the-sl-t of hand of a magician to accomplish this. John (Einstein) Hatch, and Eric (Houdini) Simpson, together d o a wonderful job of performing this near miracle.

On the post office side, transportation of the mails has grown to such an extent and become so complex that in 1954 ft was con- sidered necessary to set up a separate department within the Post Office under the jurisdiction of the Postmaster. First appoidre as City Transportation .Officer*.was-..blr:.S.' H:. Gear.'fiYresent ,Trwpor- tation Officer, with offices in the Main Post Office is Mr. 1. B. Taylor. Administrative details are handled by a staff in the Secre- tarial Branch.

The Transportntion Officer is responsible for maintaining the safe and rapid flow of the mails and ensuring that the o p t i o n works smoothly, efficiently, and economically.

(And believe me (sob) he does, especblly (sob) the latter.) . . .

GFFICIAL OPENING

VANCOUVER PGST OFFICE U.4RCH Id. 19bB

Bruce F i m s r ; ~ ~ 3492 ';!. 40th Vancouver 13

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 4 4 5

Canada Post Socikt6 canadienne 19 corporation des porter

Important Notice to Customers

Vancouver Station 'A'

November 30, 1988

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of Canada Post's plans for Vancouver Station 'A' in the Sinclair Centre.

Our lease with public \\:arks Canada kill expire early in 1989 and Canada Post is required to vacate t??e existing premises. To ensure consistent pclsul service to our customers; we will be moving our existing operation to a new corporate location within the Sinclair Centre. The new location is on the same level in the northeast comer of the building.

I am pleased to inform you that all services currently offered at Station'A' - including meter setting and lock box service - will be offered in the new location. .

Current addresses and postal codes will be maintained so there will be no need to alter your stationery or notify your correspondents. In addition, I would like to assure lock box customers that their lock box numbers will not be changed.

Canada Post will be taking the opportunity afforded by the move to modernize the Sinclair Centre outlet. I would like to emphasize that our customers will not experience any interruption in service. We will also notify you in advance of the exact dates of the move.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please call our Customer Service Branch at 684-9466 or Mr. A1 Dejong, Zone Manager, at 662-5717.

Yours truly, 1

&&k eny Mitchell

' d Director City Services

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH Page 446

Reliability. Stariing May 5 0th -in Vancouver.

. the Post Office assures next- delivery-day service (not Saturda3s, Sundays or Holidays) lor first class letters to most major Canadian cities as far as Winnipeg and second-delivery-day service to some major cities beyond Win- nipeg, i f you mail early in the day. At no extra cost.

Two deadlines : ll:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Forget the old multiple pick-up times on mail boxes. Now there are two deadlines to meet: 11:OO a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Befbre U:00 a.m.-You can post in any mail box, any day.

First class letters mailed in any Vancouver mail box including North and South Burnaby. Rich- mond, North and West Vancouver before 11:OO a.m. will be assured next-delivery-day service to: Calgary Port Albernl Chilliwack Powell River Delta Prince George Edmonton Regina Kamloops Saskatoon Kelowna Surrey Maple Ridge Vancouver Nanaimo Vernon New Westminster Victoria Penticton Winnipeg and other major centres in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

Toronto. Ottawa, Montreal and major centres in Ouebec and the Atlantic Provinces are assured second delivery day service.

The same service is available

You can rest assured.

up until 12:OO noon if you mail at postal stations (not sub Post Offices, e.g. drug stores). Or at - the Main Post Office on Georgia

. Street before 1:00 p.m.

Between ll:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.Striped Boxes only except Sundays and holidays.

First class letters mailed in a striped mail box (found on most major thoroughfares) will be assured of next-delivery-day service to: Chilliwack Penticton Della Port Albernl Karnloops Surrey Kelowna Vancouver Maole Ridae Vernon ana air no Victoria New Westminster and other major centres In the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and major centres in Ouebec and the Atlantic Provinces are assured second delivery day service.

The same service is available up until 4:00 p.m. if you mail at postal stations (not sub Post Offices. e.g, drug stores). o r at the Main Post Office on Georgia Street before 5 0 0 p.m.

Why? We know that you want to know

when your first class letters are going to be delivered. And we know that we can't offer any assurances unless we get our hands on your mail early in the day. There is simply too much mail to be handled at night.

In case you forget, there are special cards on both the red and the striped boxes that will remind you where and when your letters will be delivered.

Where? The Assured Mail Delivery

program started in Toronto City on February 1st and was extended to Calgary. Edmonton and Winni- peg in April and now Vancouver!

The system is being devetooed constantly and soon Assured Mail will be available from most major cities in Canada. For further information call: 666-3531.

First C lass Mail posted here any day before 1l:OO a.m. is assured next delivery day service in all centres

Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa. a n d major centres in Quebec a n d the Atlantic Provinces, wili bs assured second delivery day service.

After 11 :00 a.m. and unlll3:OO p.m. (except Sundays and Holidays) Flrsl Class Mall poslod here Is assured next dallrery day senlce In all centros shown In blue.

Calgary Prince. Edmonton George Karnloops Regina Kelowna Saskatoon Penticton Vancouver

and malor centres In the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

--- - --

The British Columbia Postal History News Letter is published quarterly on behalf of the British North America Philatelic Society. Dues for the News Letter are $8.00 for one year or $15.00 for two years (S CAN or S US). Checks should be payable to the Editor, Bill Topping, 7430 Angus Drive, Vancouver, BC, V6P 5K2, Canada.