The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-09-19
LONDON POST OFFICE.

lengthy and able article, mat recently appeared
in the London Quarterly Review, upon that i'm
mense machine, the General Post Oliice in Lon
don The force employed in the business OF this
Office consists, of 1908 men, 80 horses and q
steam engine.
"At three quarters past five few newspapers
only by twos or by threes at time, are to be
heard falling heavily thro' the broad Sits into the
spacious bins for receiving them, and the stranger
has accordingly still reason to think that in the
newspaper department Of this world something
here must have gone wrong In lew
minutes, however, professional, bnsiness-like
tap is heard at the window, and lean, sinewy
man-in-waiting within, hitherto ounobseryed, who,
with his sleeves tncke ed up, hes been standing
like statue on the interior sill onenng the win
dow, receives dirty pocket handkerchief fnll
OF newspapers which he fnmbes into white
wicker task ct 9 feet 3 inches cube. standing all
ready beneath He has scarcely, with rather
dis,lainful Jerk OF his hand, returned the blthy
ra. 10 its still dirier owner, when there j. push
{ eG towards him large, long sack. which in like
/ manner having been enpted into the basket, IS
chncked to its proprietor. Bags, bundles. and
sacks Of all sizes, shapes, and eng'hs, now arrive
so rapidly, that the man -in-waiiing suddenly
throws open the whole Of the window, and in re-
ceiving emp,ying, und throwing about bags, he
commences series Of gynaastc exercises which
are astonishing TO witness Gn the night on
which we beheld the operation. il happened that
the newspapers for the India Mai! were to be add
ed to those Of the heaviest night Of the week, in
consequence of which the number OF bags in
creased so rapidly, that an assistant porter Of the
same lean, active make, jumping on the broad I'll!
opened second window. At five minutes before
six these men were AT times nea ariy overw helm
Cd with bags of all co!ors and sizes, that most OF
those who had brought only large bundles chuck
ed them themselves into the Office. As the finger
Of the clock adt tanced the arrivals increased
| Asfast as the two men could possibly empty and
eject the sacks, the baskets beneath them. (each
holding on an average 500 newspapers.) were
dragged bv scarlet postmen into the lifting ma
chine. in which on its platforms they we're TO be
seen through the bars OF their respective ges.
one set above another, rising towards the II per
sorting halls. AT minute before six the two
window men We're apparently working for their
very lives; parcels of spapers like barred shot.
hurled past them: single news apers, mostly dis
charged by hoys, like muskeiry, were lying over
their heads Al last The clock yereifully came
10 their rescue, and though is first FIVE strokes
seemed to increase the vnley. the last had no
sooner struck than, before its nelo.!ious note had
comple'ey died away, both the wooden +" "indows
Of the newspaper r celsIng room Of The infant
DEPARTMENT by desperate effort, were sirulfa-
neously closed by The two lean janitors, whom.
apparently exhausted by their extraordinary ex-
e,,ions we observed ins ariiy TO si down on a
bar behind them, in order in peaceful qnietness. 10
2 wipe with their shirt sleeves the prIspiraton
which stood in dew drops on their pale honest
fices.''
After the establishment OF the penny postage
system, .spackeis'' ofany description not exceed
ing G ounces in weight, were allowed to be trans
miiied through the r. @ al progressive rates OF
: postage, and ii appears tina. the public were not
always very pariicnar what sort Of matter they
sent in, 10 make up the Stimulated pond avoirdu-
peis. The writer in the Review gathered from
the records OF the department some Of the facts
as follows:
.sFor instance, it appears that there have been
transmitted as sspacke's"- From Blackburn in
Lancashire TO egitalfelds, ionfon, two eanar,
birds, delivered by the postman alive and well.
From Devonport 10 London, pork pie To Lon
don. a woodcock, also a Pair OF pleba!d nice
which were kept in the Post Giiice month, led.
and al last delivered 10 The owner, VINO Called
for them From Manchester TO Castle street
Borough two o obits and one bird fifteen parcels
of pluin pudding. From Rognnr 10 Plymouth, a
lobster In one day 81 letters containing we'd
ding cake. On more than one occasion, without
any envelope, a bank note, Zone was for no less
than 50l ) the two ends being merely folded up
on each other, wateIed. and the back OF the note
!, then directed! lnnumerah'e leeches in b!adaers.
ing weted the letters, many OF the poor creatures
were found crawling over the correspondence OF
the country From Plymouth to slinninanbJ,'
: bottle OF cream. From mother 10 her son, a
bottle Of strawberries. which being smashed ~
the bag, completely DESTROYED packet tui' OF
very valuable lace, addressed 10 the tate Queen
Dowager A ship bscuif, the address being on
!; very small bit of paper pasted thereon From
To,ness to Dublin, an uncovered bottle inll o.
l:onor merely labelled with the address and tbs
words SAMPLE of cider.' From fsmouth Il
Hastings, half pound Of soft soap in thin paper
: From Bishops Strotori 10 Brunswick square, .
i 6sb: al.o several packages of plants in wet moss
e From Hastings TO Bath, bunch OF grapes; also
J, shrimps. From Kinston % Nestmlnis'er-niifge
a road. 10 Mrs. .- a toas dlck. flask OF gnn'
o powder Filty-three separate packets, cohta'i'
d ing each box of luclier matches, one o. Which,
: OH being handled, exploded in me Post ONCE =
n A traveller or bagman wrote to his beloved VIE
a for his pistol: she atfectonately sent It, merely
Y labelled loaded almost 10 he mouth with powder
. ball. ond slugs To the Countess of -----, pali
: Of flesh brashes; the mail cart in coming IRON
Il the West was upset into a brook. when dlssoiv-
5 ing the paper covering of these brushes, 'hey'
II probably tancying they had arrived at her Jour
e ney's end, instantly set to wors and des'roye"
: considerable portion of the epis'oiary contents o.
$ the bag To Mr. -, live snake. FROM
: London to Wellington, Somersetshire, very
y lonp cucumber. To a naturalist in London, q
! live mouse, two china cups, a live spider. tToM
Oxford street to Merton SQUARE, Dubl o, ahdresseo
: 10 Miss -. hands oms head dress OF the genus
n Iisamaree. From London TO Sudbury, two sweet.
: breads. To --- human heart; partr'dse;
: ackerel paper Of fish hooks; human stomach
&c &c, &C.
Peculiar care is taken for the safe transit OF al
matter for the East Indies The following is The
process: Gone Of thsreasons for employing 'ne
iron boxes described, Is to avoid quarantine
"The overland mails forwarded from London
on the 7,h Of every month to bombay, from
whence the various bags are sent 10 'he,r re-
speciive destination, are packed in wrough-i,oi o
black boxes, | foot inches long, 1901 wlde, iva
e inches deep, and which weigh Is lbs: cine news
papers, about go III each box, are IN IKE man