Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-03-02
Correspondence of the Grand River Times.
r a WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. lS, 1852.

correspondence OF tile 0rdnu nlNer llIncS.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. IL, 1852.
GESTLEMEN:-One of the curiosites of this
"City of the Union," is the Dead Letter Office,
of the Post Office Department. Every body
knows that there are many letters which for
various reasons fail to reach the writees---and
not being taken from the office, they are sent
in due time to the Department. But of the
vast number of such letters, few have any ade-
quate idea. 1t is stated that 100000 were lalc-
ly received at one time from California alone.
Doubtless, from the migratory character of the
population of that State, the proportion of her
letters which fail TO reach the persons to whom
they are addressed is larger than in other States
But making all due allowance for this discrep-
ancy, the number of letters lost to the parties
interested must be reckoned by millions. These
may be divided into the three classes.
First, Those of permanent value; such as
letters of friendship, and many business letters
of ralue they may be. The hearts best
affections may be whitening under the influence
of supposed neglect of which the writer is in
nocent. Many mans business has suffered
perhaps fatally-by these miscarriages. But
after time the importance of this class of let
tiers ceases. The mischief, much or little is all
done-the letters are all valueless. p
Secondly, Those containing remttances or
Enclosures of value. These are all carefully
preserved, and returned to the writer's if thew
can be found.
Thirdly Letters containing important and
valuable information and no Enclosures. 1t is
easy to conceive that thousands of this class
reach the Dead Letter Office every quarter and
what becomes of them! We shall see present.
ly. But first let the reader imagine to himself
the particular circumstances of some of these
cases, and the difficulties, and hardships, and
losses which would inevitably accrue from the
failure of such letters. l am not going to-
sketch the picture for you. Every man can do.
that for himself
In the Dead Letter Office, there are six clerks,
constantly employed, two, at salary of $1,000
each, and four at $1,000 EACH Two of these
clerks open the letters, breaking the seals as.
rapidly as possible, and examining the contents,
only so far as to see whether they contain any
article of value. If they do not they are thrown
into heaps to be burned. If they do, they are
passed over to another clerk, who has the GUS,
tody of such letters, and who with the assis-.
lance of three others keeps register of them,
transmitting them to the writer or owner if he
can be found, and preserving such as can not be.
so delivered, for future application. 1t will not
| ha for 70 al
gentlemen, notwithstanding the rule, have some
precious items Of fun, now and then. 1t is TO
be presumed that they are all discarded from,
our good primal Mother who, though she lost
paradise for US all, only lost it by the Hegitil
mate indulgence of legitimate trait Of univer-.
sal human character. Who would condemn,
them for occasionally enlvening the tedium Of
their labor with
"Sport that wrinkled care derides.
And laughter holding both his sides"
ought to be plunged to his chin in sea of
mrth, with quips, and cranks, and dimples, and
Smiles dancing in perpetual gee around him,
and the precious element constantly mock the
consuming thirst of his gloom.
Some rugged rocks hard entrails gave him FORM
| ANU logging Wihuo pIOuuCcu ilIll Ill ~ SlOTH
Hitherto the memorable rule has been to burn
all the letters, of whatever character, that con-
tanned no Enclosures of value But it is said
here, that in the new edition Of the Post Office
Regulations which is about to be published n
new rule is adopted, so important, as conceive
it, that you ought to call the attention of your
readers to it, and publish it in separate para
graph. The rule is this: In every case where
the writer of letter chooses to protect il from
the chance of being opened at the Department
and destroyed as dead letter, he can do SO by
preparing the postage, and writing legibly OH
the sealed side, the words, "To BE PRESERVED
No such letter will be either opened or burned.
| Yours, G**
HE LIQUOR LAW IN MAssAcHUsETTs-The
mammoth petition in favor of the Maine Liquor
Law was presented in the House by Mr. Smith,
| N tbo t.,