, 1856-09-05

To Persons mailing Letters for California and
he Territories Of Washington and Oregon :-Thou-
sands OF letters sent to the Pacific coast become
dead letters. To remedy this evil, the Post Office
Department, under the authority Of Congress, has
adopted, an auxiliary to It's operations, the follow
ing plan for simultaneously publishing at each and
every post Office in the Pacific region, in list called
the . Pacific Mail List" the names of persons to
whom letters have been sent by mail TO post Offices in
California and the Territories Of Washington and
Oregon. BY this system, letter may be sent TO any
post Office In the Pacific region for person whose
location is unknown, save the mere fact that he Is
somerhere in California the Territories Of Oregon
aud Washington; if the letter he published in the
" Pacific Mail List" its ultimate reception by the
person for whom 1t Is intended will be rendered highly
probable. To enable those who may desire to extend
to their Pacific correspondents the advantages thus
offered the following illustration is given:
Suppose it is wished to send to the Sacramento post
office letter for George Witson, who emigrated to
California from Pike county Missouri but IL Is rcd
that he may have changed lis location, and hence may
not receive the letter In this case direct the letter
To George Wilson, (late OF Pike county, Missouri(
Sacramento, California. Then, In order TO publish
the letter in the Pacific Mail List copy the address
Of the letter upon piece of paper card, and en-
close the card, together with three-cent postage
stamp, in an envelope to the Pacific Mail List
Y. Deposit the letter, usual, in the mail for Cali
fornia, and ut the same time drop the envelope, con-
tanning the card 10 publish the letter In the mail fol
New York. From the address on the card thus re
ceived at the New York post Office the name, George
wilson, VIII De entered IN us appropriate place IN TIE
=" Pacific Nail List" which is printed and sent by
mail to each and every postmaster in California and
the Territories Of Oregon and Washington, and by
them posted in conspicuous place In their respective
Offices The list thus being distributed over the entire
Pacific region, George Wilson may at once learn from
1t that letter for him has been sent to the Sacramento
post Office. No person Of similar name will receive
the letter. for the address 1t points out that II Is
intended for George Wilson, late Of Pike county, Ms
souri, Thus MANY letters will be received that would
otherwise he transmitted to the dead-letter Office.
The enveIppcs containing the advertising cards sent
to the Pacific Mail List" New York, pay postage
like ordinary mail matter, and must be prepaid The
addresses Of letters copied the pieces OF paper
cards should be written in plain and distinct man
ner The threeeent postage stamp enclosed in tho
envelopes defray the expenses Of publication, and
must NOT be pasted to the cards but simply enclosed
with them. In the absence Of postage stamps, three
cent coins may be substituted.
1t is believed that this circular has been drawn W
so explicitely as TO require no explanations bu
should this prove not to be the case postmasters will
take notice that all interogatores must be addressed
to the Pacific Nail List" New York, and not to th'
department.
The first Of this series Of lists will accompany thu
mail Of May 5th and will be forwarded by each sue
OLIVER E. WOODS.