, 1856-08-29

To Persons mailing Lstters for California and
the 1eTritoriss 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 as an auxiliary to ts 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 10 post Offices In
California and the Territories Of Washington and
Oregon BY this system, letter may be sent to any
post oftce in the Pacific region for person whose
location ia unknown, save the mere fact that he IL
soeirheTe IN California the Territories of Oregon
and Washington; IL the letter be published in the
person for whom Il Is intended will be rendered highly
probable. To enable those who may desire 10 extend
TO their Pacific correspondents the advantages thus
offered, the following illustration is given
suppose II is wished TO send to the Sacramento post
Office u letter for George Wilson, who cmigrated to
California from Pike county, Missouri but II Is feared
that he may have changed bis ocation and hence may
to George Wilson, (late Of Pike county, Missour),
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 threeccnt postage
stamp, in an envelope 10 the Pacific Mail List" n
Y. Deposit the letter, usual In the mail for Cali
fornla, and ut the same time drop the envelope,
aining The card 10 publish s letter. in the mail for
New York. From the address on the card thus re-
ceved at the New York post office, the name George
Wilson will be entered in its appropriate place in the
Pacific Mail List" which Is printed and sent by
mail to each and every postmaster in California aud
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 himhas been sent to the Sacramento
post office. No person of a similar name will receive
the letter. for the addess II points out that II Is
intended for George Wilson, late Of Pike county, Ms
souri,. Thus MANY letters will be received that would
otherwise be transmitted TO the dcad-leter Office.
The envelopes 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 three-cent postage stamp enclosed in the
envelopes defay 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 up
30 EXPLICITLY as to require no explanations but
should this prove not to be the ease pusmasters will
take notice that oil interrogatorcs must be addressed
to the Pacific Mail List, New York, and not to the
department.
The first of this series of lists will accompany the
mail OF May 9th, and will be FORWARDED by each
ceeding mail. ......
OLIVER T. WOODS