The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-08-13
mo Dead.Yetter OmcoNHs CbrIos;tIes.

lAANh ~ MA1hnAbNNn AIIualloAtsI II.
Perhaps no division Of any department
under The federal government is engaged IN
moro important md responsible duties,
bonfing directly upon the Interests Of tho
public at large, than tho dead-lotter branch
or the General POstohice Department.
Here are collected oil manner Of letters,
coming from the wealthy and refined aris-
tocrnt and the humblest and obscure citi.
zen. The office ia under tho immediate 81.
peryision Of Charles Igr1an, Esq, COMING
undor the jurisdiction OF Tho Third Assist
ant Postmaster General, Gen. William III.
II. Terrill. There are employed IN open
Ing and recording letters received nine
hundred clerks, malo and female. The
large amount Of matter received daily I'm
this division h immense. IL IA sont 10 the
upper story, upon which floor the Dead
Letter Office e. situated, by means Of q
dumb waiter. There arc opened daily
10000 letters. each clerk engaged IN this
particular business being required 10 opon
from 1000 30 1900 letters. All lotters
containing valuables are recorded, and
tho writors informed that they arc held
subject TO their disposal. To givo an esti.
mate OF the amount Of matter that accu-
mulates monthly in this branch OF the
Postohico Department, wo oxtnct some
lNtnltbA AAANltnN III Nht AhhN huAAANl ItIlOIl
of Mr.. Lyman. Whole number Of letters
received, 1893, 3G5; whole number q. lot
tors and circulars destroyed, 257, 500; total
delivered 30 owners, 1866, 0G0; total money
lettors received, In vnlue, 81, 1888, 81. The
prominent cause Of tho non-dolivery OF lot
terH is tho unavailable character Of many OF
them.A The largest receipts wero during
the war, when thousands Of lettors failod 10
reach tho soldiers 10 whom thoy were adj
dressed. Many foreign letters arc not do
ltvered on account OF Observation-Disclosures
Tho geographical extent OF the United
Statoa and Territories bong ~ yet INSET
tied, and tho constant aYrivn1 Of Immigrant
in aeorch Of now homes IN remote ropiona.
and the constant changing of
abode, m n thinly settled country
operate 10 Increase tho difficulty IN the do
livery Of foreign letters, many bearing only
the name and addressed Omitted States"
Many arc addressed without any destina-
ton being attached; others aranot stamped;
and q great many arc stamped with United
States informal revonuo stamps. From n
pile of letters nro selected tho following ad.
dresses, some Of which betpy Ignorance,
but the majority gross carolessness: "Mister
Maknrti, knre on Mlstor Muldoon, forninst
the Protestant Church, Now York" GAMES
Prince, Esq, California '1Iarry O.
Evcrzor, ~trcosuror Of tho Excelsior base
Ruo do Fremont, Villo do Casilinno, Dep
Etats Unis, Nord Amoriquo." 'For Bill
Clements, at the Gross roads, Burbun
Kounti, Kintuky." 'Heinrich Won Schnp-
pen. sitimllnrkpensil." '4Socrotnry of tho
Insurance Company, Philadelphia" tMi-
kul Kelly, hods man, Sinsiati.r -. t1lev
Edward Cartwright England" 'Mr. Ed
gar Smith," (no city or State givcu). ITO
tho member Of Congress from Ohio
Many Others might bo given, but tho
above nre fair specimens. In n small
o adjoining tho mnin Office IL contained
o large collection Of valuables Of all kinds
which havo been accumulating for some
timc. During the var a largo number of
soldiers photographs woro received
through the mails, all Of which have boon
preserved in portfolio form. Among tho
large number on hand, nearly eyery day
some are recognized and returned TO those
having claims upon them. Among tho
list of other vnluables IL n PACKAGE Of
cocoons and raw silk, which was mailed
from San Fnncisco TO Paris and Hont 10
tho Dead Letter Office on account OF non.
payment Of postage, the person 10 whom.
tho package vas addressed refusing 10
pay the samc. A great variety Of othor
articles ere Also % DO seen, consisting Of
ambrotypos, pictures, toas, coffee, soap, APP
parcl OF all kinds, dolls, iowslry. and, In
fact, everything for which the mailaAr SON
sidcrcd u safo means OF t~rnnsmission. Ey4
cry year or two a sale Of miscellaneous mr.
ticles of vnlue, for which no ownors can DO
found, in advertised IA the public prints,
and tho announcements invariably attract
largo throngs OF purchasers, somo OF whom
hope 10 make good bargains, whilo others
desire only 10 SECURE curiositioa. Tho
prices received ore generally fnir, ana in
some instances tho bidding IL brisk on cer-
tain articles which nro valuable M curioai-
ties or relics. Many OF tho articles, cape
Of clothing, stationery, porfumory,
otc,, arc really valuable and useful.