Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-08-31
The Dead Letter 0fioe--Its Curiosities.

| FerhapS nc division OF any depart
ment under the Federal Government
is engaged in more important and
responsible duties bearing directly
upon the interests of the puCIic at
large than the Dead Letter branch
OF the General Postofice Depart
ment. Here are collected all man
ner OF letters, coming from the veal
thy ana rehned aristocrat and the
humoiest and obscure citizen The
office is under the im,aediate sinner
vision OF Charles Lyman, ESQ CONS
ing under tho jurisdiction al the
Third Assistant Postmaster General
| Gen. William IT. II. Terri. Thers
are employed in opening and record,
ing letters received ninety clerks,
male and female. The amount Of
matter received daily in this division
is immense. 1t is sent to the upper
story, upon which floor the Dead
Letter office is situated, 10y means of
dumb waiter.
There are opened daily 10000 let
tiers, each clerk engaged on this par
tiouia business being required to open
from 1000 70 1900 letters. All let
ters containing valuables are record
ed, and the writers informed that
they are held subject to their dispose
al. 70 give an estimate Of the
amount of matter that aceumulates
monthly in this branch Of the Post
office Department, we extract some
items of interest ia the last annual
report of Mr.. Lyman. Whole num-
Der otletters received, 333, 365 whole
number of letters and circulars de-
stroyed, 157, $50 total delivered TO
owners. loo, 06l total money letters
received, in value, 81, 1881. The
prominent cause of the non>delivery
Of letters is the unavailable character
OF many of them. The largest re-
ceipts were during the war, when
thousands Of letters failed to reach
the soldiers to whom they were ad-
dressed.
Many foreign letters are not deliv-
erod on account of insufficient adj
dresses. The geographical exteat OF
the United States and Territories be-
ing as yet unsettled, and the con-
slant arrival of emigrants in search
OF homes in remote regions, and the
continual changing of places OF abode
IN thinly settled country operate
TO increase the difficulty in the de-
livery of foreign letters, many bear
ing only the name, and addressed
United States" Many are address
sed without any destination baing
attached, others are not stamped,
and a great many are stamped with
United States internal revenue
stamps. From pile of letters are
selected the following addresses,
same of which betray ignorance, but
the majority gross carelessEess -
mister Makarti, Hare Of Mister
Muldoon, forninst the Protestant
Church, New York" James
Prince, Esq, California" Harry e.
Everzer, treasurer of the Excelsior
base ball club, Illinois, VI. Favie,
Rue dc Fremont, Yillo do Casiliano,
Des Etats Unis, Nord Amerique. -
"For Bill Clements, at the Cross
Roads, Burbun kountI, kintuky. -
"Heinrich Van Schappen sitimil ark
pensil,' Secretary OF the InsurS
ance Company, Philadelphia "Mi-
kul Kelly, hods man, Sinsiati."
"Rev Edward Cartwright, England"
"Mr Edgar Smith" ono city or State
given). ''Io the members Of Con-
gross from Ohio" Many others
might be given, but the above are
fair specimens. In a small room ad-
joining the main Office is contained
large collection Of valuabIes Of all
kinds, which have been accumulate
ing for some time. During the war
Il largo number of soldiers photos
graphs were received through the
mails, all Of which have been pre-
served in port>folio form. Among
the large humber on hand, nearly
every day some are recognized and
returned to these having claims up
on them.
Among the list of valuables is a
package Of cocoons and raw silk,
which was mailed from San Francis
go TO Paris, and sent TO the Dead
Letter Office on account of the nom
payment Of postage, the person to
whom the package was addressed
refusing to pay the same. A great
variety Of other articles are also to
be seen, consisting Of ambrotypes,
pictures, steas, coffee, soap, apparel
of all kinds, dolls, jewelry, and, in
fact, ALMOST every thing for which
ths mails are considereda safe means
Of transmission. Every year or two
. sale Of miscellaneous articles Of
value, for which no owners can be
found, is advertised in the public
prints. and the announcements in.
variabiy attract large throngs Of
purchasers, some of whom hope to
make good bargains, while others
desire to secure only curiosities.-
The prices received are generally
fair, and in some instances the bid,
dingis brisk on certain articles which
are valuable only as curiosities or
relics. Many Of the articles, espee-
tally Of clothing, stationery, perfu-
merry, jewelry, &c, are really valu-
able and useful. = Washington Chr0n>
jcle.
CoolyoI y,oaI :, ,aor1 4..Lr