The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-08-26


Perhaps 10 division Or aiy department
unsler fIie Feelersl Gorernnenf Il engage1
in more lmportant and resPgnzIo.e 1es 49,
be- inv directly upon flle interests Of the
public at large than the dead letter pr a1a
Of the General Postofflee Department H. IT,
are collected al manner Of letters coming
from tl1e wealthy aud refined arisfocraE ana
the hunblest and obscure citizen. Inc ONCE
4 under the immediate supervision OF CLias-
lyman. Esa- coming under Eae JurisdicIa0n
OF tie Third Assistant Postmaster OeheIAl-
Gen William Ii. H. TeFriil- There are en-
nloved ia opening and recording letters re-
eeiyed ninety clerks, male and female. Inc
large amount of matter received uaily N
this division Is immense. IL Is sent 70 1i.c
paper story. upon which floor the Dead Lei
ter Office i situated. by means OF uul'D
waiter. , -.
clerk engaged on this particular business pc
ing required TO open from OOO 10 l,zoO ice-
ters All letters containing FaluaDiSs az Z
recorded, and the writers informed s1 IA
they are held subject 20 their disposal. 40
give an estimate Of the amount OF mater
that accumulates monthly in this branch OF
the Postoffice Department, We extract sou.e
items Of interest In the last annual report
of Mr.. Lyman: Whole number OF ielIers
received, 333, 1865; whole number OF letters
and circulars destroyed, 1o1,s55 lotai uells-
cred TO owners, 15606l total money letters
received, in value, 1888 81 The promi-
nent cause OF the non-delivery OF ietteTs Il
the unavailable character OF many OF them.
The largest receipts were during the war
hen Thousand of letters failed 70 reach
the soldiers TO whom they were addressed.
Many foreign letters are not Delivered on
account of insufficient addresses. Ihe geo.
graphical extent of the United states ana
Territories being as yet unsettled, and the
constant arrival OF emigrants In searcn Oh
new bones in remote regions and the con
-. frafo NJ oh "A
settled country, operate TO increase the ILL
fculty in the delivery OF foreign letters,
many bearing only the name. and addressed
-.UniIed States" Many are addI essed with
out any destination being attached, others
are not stamped, and a great many are
slammed with United States internal reye-
nue. stamps. From pile of letters are Sc
leeted the following addresses some oil
which betray ignorance, but the majority
gross carelessness mister Makartl, hare
OF Mister Muldoon, fornit the Hrotestant
Church. New York. james Prince, Callfor-
MIA" Harry {. EYerzar. treasurer OF the
Excelsior base ball club, illinois," M.
Favie. Rue de Fremont, Vile de CasilianO,
Des Flats Unis, Nord Amerique.' "tor
Bill Clements, Mt the Cross Roads, Burbun
Kouuti. Kintncki.' "Heinrich Van Schap-
pen. sitimiI arkpensil." Secretary of the
Insurance Company, Philadelphia" Mi
kul Kelly, hods man, SiHsiati." ''Rev. Ed
ward Cartwright, England" "Mr. Edgar
Smith, (no CITY or State given. Many
others might be given, but the above are
fair specimens. In small room adjoining
the main office is contained q large collec-
ton of valuables of all kinds, which have
been accommodating for some time. During
the war large number of soldiers photo
graphs were received through the mails. all
of which have been preserved in portfolio
form. Among the large number on hand.
nearly every day some are recognized and
returned to those having claims upon them.
Among the list of valuables is a package OF
cocoons and raw silk, which was mailed
from san Francisco TO Paris, and sent TO the
Dead Letter Office on account OF the nom
pay ment 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 am broty pes,
pictures, teas, coffee, soap, apparel of all
kinds, dolls jewelry. and, in fact almost
everything for which the mails are consid-
cred safe means of transmission. Every
wear or two a sale of miscellaneous articles
of value, for which no owners can be found,
is advertised in the public prints, and the
announcements invariably attract large
throngs of purchasers, some of whom hope
TO make good bargains, while others desire
to secure only curiosities. The prices re-
ceived are generally fair, and, in some in
stances the bidding is brisk on certain arti-
cles which are valuable only rs curiOsities
or relies. Many of the articles, especially
clothing, stationary, perfumery, jewelry, etc.,
are really valuable and useful.