National Republican., 1873-12-18

uhis department. ThAt our nvad-I.ottsr Offfve II
,Gm, Peopltl Sspy prsyaisSt Sss,, appears ifpr.;
Malls u9ndon, lssih IN which oeclus tho ioi,
YER oficc,' "RInny country een,icmen wesW seem
y cherlsh the Idea that the ppmss os their man.
ms%es ss aSa neesw S 9S:s s, 1"% ~
noenisie their correspondents with .se same hb'
Bat 4 Is not always c.rclc.sness an the part Of
the writer wklch prevents a letter from roachiuI
W nesiinauong In many cases nobody y To
he aSen ~ ss,ips aT Tsp TsI. a.ssS
over tho fcstmnstc1 Gsncral's report we nri y
thcroin stated that si,Iio leiirrs were received
from bo,els TO which they had been sent, the per.
sons addressed bavlng len ior parts untnown.
Likewise Thousands OF letters are received ,pcausc
n%ns m.m n" hom.s @ Or rS,%soc s%en,s nsSs
on ihe letter without leaving notice Of wAere they
could be found. etc. Sometimes the address ls 30
badly written or spelled that II chnnot rvpselbly bc
made ov,, although, for that matter, have seen
the oiielnls in tho post Office decipher addresses
else hut ''profcss,ocaiss who, Tor instsssc. would
eve, suppose ,ha, Mae lIhnnnhs lie stands for
SesssnsISlle =, ssSnkisi Orssaniil or ,awsile"
York, is frnmily mutiiatcd in some aldrcssss;
and Key Wcst Florida, saw myself written ns
Tor Chicago, and "Kcssclgsrten' for t'svie Gar.
den, arc only amusing. aud not troubiesom while
they are easily cNcn'rd aud accounted Tor by their
evident Dutch or German origin.
soNr srsrIsr,cs.
Having thus enumerated the causes which con-
sign this vast multitude Of letters to the Dead.
Letter Office. we will now see IN what manner
formed that one Of three things would Inynriabiy
be the safe " every letter received In this olhcc
the hrst Of which, although the least probable
one, was the delivery of the letter 10 the person
10 whom II is addressed. sfler merely Temporary
delay. Sometimes the ofneials in this oi1.e suc.
given up bY The less expert s,tcsrs in The tbo other
depariucDes Of the Office. or outside poet offcer.
Again, in the case OF a letter, imperfeciiy ad-
opening II, when Il can he forwarded accordingly.
alter the neeessary delay BY passing through this
as in the majority cf eases ict,ers cann"t bc
mailed to the Pors6ns for whom they are intended
but only returned to the writers. Only when the
tained by opening the letter, or when II Is found
to be merely a printed circular Of no value, is
qutntly to the papcrmill. Thus the number Of
letters, without lneosurcs Temalicd to the writers
in ls7o was So 52S, Of which ilsy oi were d.iiv
ice for the second time. after having remained a
month In the post ofice from which they were sup
posed to be be mailed IN the iir.t place. Returning
consigned to the paper. basket and the mill.
This business of returning letters to the writers
aRcturn-Lctter Department. In the gallery an,
stairs. To them belong the duties Of re-enyelop-
Ing the letters In the we'll known yellow dead.lef
approved June IL, iscc, these are rsturned 10 The
Writers free OF charge
to nc return Of We isqs' ssASSSSe
Post.ofnee parlance, is understood such as have
the card q address Of the sender printed or writ
ingly, In their original envelopes. unopened and
nee Of charge. Another lady 10 engaged in re.
turning letters containing ,postage.stamps and
small amounts Of fractional currency. and close
BY v seated quite beyy Of fair clerks. industrl.
ously engaged In re.wrappinp and mailing photo.
sendcrs. And the number Of ihir kind Of letters
last year there were ieinrnc to the scndcrs 5s ooo
we're duly dei%seS %ss :, ae,. r1Sn saan s -.
turne, to the Dead Letter Once and thsre nIed
cSsa se namsT ShsS
me mails is simply enormous. Especially during
inc war photographic cards were sent by millions,
Increased. neccssitatinp the employment Of an
extra force TO return such Of them could not be
ds,ivered. Thousands: however, came back to the
once for the second time, and these were all Ln.
serted In an immense album, containing several
.hSn:ana portraits. which kept IL the sosalcd
and shown to visitors as one Of Us curiosties.
IN THIS MUSEUM.
which IL located In u room al Joining the main
nail OF the dead letter ONCE, Is stLrcd away a
multitude Of articles which form one Of the most
heterogeneous and curious collections that have
ever seen; IL the objects which are here collected
were not Tor the greater part new they would re-
anything else. There arc rings, watches,
brooehes earrings chains, eye Rlasses, lace col,
lars, cigar holders cmbroiderics, fancy slippers,
nsckues, gloves, tby the gross,) babies dresses,
htnnets, homemade cocks, pocket.handkcr.
chief, fans, mcersehaum pipes, and articles Of
bg0hierfc without number. There IL scarcely an |
article which can pass through the malls that Is |
not represented here. There were even sewing |
maehines, raEors, models, mantlc.clocks and |
books by the hundred. All these things are here |
stored away under lock and key, awaiting to be |
reclaimed by the sender. IL no reclamation has |
been made for a certain number Of years they q re |
disposed OF at public auction and the proceeds |
deposited In the United States Treasury. In like |
manner all money not reclaimed at the expIra-
tion OF three years II transferred to the Treasury
,, subject, however, to the call and disposition
q any Gle w"nt VII" may appear and prove his
'A~ntlty. - =