National Republican., 1873-12-18
AMONG THE DEADyETTERS,
vIsTf TO THE oRE4r M4UsoIgUM OF
THE GENERAL PosT OFFICE.

WHAT LETTERS ARE DEAD, AND now
THEY ARE EMANAaED-MYsIrHIy yf THE
OFFICE - EccENTmCITy OF Writers
DkAD-LETTER eTATIsTIcs.
The dead.ictter ONCE at washixt,on 4. situated
bsnding-a magnificent stract ere OF creamy white
marble, which 10 justly considered as one Of the
handsomest edihces In the national capital 1t
fronts north on street, faoiisx the Patent Once
opposite Entering through one Of the doors on
this street, wc ssocpd, armed with y pass and a
letter Of intrcducttea from the Third Assistant
Postmaster General to the second moor, and rre.
sent our pass to messenger on guard In the an te.
room OF tho deaaletter ONCE. with courteous
bow we arc at once admitted, through an iron
wicket, into the sancturn-a large. obiong. well.
bsoad gallery running round the fcur walls % sur.
ported upon slender iron pillars. This room Is
plainly but substantially furnished and looks no,
tts numcrous desks and tables, ali occupied by
clerks, whe are couniiuF, separating nssorhnn,
.tters 6olne toward The centre Of liz rom, We
observe large table In the middle OF the hocs at
sL,eh are o. seated shout t,cnty clerks essh with
pile Of letters bcfcrv him. Thl. work iyperforrcd
With marvellous derrec Of precision snd rapidlty.
Ietters has dlsaepeared, sad in u place arc
waste bssket hall fuii ofoprncd envelopes onone
s,ds, snd on the s,scr box NH q neatly folded
smother table facing the wlrdow We nnd hnls
sosen cicrks husily engaged iphssortirE the let.
terr which are coming In syery moment In bags.
large and small Of black oil. = In, painted In white
ktterp,
"prApInrrkn DIR ART NrNr. WASHINGTON"
These are the hcarser whnh convey the dead let.
sers 70 this crest mnusolc1m TO be given In charge
ef the force Of clerical fnderthkcrs that We seS
around ua In comes huge sack. say from Phil.
adeiphiA and Is cmptiei out upon tho table, form.
ing small nountaln n the centre of II. Adolcn
hands simmedlately Cripple " IN II; ana gradually
epencd, ompticd arl disposed Of IN like manner,
We step nenrcr, and before they have isappear arcd
eSamBc the conte,ts Of this second bap as they
e before ne In ths centre Of the table surrounded
BY the bury clerla, eager TO tackle" their prey
The pile conprscs letters Of all eikes, weights,
shapes, colorr- cut sf envelope, and degree OF
sleaniincss. Nere 10 the large oficial letter, In
~ foolseap envelope; th. heavy fat banker. let
ssr inelosine sends or other papers Of value; the
With card rinted In the corner of. the eny elope;
the modern cold pressed" rough, and square en-
yelope, with an intricate monogram, In coiors on
ehe hspi the dainty little lilac or rose-tinrpd
eesrerf, dirscted n atimid ladys hand; the black.
edEcd envelope talas! much more numerously
represented than one would think; y and last. hut
mol least, letter, without numbers from the kiteh
selovs, with the direction written IN yellow ink,
eiafonaly nom the upper lcft corner TO the lower
IiNht one, and with blotches and correct ions In.
Nenernblc. While We look on the TApidly.dlmIn-
tshinE piie, one OF the clerks hands Us q letter.
nHnhed with Queen Nictorln's head. and bearing
- address which thought sufficiently curious Il
eepy IN my notebook; and hero 1t is, rerbaiini