The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-31
Dead Letters.
lw ashington Cor. Cleveland Leadc

w aenlnRCOn SOIs OlSNcldlQ LeaQcr.l
The paradise of fools, go few un-
known" is the mental comment as one
sees the many evidences of peoples
carelessness, foolishness and stupidity
which are displayed at the Dead Letter
Office Museum. Arranged in glass cases
on the four sides OF the room are ali
these waits Of travel, displayed with
view to their respective attractions, and
suggestive of the treachery OF postage
stamps and the adverse fate which
sometimes overtakes even mail-bags.
There is everything known to the useful
and ornamental; everything not smaller
than thimble or larger than a stove
pipe hat.
Such a pathetic array OF might-have-
bsens, SO eloquent of disappointments
and blighted hopes! Locks Of hair
there are whole switches OF them-and
as for photographs, we are told that
there are forty bushels OF them in the
basement OF the building. But fancy
yourself the recipient OF nice parcel
from the hands OF the postman some
morning, which upon being opened dis.
closes live snake! Whether one would
20 into raptures or Mysteries at such a
treasure would be matter Of taste,
suppose. But, then, people do send
snakes through the mail, and sometimes
they come back to the Dead-Letter Office
| Tor want of claimant, and we see them
leading a serenely spiritual existence
in a glass jar among other stray postal
curiosities. 1t is a fact that pos tina ster
once found small live alligator disport-
ing among the letters and papers in a
mailbag.
There was also a bouquet Of fresh
flowers, which had siippedsout OF it's
box; and couple of empty boxes, very
similar in size and shape, and both ad-
dressed to ladies, left the poor man in
doubt as to which the alligator belonged,
and to which the flowers.
One can hardly realize that there is
daily average OF 1900 or $4,000 dead
letters, or about 100000 u month. AL
lowing one person to letter, there are
400, ,0O0 persons every month who under
take to send letters either without
stamps, without addresses, or with can
celed stamps, insufficient postage, or H.
legible OF incorrect addresses. Many of
them are without either stamp or ad-
dress, and often with no signature which
gives the slightest cleW to persons send
| ing them. There are forty thousand a
month received that either lack postage
or address, or else have insufficient or
Cancelled stamps; and, strange as it may
| seem, these are sometimes the most val
liable letters, often containing currency
or drafts for large amounts of money.
| 1t is estimated that there Is about $3, ,000,
900 in drafts and $75, 900 in cash received
yearly through dead letters. This is all
returned, if possible, TO the persons
sending it; but if any portion OF it fails
| TO find claimant, it is turned over 10
| the Post-0tfice iund.
| Very little difficulty is experienced In
restoring the checks and drafts to the
rightful owners, but the money generally
| comes in small sums, and is usually senl
| in the most careless, baphaZard fashion,
and the loss Of these small sums anO
| the ignorance or careiessness with which
they are launched upon journey repre-
sent deal of suffering ana disappoint
ment.
It's very amusing to see the letter.
opened, and guess at their contents be
| fore they are brought to light. Three
out of five from bundle Of unad
| dressed letters contained monGy, one o
them a So note. Then ther,
are such quantities of dress samples in
letters. Que would imagine that all
womankind had discovered Language
IN the Interchange OF these scraps oi
dress fabrics. Ohe-half SHOW their pros
perity in bits OF silks and satins, ant
the other half in slips of six penny
calico, and it is only in the Dead ct eli
Office that they NEE on common ground.
Certainly every fifth letter contains q
photograph, and L dOnt i'm. m.gine thai
any great care Is taken TO return lost
photographs; but any one so bereaved
has the privilege OF rummaging among
the forty bushels of human counter
feits" which aaye a9e"Auiated here.