The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-01-06
Contents of Dead Letters.

Speaking OF the approaching auction
sale of articles which have accumulated
in the Dead Letter Office since 1859, the
Washington Star says: SIN all cases
where letters and packages contain valu-
ables they are returned TO the writer OF
forwarder If there is any clue to his adj
dress, and when none can be found they
are OF course retained in the Dead Let
tor Office. The money alone which
yearly finds its way INTO this Office ranges
from $4,000 to 100000. During the
last fiscal year the amount re-
ceived was $77, 1866, of which
$54, 537.17 was returned to the for
warders, and $2,629.49 remained
IN the hands of the department. June 80,
1879. Some idea of the articles accu-
mulated may be gained when it is stated
that the list embraces 2,219 miscelIane-
GUS articles, (including wearing apparel
of ell kinds); 1875 pieces of jewelry,
some very valuable; 1856 books, treat
ms on almost every subject; 900 chro-
mos, 217 pieces of sheet music, and 1O2
stereoscopic views. Among the me-
chanical Implements are organ-valves,
sewing maohine tools and needles, but
ton-hole cutters, tuning forks, saws, files,
steel wire, avis, scissors, spirit gauges,
siphons, screws, pruning-shears, shoe
makers and blacksmiths' tools, surgical
instruments, etc. The list of wearing
apparel Is very long, including SIS it
does thousands Of articles, from a pair of
stockings to q lady's dress. The miscel-
laneous articles embrace Harmonious,
pocket cOmpasses, needle-work, sun
glasses, book-marks, keys, needle-cases,
papers OF pins, razors, spectacles, hair
switches and chignons, baby shoes, for
eignbstamps, shoe buckles, fishing tackle,
scapulars and Agnes Deis, butterflies,
fans, crimpers, scent bags, watch cases,
rosaries, bullet molds, cloth charms,
bird wings, glass eyes, weasel, wolf and
coon skins, napkins, dolls clothing, air
gun and pop gun ammunition, artificial
teeth, toothpicks, buckles, sardines,
boxes of shells, pipes, butcher knives,
wax candles, glue pots, shot pouches,
corn huskers, nightcaps, poker schips,
crucifxes, baby rattles, chewing gum,
gas burners, one china angel, one pie
crust cutter, hats, corkscrews, whip
lashes, dog collars, rattlesnakes' rattles,
pepper boxes, scythe stones, three what
ls-its, one squirrel tail, wings of bat.
General Mail Agent Bangs in recent
letter says:
81 looked into the collection of az
ticles which have passed through the
mails and never been called for, pre-
served in the Dead Letter Office, few
days ago, and hastily made a schedule
of some of the most striking curiosities.
Among them were Rattlesnakes, 6.
These had passed the mails in perfor-
ated tin boxes. Centipede, /; snakeskin,
l wooden shoes, pair !; ladies' black
hair, sets; OK horns, l.; gold watches,
3; Colorado potato bugs, 1 bottle; moo
casins, several pairs; telescope, /; bill
lard balls, /; dolls, several; stuffed
birds, L; toys, very many; silver goblets,
4; gambling implements, a good many;
jewelry, large quantity; sets of false
teeth, several; American flags, 2;
masks, 2; bowie knives, 2; razors, 1;
minerals and shells, many.
Bouquets of flowers are frequently
sent through the mails. On one occa-
sion bouquet ana young alligator
were in similar boxes in the same bag.
The lids of the boxes accidentally came
off, and the flowers and alligator were
at large in the same bag One box was
addressed to lady at Albany, N. Y,
and the other to lady at Bridgeport,
Conn. The route agent was troubled to
know in which box to place the
alligator and in which to
put the flowers. Finally he settled the
difficulty by putting the alligator in the
Connecticut lady's box, and writing
thereon IF you were expecting flow
ers instead of an alligator, forward to
Mrs. Albany, N. Y On the
Albany lady's box he wrote : If you
were expecting an alligator instead of
these flowers, forward to Mrs.
Bridgeport, Conn., By good luck the
agent got the different articles into the
right boxes