The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-01-07

NOnttnS vi Dttu ItttcTSs
Speaking of the approaching auction
sale of articles which have accumulated
in the Dead Letter Office since 1869, the
Washington Star says: "In all cases
where letters and packages contain valu-
ables they are returned TO the writer or
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.
ter Office. The money alone which
yearly finds It's way INTO this office ranges
from $75, 900 TO $4,000 During the
last fiscal year the amount re-
ceived was $77, 1876. 66, OF which
S54, 537.17 was returned to the for
warders, and S2,629.49 remained
III the hands Of the department June 30,
1872. Some idea of the articles accu-
INFLATED may be gained when 1T is stated
that the list embraces 2,2l9 miscellane-
Gus articles, (including wearing apparel
of all kinds 1875 pieces of jewelry,
some very valuable 1,5S5 books, treat
ing on almost every subject 800 chro-
mos, III pieces OF sheet music, and 102
stereoscopic views. Among the me-
chanlcal Implements are organ valves,
sewing-machme 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 rs it
does thousands of articles, from pair of
stockings to a lady's dress. The niscel-
laneous articles embrace Harmonious,
Docket compasses, needle-work, sun
! glasses, book-marks, keys, needle cases,
papers Of pins, razors, spectacles, hair
switches and chignons, baby shoes, for
eignStamps, shoe buckles, fishing tackle,
scapulars and Agnes Deis, butterflies,
fans, crimpers, scent bags, watch cases,
rosaries, bullet molds, cloth charma,
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 chips,
crucitixes, 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-lts, one squirrel toll, wings of bat. 1"
General Mail Agent Bangs i'll n 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, a few
days ago, and hastily made a schedule
of some of the most striking curiosities.
Among them We're /: Rattlesnakes, g..
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, bottle; moe
casins, several pairs; telescope, l; bill
lard balls, l; dolls, several; stuffed
birds, l; toys, very many; silver goblets,
4; gambling implements, q good many;
! jewelry, large quantity sets Of false
teeth, several; American flags, 2 +;
masks, 2; bowie knives, 3; razors, l;
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
on, ana the mowers ana aIllgaUor 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 i'll 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 IN alligator, forward to
Mrs. --, Albany, \. 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"