The Phoenix herald., 1879-07-12
Misdirected Letters.

the sender expected, to the large number
 of misdirected or partly directed letters
 which were daily dropped into the New York postoffice. The number, Post
 master James says, Is between 50, ,00G
 and 60,0 900 each day, and they include all manner of mistakes and errors. In
 some cases the superscriptions might
 well serve for prize puzzles, so adrOitly
 though unintentionally, has the writer
 concealed his thoughts In other case
 the lack of any direction whatever
 makes the officials minds as blank as the
 envelope; in others still the omission of
 the name of the city or village leaves
 the postoffice officials powerless, as 8
 rule, to forward the letter to it's destina-
 tion, though in many instances, owing
 to the skill and knowledge of the ex-
 perts to whom the work-is confded, they
 are able to supply the omission. But
 not the least source of trouble, and one
 which finds its origin chiefly in the neg
 ligence of business men and others who
 ought to know better, is that which
 arises from failure to attach the name
 of the State to the address of the person
 for whom tine letter is intended. In the
 two cases which have brought the sub-
 iect into some prominence, the letters
 were simply directed to their proper ad-
 dress, Philadelphia, the State being
 omitted. Until within a short time
 since the distributing clerks had been
 permitted to guess at the State meant by
 the writer; but some mistakes having
 been made, and much trouble caused
 thereby, the postmaster gave orders that letters thus imperfectly addressed should
 be turned over to the experts, so as to insure greater accuracy. Consequently the two letters in question were delayed a mail or two, and by reason of the de- lay cash transaction involving $50 900 was imperiled in one case, and an i'm portant order lost in the other.
 Alll postoffices of the frst-class ex-
 perience in less degree the difficulties and perplexities which the New York Postoffice daily encounters and although
 mistakes are frequently made, the won der is that they are not far more numer- ous. Most readers would be astoDished if they examined the official list of post offices, and observed how comparatively few places there are which do not have one or more duplicates in name. The failure to remove doubt as to the locali- tt of place, by giving at least the name of the State, compels postoffice officials to resort to guesswork; and while this proves to be correct in nearly every case when an important city Is involved, the chances are against correctness when all the places of the same name are obscure, and there is no certainty in any case.
 To show what a wide field there is for mistake, 1t may be remarked that among the leading cities of the country, San Francisco, New Orleans and Jersey City are the only ones without dupli- cates in names. There are no less than twenty Washingtons, besides if teen places in which Washington forms part of the name. There are three New Yorks, seven Philadelphias, eighteen four Chicagos, four St. Louises, eight Cincinnatis, twelve BOs- tons, five Baltimores, five Detroits, be- sides one Detroit City and one Detroit J Junction, eight Pittsburghs, besides three Pittsboroughs, fifteen LouisvilIes, fourteen Newarks, sixteen Butfalos and twenty seven places which have Buffalo as a portion of the name, sixteen Albanys, ten Clevelands, two Indianapo- lises, three Milwaukees and one Mil waukie, thirteen Providences, and eight cen Charlestowns may be added.
 Most of the important towns in have their duplicates. Thus there are twenty-six Greenvilles in the United States, twenty-three Monroes and twenty-one Jacksons, while there are forty-eight other places with Jack son as the principal part of the name. There are thirteen Hillsdales and as many Albions; fourteen which rejoice in the name of St. Joseph; eleven called nine Masons, eight which are plain St. John, and five which make the name St. Johns, seven Lansings, six Ionias besides an Ionia City, and six each respectively called Hastings, Char Iotte and Adrian. There are tive cities each going under the name of Battle Creek, Flint and Niles. There are four Paw Paws, besides Paw Paw Ford and a Paw Paw Grove, and there are four Grand Rapidses. There are three each called respectively Bay City, Calumet, Lapeer and White Pigeon. There are two Fentonvilles, and, closely allied to them, three Fentons. There are two Allegans, two Grand Ravens and two The list of Michigan postoffices which have their "double, and in some cases their double several times over might be continued at great length; but the instances we have given are sufficient to show how essential 1t is that the name of the State should follow the name of the postoffice in an address on letter.-DetrOt Free Press.