New-York tribune., 1879-12-08
HOW BUSY MEN BLUNDER.
A CrRIOrs PARr OF ME POsT oFFIcE-


SINGULAR MISTAKES SET RIGHT.
Tho amount of oarelossness which abounds IN
hnman nature is nowhere better illustrated tian In
the missing letter and INJURY department of tue
General Post Office Ia this city. The falling is not
found to exist solely among people unaccustomed
10 the ways of mercantile life but the records Of
the department show that some OF the leading
business men OF the country are the greatest
offenders. The department IN this city is presided
over by John H. Pundy, who has in Mr "pTairieD
Jones most efficient assistant The Office IL sim
ascd OH the second floor OF the Broad way side of
the Post Oicc building, and large staff Of clerks
Is kept constantly employed In correcting the
blunders Of men who pass IN the community as
careful and attentive business people. OF coufse
when IA letter goes astray in the Post Office, the
officials are at once blamed, but Investigation in
variaby shows that the fault does not lie with
them. Msdrecton il fruitful source OF
trouble. but it frequently happens that the
persons to whom letters have been mtrustei
to be mailed either wilfnlly or through
forgetfulness fail to put them in the Post Office As
rule when it Is suggested to the sender Of letter
that he has possibly made error III the address
the idea is secuted as absurd, but n few minutes
later when the letter produced and the error on
his part is demonstrated, the complainant becomes
the embodiment Of politeness.
A record OF all complaints is kept in the Office.
and the result is duly cnronicled Such entries as
Found IN the pocket of the sender" Found in the
folds of a newspaper" Found in a desk un-
opehed," Package sent by express" Misdi-
rected" and stolen by party to whom Intrusted
for mailing" go to make up the record. In fact, it
seldom occnrs that no trace of letter can be
found. Some OF the entries in tho book are very
funny reading. Take for instance this one. fur
nshcd by a country Postmaster: III Mr.. Smith
calls again to complain of tn Office should like
him 10 know that when men write to grass widows
as often as he admits he has done they had better
have the boys fred" In tins case Mr. Smith had
grOwn-up sons, aud one Of hem admitted having IL
terceped the letters about which the complaint had
been made.
prominent firm in this city writes tho Postmas-
ter as follows
For prompt and polite attention we send ac-
acknowledgement and thanks. Courtesy is not n dead
letter by any means. for we find 1t IN the searching
department"
The oowing speaks for itself:
An envelope has Just been returned TO ms from
the Post Office which had been dropped IN BY mis-
take by of our messengers. liz contained T2.6lO
IN gold and gold drafts. This gives me an Oppor-
tunIty to express our appreciation Of the honesty
and reliability OF your employees.
G.. G. WILLIAMS,
Casher Chemical National Bank n. Y"
There Is spice OF romance III TINS one from
country postmaster:
Respectfully returned with the information that
/ yesterday called upon Miss OLearv and 10 rs
somewhat singular fact that she informed me that
she had received all three ol ne letters. would
state further that was invited by the lady TO stay
to tea, which invitation accepted. and had very
fine time, "a Miss OLeary is very fine young lady
and the very best of company"
The complainant in the above was a detected
lover whose letters the lady had received with silent
contempt. The sequel OF the aifdr was tie mar
riage OF the gallant postmaster and The young LADY
about four months ago.
rhe number Of curiously addressed letters coming
into the department Is very large, but ~ rule
they are the work OF Ignorant persons. Ihe IRISH
man who addressed letter 10 "sacrety Seward.
Sacrety of War; Care of Andrew Johnston, %
Washington, America. United States" va. quantity
definite III indicating the desired destination OF his
One of the annoyances in the Department is a
practice INDUCED III by dishonest persons of making
bogus complaints AS rule, these people tell "A
story of letters containing money. winch have
not reached tnefr destlnatlon In nne cases out OF
ten the cOmplllnans are little better than trlmps,
and never owned dill of larger denomination than
$40 Slill. they will claim thai they have enclosed
a $50 bill to a relative IN one OF the far Western
States and tnat IL has either been lost or sfo'n An
INJURY as 20 where they obtained the 700 Dill
usually ends the complaint Others who conpiain
of the loss Oi large sums OF money wI' confronted
with an affidavit to sign, MAKE - me excuse FOR
delay and after leaving the window ncver seen
again. One person. last week, when the affidavit
was presented To hIm asked II he would be charged
Il Zee. On uelng Informed that he woul0 have 20
'settle" with the notary public. although h. claimed
TO have lost $40 Re at the clerk most ylgOr-
ously ANA went away declaring that ne wOnid never
pay another dollar toward the support OF the he-
publican party.
auiry Tor persons who have lost their pocKetbocks
PIckpockets do not care tO retain "a pOcket-Dook
alter they have secured what money 1t contained,
anu unfrequently they deposit the rltied purse
in the nearest letter-Dox. When the nook contains
any means of ideBtfyIngIts owner the authorities
give notice TO the losers where their property can
De found. In this manner many valuable papers
have been returned. On saturday, November ~,
live pOcket-OOoks were brought INTO the office IRON
the lamp-pOst etter-OOXes.
Not only has the Department to deal with missing
letters but 1t Is aled upon tally at this hc-
day season, take charge of InnumeTable parcels
which are depOsI ted without addresses. Slturdays
collection of this kind of matter illed two immense
baskets, and among the articles were dress. a
baby's jacket pair of boots several dolS, nam.
Der of boxes of toys, pair OF very handsome gold
bracelets and quantity Of frIll work. Wedding
cake In the Office daily. and It Il against
the law 10 send 10 through the mails the clerks OF
the Department have become cxprrts deciding
the quality of cake. About 40 per cent OF tue
articles without addresses are either returned 10 The
seniers or forwarded tO the owners instructions
from the sendcr-, who discover their III, re-
nainder OF the stun sent TO W ashingJon and ,heTe
sold by auction.