The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-07-19
WARRINGTON LETTER.
WAsMl NOTION, Julv I'D, is

of misdirected anJ lost letters may
be OF general interest. The number
of letters that so aslray aud never
reach the persons for whom they are
intended is small compared 10 the
whole number going through the
mails, yet it is tar greater than any
one unacquainted with the facts
would guess. hundreds of epistles
OF one sort aud another-somc. both
precious and imporlant-miss their
mark every day and, hundreds of
hearts are made sick by hope de-
ferrcd. In the early colonial times,
so the old yellow pamphlet in the
Department achives tells us, great
lpains were taken 10 recover letters
| that had been lost. A letter in those
days was an expensive affair, com
paratively. Paper cost a great deal
and the postage was from 20 cents to
$l.O0 to say nothing Of the trouble
aad annoyance of having TO white
out your own pen from the quill and
impressing OH the back of The nissive
that immense seal which was then
customary. Some OF these remarka.
| bic old epistles are still 10 DO seen at
the Dead Letter Office. Their faded
lines aud yellow appearance lags one
into q deep revcrie OF long gone days,
iand mind pictures OF the writers who
Fyears ago have crulnbled into dust
From November III to December
l7S9--twelve years all the letters
that went astray are recorded in
book of forly.onepages This is
quite contrast with The record one
hundred years later, wheh during the
single year 1877 over Tour millions OF
dead letters were received at the Post
POtlicc Department. WIN all The care
and facilities provided for the trans
porlation and delivery OF the mails II
may he wondered why SO many let
tiers go astray. The fault is not win
the post officials or The postal sys-
TEN. 1t is very rarely indeed that a
letter correctly addressed and post
paid fails TO reach It's destination
Buta great many letters are desposi-
ted upon which tho address is wrong
or the postage unpaid, and IN many
other cases the person addressed has
removed or lett the place. These are
The letters that find thei, way to the
Dead Letter Office. In many cases
they could come directly back to the
writer II his address were on The out
side of the envelope. Often letters
are deposited properly sealed and
stamped wiihno address at ali, aud
many mlscarricd letters are meyer
heard from by tho writer because no
name was signed to them. All this
leads 10 the reelection that we are an
abscnt.minded people.
For opening, asserting and tho
work OF returning this Immense
number otdead letters ninety clerks.
two-thirds ladies', are employer, and
they have enough TO do at that. 1t i:
easier TO talk about millions OF letters
than TO handle them one by one
Each must be Inspected, marked ant
recorded and majority are returned
to the writer. They are opened BY
squad of clerks sitliug-at long tables
! i'll n large cheerful room. 1t any
thing valuable is contained i'll then
they arc handed over to another di'
vision where the contents are regis
tered and placed in a largo sale FOL
future redemption. II there is moth
ing in them OF value, they are sent VI
stairs, where the ladies inspect them
and II the address OF the writer i
: found the letter is inclosed 10 the per
son by whom 1t was written. II Tn
q letter has been held for postage, cir
+ cular is sent 10 the person to whom
4 is addressed, informing him that Their
has been received at the Dead-Letie
Office letter directed to him whicl
will be forwarded upon receipt OF tn
necessary postage. 10 this circular
the Department receives many yer.
very funny replies. ii no response
made within thiriy-days, 1t is trealc'
0 as an ordinary dead letter. TIL
. great number and variety OF valuabl
, articles sent through the mails
: amazing. vince year the Dead Let
: ter oiilco has safe OF these uil
claimed and unreturilablc articles
/ There are small parcels OF laces, sill
Q and ribbons, embroidered iindergar
!, inents, gloves, periumery and pow
. ders for ladies, trlnkets OF every DIES
scriplion for babies and children, an
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