Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-09-19
The Dead letter Office in Washington,


dead letter office, l recognized at work a
lady whom | knew, and by her was
introduced to Mr.. Thompson, gentleman
whose business it is TO conduct visitors to
the different tables, and explain in detail
all points of interest. Information is
given cheerlully, and the only compensa-
lion demanded is the undivided attention
of the visitor while the old, old story is
being repeated. This demand is not
made with words, but with whitening
look from over the spectacles of his guide
and sudden halt in the information,
speaks louder than language, and one is
quite willing TO accord him the attention
his kindness merits. In the left hand
corner of the room stands long table TO
which is brought the mails from over
the United States. TIE total number of
letters received last year was 4,2O0,O00,
making an average of $4,000 Cor each
working day.
Letters are sent to this Office for various
reasons, the principal of which are, not
having been called for at the Office to
which directed, Insufficient postage for
mailing, that they contain articles forbid
den to be sent by mail, that they are
illeslbly addressed, and over ll,00O bear
no addl ess at all.
A great deal of unnecessary work arises
from The ignorance of postmaslers. Let
ters are plainly addressed, bearing upon
the envelope the business card Of the
sender, with the usual request to return to
same if not called for. These are some
here as dead letters, instead of being
returned to the writer. A letter which
was addressed to n town in he province OF
Quebec, having the same name as one in
the states, was held a month at country
post Office and then sent to this Office.
Upon examination it was found to be
properly addressed, and was returned to
the Office from which it came, with a
"reprimand" to the p. NJ, asking him
wha, he supposed P. @, meant, and he
cody replied, 'pretty quick
Letters with revenue stamps from
match and cigar boxes, and stamps
cut from postal cards, are received FREE
quenlly, the sender having intuition that
il takes something to make IL letter 60,
but ignorant of the requirements of postal
laws.
A package of sealed letters is put into
your hand fer inspection, and to one
accustomed 10 office work the superscrip-
ton is as Greek, yet there are ladies
employed there to whom this miserable
writing has become so familiar, that
almost at glance they can decipher the
most complicated address. These letters,
unopened, are enclosed in an envelope
properly addressed, and forwarded to the
person named, with the request that if
received the envelope be returned to the
office, not so much as Il curiosity, as to
learn the result of their effort TO make
this branch of work success. Tney
seldom fail 10 reach their destination, and
upon being returned, the envelopes are
trimmed, the proper address is stamped
in the lower right hand corner, and they
are arranged in scrap book for the
amusement of visitors. Twenty thousand
letters last year contained money in cash
amounting to over $4,000, the largest
amount ever received in single letter
being six one hundred dollar bills; "a 900
containing checks, drafts, ETC., amounting
Ito $1,979 20 Every letter containing mon.
ey or an enclosure of value, is recorded and
can be claimed any time within four
years, at the expiration of which time it
goes into the treasury of the United
States. There is no uniformity in size and
weight of parcels addressed to foreign
counties. Twelve ounces is the maximum
weight and the size is limited to 12XoX4,
for samples of merchandise to Belgium,
France, Great Britain and Switzerland.
10 countries of the Postal Union the size
is SX4x2, weight 81 Some of the most
valuable parcels received are addressed
,t,.;n IntaInpH
because the contents are dutiable,or exceed
the limit of weight and size. No coin or
iewelry is allowed to be sent by mail to
foreign countries, in compliance with
rule which became effective five years
ago 1t was my pleasure to stand beside a
table where sata gentleman whose business
it was to open letters containing enclosures
to foreign countries. There was variety
of iewelry and coins ofevery denomination.
inserted in cards, securely fastened, and
all alike were detained. In some cases
the money was the hard earnings OF
parents and children, sent "over the sea,
10 bear back to them the loved ones lett
behind, expecting "lhe joys of meeting to
pay the pangs of absence" but their
hopes were not realized, unless there was
II stlonger clue than the signature, which
TOO often was nothing more than father
or "brother." Then there were locks OF
golden hair, and in the same envelope
pictures of bright, happy faced children,
lust sent "to show how delicate soil the
golden harvest grows in
The number of visitors per month fire..
ouently exceed five hundred, which him
dered work to such an extent that curios'
tiles received through The mails, and
unclaimed, have been collected, and a
museum tastelully arranged for the enter
tainment of visitors, and beyond which
room none arc allowed to go; nor do they
have need TO do so, as all information one
can desire is intelligently given by Mrs.
E., the lady in charge. 1t may be inter
estino to enumerate the articles sent by
mail. Washboards, ,satchels, umbre Has, iron
bitching posts, tin pans, false teeth, boots,
fans, hats, bonnets, cheese, sausage rattle
snakes, alligators. horned frogs (alve in
perforated tin cans,) dress goods, and
photographs ad tnfni!um. After every
effort TO restore articles to their owner
has failed, they are put up in packages
and sold at public auction once in two or
three years. Among the many interesting
articles in the museum is book contain.
inc n record of letters received from l777
! to 17S9. and one finds the number received
in one day at present far in excess OF the
eleven years.
Over one hundred persons are employed
at salaries ranging from $3.50 to 5000
number of whom are women at one time
prominent in Washington society. French
s. Evans, now in his eighty-fourth year,
performs his daily labors acceptably,
having been appointed by President Jack
son in 1929, and serving almost continu'
ously.-Ne'O York Observer.