Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-03-06
THE DEaD-LETTER OFFICE.

INANAAA
THE DEAD-LETTER OFFICE.
Fr~-ks .nd uunar. Of Ths~e Who Use
the nIall.-Ths Mussun NJ the Dead
Letter Oaicc-A Rare and Curious Col-
lrcffon-DrsIi Franks Of Letter -Writsrs-
The greatest attraction to visitors. Of
when there are hundreds daily, Is the
museum where are displayed. in
glass cases. = very large collection Of
strange and curious articles that have
been taken from the mails Few of
those who are accustomed 20 pafronize
the post-oiiic8 IN the usual way would
believe that many Of the articles here
shown could ever hare found their way
into the Ezzils. but we have the assur-
aace Of the officials that everything in
the museum Was sent. or tried to be
sent. BIZ post. and we do not feel at lib
erfy 10 doubt Their word Some of
them found = permanent res.ing-piace
on these shelves by reason of their be-
ing s-deaf' matter. Others because they
exceeded the limit Of weight allowed BY
law 70 be carried in the mails. or for
non-payment OF p0stage-n0s enough
OF none al all-wh lie Enany come under
the class Of article5 excluded by the
regulations of the Department Il NAV
be szid. in : general way, thar the
transmission by NAL is prohibited Of
anything that Is Of n Perishable nature,
OF that can in IRE other mail matter OF
Is liable 10 harm those who handle the
mails. Liquids Of every kind. ANYTHING
thar can uroduce combustion. loaded
weapons and vegetable snd animal mat
Ter, except under Ger ain harmless con-
dirions, NAV be cited IS examples of
eee he necessity of strictly enforcing
these regulati0ns- Doubtless many
packages containing unlawful articles
are daily received and delivered. il all
parts Of the country. but if by any ac-
cident or other means the contents of
such parrels become known they are &c
o1ce taken frum the ma;l and carefully
forwarded 70 Washington
Avery pleasant lad o. fisfy-fiFe Is in
charge 4 the museum She knows the
history Of every article. and answers .
Thousand questions adsy. more or less
Qur attention Is iirst attracted to
SEVENTEEN SNAKES
Of different sorts and sizes. one Of them
II rzffleSnake between two and three
Eet long- Although we have b.en told
4 general way tha. everytl ling in
1T Mas taken from the mails. n shade
.;uass Is 10 the snakes inTo'untarily
ESes our mind and we inguiie: Did
= r fi.gs ueally come in as mail
r.atsnrgf'
.sCertainly. they did" size replies.
. That large rzffier aEd FIVE OF six 9TH
ers arrived IN one lot. and fhsy were all
alive. too They were c0iled in tn
cans, with holes 60 let in the arr be-
Iere thew were mailed in EVrida- OF
course II their conien;s had been known
they would not hsre ben forwarded.
The big one got out Of the en- into the
mail pouch. and MS lousi ratrling re-
Fealed his presence % thu man who
was handling the bags- The Others
have arrived AZ different times during
the past three OF four year"
The snakes are all picked in alcohol.
i happeaeG that while we were taking
= clerk came IN with a bottle contain
snga small snake thar had just been
found in ops ming dead packages II
was immed ately placed on the shelf be-
side y fellows.
There Is also quit larve assortment
of taranfoias. certipedes-that the hOys
IN the army used % call Texas bed
feIlorEsr-horned toads. lizards and
scorpions. and several juvenile alliga-
tors. nearly all o. which were alive
when theE reached Washington There
are ser. raj very fine cards Of butt rifles
and insects. and an assortment of stuffed
bids and small animals Sca- fhrss is
a very large
HrMAX Skull
which was mailed 70 doctor IN Phila-
delDhia. but for some reason he refused
% receive II and il was sent here.
Among other curious things on this
shell are a cows hO0f. petriiiel hui
man ear. The talons C al eagle. and,
hanging fram n nail. an old grip
sa- On another shelf sre several
lunches Of fire crackers and two boxes
of matches that were al N the same
package, a sarge specimen from the
once famous M1iOc lava beds. the in
side works 0f a clOck- and general
variety OF pipes. from the primitive
corn-cob 70 the meerSch-um. Among
these are several Indian pipes. very
curi0usly wrong 1 Next 20 these are
several tambOurines. accordions and
musical instruments Of various kinds.
Above these is 81 almost complete
HoRsENAS's OCTFIr,
fn-ludlng briile. curry-comb and
br-h, saddle-blankst. halter. STR
rups. Tenders. riding gloTes-al
except the saddle-a1d n string Of
sleigh bells. These articles arrived at
different times There IS also 4 small
iron hitching- post. which Was not ear
red 70 is destination. on account Of It's
overweight The other day the Super
infendens Of the Dead Letfer Division
Was showing this iron post TO lady
visitor, who was somewhat incredulOus.
She could scarcely believe that anybody
would put such = thing into the msiL
He assured her that such was the Gaze.
when she asked-. with = sly twinkle:
And WAS tke horse hitched 20 il when
il came here" About \ year ago 4
dead package was opened and found to
contain
RET0LvER. LOADED AsD COOKED.
Il was addressed 70 young woman in
some Western town. and j. supposed to
have been inforded 70 do her harm
The package did not find her and in due
time arrived here- no accident. fort
unafeiF. resulting from the Fery dan
r,erous condition Of the weapon Il WAS