The Arizona sentinel., 1885-12-12
UNAVAILABLE MATTER.
Some Articles Which Uncle Sam
 Will Not Transport.
POisons and Explosives, Living and Dead Animals, Razors and Needles, Fish hooks, Glass, Etc., Considered
 Slightly Objectionable

''One of my duties, sad retail stamp-clerk of the Post-office, ''is the weighing of parcels; and one of the most interesting subjects 1 have to deal with is called, ill the phraseology of the Post-office regulations, Destructive Un- mailable.' Matter may be unmailable for several reasons, such as the size or weight of the parcel, indecency, con- nection with lotteries or other frauds, and the fact that it is dutiable goods; but destructive unmailable' consists of things that are unmailable because of their liability to injure the other mail matter, or to injure the clerks handling the mail, or other people. The Ameri- can Post-office seems to me to be rap idly taking on the character of a Ma tional express for light freight. The number and character of the parcels that are mailed every day at Chicago would, if generally known, create great astonishment. They are limited to four pounds, but within that limit people seem to be crazy to mail every thin 2 they can lay their hands on. Hats, shoes, bed-clothes, and all sorts of hard ware and iewelry are handed in all the while. The rule is that these articles must be wrapped up and directed before they can be weighed, but am often so- licited to weigh them before they are wrapped; and one day a laboring man whipped off his coat and threw it through the window at me, with the earnest request that 1 would weigh that The people seem to think they can send anything they choose through the mails, including matter that is liable to destroy the Post-office, or kill dozen people before it reaches its destination. Hence destructive unmailable' has to be very closely watched. The infiexible rule in my division is that no parcel is to be weighed unless the person present. ing it will tell what it contains. This excites a good deal of indignation some- times among the applicants, as they may have to unite their parcels to find out what they contain, or take them away without mailing them at all. Not one in ten persons who mail a package ap- plies to have it weighed; but it is all the more important that those who do ap- ply should be educated concerning what is mailable and what is unmailable 5
 ''Of what particular articles does de structive unmailable' consist?'
 obstructive unmailable is divided into two classes. One class of these ob- jectiOnable articles can not be mailed at all; and the other class can not be mailed except when incloSed in tin or wood. Those articles that are unmail- able under any circumstances are liquids, oils, ointments, fatty substances easy liquefiable, soft soap, powdered red pepper, poisons, explosives, infiam- mable matter, animals alive or dead, unless stuffed, fruits, vegetables, matter having bad odor, razors and firearms, except in detached pieces. These arti- cleS are not admitted to the mails know ingly under any conceivable circum- stances. Then candy, cake, confection- cry, pastes, glass and sharp-pointed in struments, including fishhooks and needles, are not admitted unless in closed in tin or wood. This rule is just as intiexible as the other. People kick about both of them, but they kick in vain.
 What harm do such things do in the mails?"
 1.-Two things must be borne in mind to understand this: First, with refer ence to mailing-clerks, that they work at night, by an imperfect light, with great rapidity, and have to seize mail matter by the armful before they have inspected it; secondly, with reference to other mail matter, that let ters and merchandise parcels often go together ill the same pouch. In large offices separate pouches are provided, but where one pouch will hold all the letters and par cels, only one is used; and in process of transportation these pouches are rolled and shaken necessarily, and often sub- jected to considerable heat. Keeping these two facts in mind the danger of mailing these articles may be seen, though some people can't see it, even then. A razor is peculiar thing. The bladc can easily be pushed through the handle. When in mail-pouch if a Wel,-ter's dictionary falls on it, the blade cuts through and wood or tin box it is likely 10 be inclosed in, and then re- mans exposed for the rest of the jour ncy. By the incessant jolting of rail road train 1t will then make rats nests of hundred letters, and on its arrival st its destination cut of finger or two