The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1885-10-09
IN rmE DEAD LETTER OFFIcE.

ordinary visitors. One of the fret
things ofinterest to be seen upon en-
tsring is q 6ne-looking old lady, who
acts AK the curator of the museum and
general guide. This lady presents to
every visitor printed statement, 10
which is contained the following
The whole number Of dead letters re-
ceived during the last year was 4.S43,-
900, or an average of 1858 for each
working day. or these, s,7l9,Ss0
were sent here because they were not
called for at the post-oilices to which
they were directed ii 2,64S were re-
turned to post-ollioes by hotel-keepers,
and thence sent TO the Dead Letter OF
fce because the departed guests for
whom they were Intended failed to
leave a new address l33, 1886 were
sent here because they were insuihci-
emily prepaid for mailing 1877 be-
cause they contained articles forbidden
to be transported in the mails ; 3l4,-
7l9 because they were erroneeusly or
ilIeeibly addressed while IA, l34 bore
no subscription whatever. The mum.
ber of parcels Of merchandise, books,
clothing, needlework, jewelry, etc, re-
ceived during the year was 69,637. OF
the domestic letters opeued, 1887
contained money, accounting to $685.
770.l7; 90, ,2o4 confined drafts, checks,
money orders, etc, to the amount OF
IsI,576, ,94s.l3; s4,0ss contained post-
age stamps ; 1899 contained receipts.
paid notes, and cancelled obligations OF
all sorts; 3S,34S contained photographs
and 25, ,554 contained articles OF mer-
chandise. The articles received which
can neither be delivered to the person
addressed nor returned 20 ths sender
ara sold at auction, and the letters are
destroyed.
After digesting these statistics, o'
declining to do 80, as the case may be
the visitor is shown q lot of clerks a.
work "robtiny" dead letters. sPeeia
efforts are made to impress the visitor
that be is not allowed TO so near thes'
clerks that the contents Of the letter
are kept wonderfully sacred, and tha
they are very valuable. This may b
: : All true, but there are very few bust
: ness men who would give a dollar oil
! ! for half bushel Of thea, as specuia
: tion.
But to the museum. II consists c
three large double-decked cases, whicI
!; contain almost everything, "from
: knitting. needle to a steam engine
}, Here and there are packed mp paten
d medicines, Of every conceivable kind
from corn-destroyers TO Iung-healers
pads for everything, from the headach
to chilblains shoes Of all kinds, fro
In those worn by the Arctic traveller
q those worn by the almoneyed Chin
"a man. Alb, alb, here Is real rarity
s,r ~ lock Of hair OF the assassin, Guitesr
Tor He had sent it to an admiriDg femal
with a card, as follows "This 60
tains my hair. Charles Guitean."
e don't know why It never reached her
on, and neither did the old lady and u
" less the lady 10 question wanted 1t
.by a dime museum, don't know Why
- ever asked for it. Guiteau's autogra
,e ,eu, attached is the best, cIearest
ell strongest.look cLiosraphy In the !
: st 70 tire case. The ordinarily accepted u
Usa q that a weak maa will show it in
Q 81 ~ handwriting, is effectually denied
SO'- this relic Of the assassin.
Behind it, on the shelf below,
'hei ledger kept by Benjamin franklin.
soTR. s3s the right are dozen glass jars OF p
,SSr Ssw, led snakes, centipedes, horned frogs
ESsi DSuc lipators, and other horrible things
. note attached informs all readers
these snakes, lizards, centipedes, b
ed frogs, crocodilcs and infant al
,NEa tors were sent through tae mails q
hihI in perforated tin cans. Such Ire
under the law is not allowed II
mails. and all who try IL are lab
ItIand, have their pets captured in this
and packed in glass jars, so they ca
shown to the visitors to the Dead
ter Museum. Perhaps it would
better thug if they were thrown .
SICK In case alongside is the skull
young lady. There is an intere
story connected with it. The old
did not know it. It has been X
ON secret from her. and she will rel
tba frat time if copy OF the
ever reaches her, az it probably
a Fran Postmaster-General Villas is my a.
itv. He got it from one of the ?
concerned. There was mur'
prompt Iowa about four years since. 4
- lady was found at midnight, on !
ut " road, dying from q blow from
dull instrument. She had bes'
ployed as cashier in large ma
~ turing establishment, and was
: ~ to carry the key Of the iron safe
l1:aLr,aot On her way