The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-18
DEAD MAIL MATTER.
How 1t Is Assorted and Disposed of in the
Dead-Letter Office.

How 1t Is Assorted and disposed OF III inc
Dead-Letter Office.
Among the many places of interest
to be visited in Washington, perhaps
there is no other that is SO absorbingly
interesting TO the great mass of visitors
as the Dead-Letter Office and the muse
um connected with it. There is nothing
to be seen here but every one Is capa-
BILE of understanding and appreciating.
Just inside the large hall space Is
rallied off, where visitors may stand
and observe at their leisure the work
that is going on so busilv. Over fifteen
thousand letters day to be examined,
assorted and disposed of! What large
corps of clerks is needed for the work,
and how qnickly, skilfully and mechan-
ically it goes on In the first room the
letters are opened and assorted, those
containing money or articles of value
going one way and all the others going
another. A simple motion Sits open
an envelope with unerring precision.
The letter is withdrawn, unfolded.
folded, replaced. The next letter the
same. How fast the heaps of the ex-
amined letters grow, bu. the work
does not end, for the supply is never
exhausted, but is constantly replenished
as the letters are passed on.
The opened letters containing inclO-
sures of value are restored to the send
ers when practicable, otherwise they
are recorded and filed away. and may
be reclaimed at any time. Other letters
are not recorded. They are returned
to the writers, if possible. and when the
writers can not be found the letters
are destroyed. In the year 1884. more
than 1900 letters contained money,
amounting to nearly $4,000. Some
10000 letters contained drafts, checks.
money orders. etc, to the value
of more than S1.500.0O0. Some
idea of the growth of the postal service
in the United States for century may
be formed. when we consider in this
connection the statement, quoted from
q postal report in 1897. that 800 val
uable letters have accumulated in the
department since 1777." Many thou
sand letters are received annually con-
tanning photographs, postage stamps
and articles of merchandise. Thousands
of letters are deposited yearly in the
post-office bearing no superscription
whatever, and all such of course are
forwarded to the Dead Letter Office for
examination. Easter cards and Christ
mas cards are received by the gross.
These are distributed once month
among the children in hospitals. All
reading matter received, papers and
magazines are distributed among adults
in hospitals.
Interesting as is the work that is
being carried on in the Dead Letter
Office, the museum of articles collected
there is infinitely more so. An incon-
ccivable variety of interesting objects,
beautiful, horrible, attractive, disgust
ing, amusing, pathetic, valuable and
worthless, are arranged in the glass
cases. Some nice jewelry is displayed,
brooches. locketS, watch and chain,
the latest addition being fine gold
headed cane, brought in the very day
of our visit. There are number of
pretty rings, slender and dainty circlets!
How many an unwritten romance may
they not have represented! Were they
betrothal rings, long looked for with
vain expectancy and hope deferred?
Did the senders wait for response till
the ardor that prompted the gift grew
cold? Who can tell? Only the sybils,
sworn to secresy, who have perused
the messages accompanying the gifts.
Washington Cor. Boston Herald.