Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-03-22
"Yes. your name and address. -
ssRut INV name is inside.

..No. madam; we arc not permitte'
to do it.
I Sometimes the clerks relax this rul'
for IN infirm person ora pretty woman
who has left her glasses ct home.
Incidents like the foregoing are o
common occurrence in the registr,
division of the Chicago post-ofice
Most people who have letter regis
tered for the first time, and, in many
cases, the only time in their lives. d.
not take the trouble to ascertain in ad
vance the prerequisites of registration
They expect the post-ofice officials t.
give them the necessary information.
A person who is posted in the rule!
and complies with them avoids trouble
and detention at the post-of6ce. HI
hands in the letter. and in . few
seconds receives a receipt for it HI
is expected to take care of this receipt
until advised of the safe delivery Of
the letter. II he has occasion to in.
quire about the letter he must take hi.
receipt to the pOst-office, and not, a.
some stupid persons do, 60 there and
say:
ten days ago and have heard nothing
from it.
The clerk will be sure to ask for the
receipt, SO as to make reference to the
date of the registration and the regis
try number in the post-ofice record.
Unless the receipt is produced search
involving considerable trouble is inn
posed upon the clerk. The people who
get impatient about the delivery of q
registered letter are generally those
who do not know that safety is con.
sidered before celebrity in the transmits
sion of registered mail" Ordinary
letters 60 straight through" while
registered letters have to be receipted
for at every point of transfer on their
journey. a precaution against loss
which causes some delay.
The main purpose of requiring the
name and address of the sender on the
envelope of registered letter is to
provide for the return of the letter to
the sender if it be not delivered within
thirty days. The department has re-
peatedly urged the adoption of this
plan with unregistered letters, but out
side of commercial circles it is seldom
done. To promote the habit of putting
the return request on envelopes the
department has had printed across the
end of some of the stamped envelopes
issued by it line reading, elf not de-
lived within ten days return to -"
but the blank is seldom filed.
When a letter is delivered the re-
ceiver must sign color card accom-
panying it. This goes back to the
sender and apprises him of the receipt
of his letter by the person 10 whom it
was sent. Some persons-intelligent
ones included-who receive one of
these cards will rush to the post-office
and, displaying the card. will ask for
''that letter." A mild-mannered clerk
will ask:
'Have you read what is on that
card?"
mo, sir; l have not"
"Wcll, if you had taken the trouble
to read it you would have found that
it is the acknowledgment of the receipt
of registered letter sent by you to
the person who has signed it. That's
his signature. -
20, so it is. 1 thought it was a no
tice to. call for a registered letter. I
beg pardon. Good day."
To insure the delivery of a registered
letter to the right person, rule of the
department requires an unknown
claimant to be identified before let
ter is delivered to him. In cases where
there is doubt colloquy like the
following occurs:
us there y letter here for John
Smith?''
us that your name?''
Eyes, SIR"
The clerk then asks from what place
the letter is expected and the sendcr's
name. If these questions are satisfactor-
lily answered the clerk will inform Mr..
Smith there is letter for him, but he
must prove his identity before it can
be delivered.
bring somebody here that knows
you and that we know"
'.How can know who you known"
You can find out by asking. Bring
some one who is acquainted with any
one in the Office"
After further parley Smith goes of
muttering, in all probability. but soon
returns with a person to identify him
and gets his letter, after ''signing for
it" in the delivery book, and also sign
ing the return receipt
The Government does not guarantee
indemnity for the loss of registered
letters. Nevertheless the reliability of
the service is demonstrated BY the
small percentage of losses annually
from fire, robbery, etc. This safety is
assured by the responsibility attaching
to every official or employee who han
dies registered mail matter. Il must