Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-01-13
MAIL ODDITIES.
Queer Things That Are Seen at
the New York Postofice.
A Museum Filled With Articles
Conflscated BY Uncle Sam.


the postoffice- -bnIding, overlooking the
court and shut ont from the noise Of the
street, says a writer in The n. y |
Commercial AdveIi'er, is a large room.
which in chsrScter partake3 about
equally of junk 'hop, storehouso and |
museum. Over tic door is sign bear.
ing in plain black letters, Enquiry Of
ice." Mr.. Perry Jones is the presiding
spirit
On entering th lice through a pri-
vate door ono confronted with the
workshop and m Lscam proper. A talk
with Mr.. Jones~tdngs out some inter
cstin, information. 1t becomes appar-
cnt at once that the inquiry Office is no
place for a person with weak nerves. A
package without an address, is received.
1t is opened. A cotton ball is exposed
to view, which is foldel layer on layer
in the most careful way. lii the centre,
between two layers saturated with alco-
hoI, is found hiloous scorpion from
from the West Indies. Live horned
toads have been received here as also
have snakes in heavy glass iars, filled
with alcohol. Live turtles complet. the
list of nerve.shattering things which
the employees have to dispose
of. Dynamite, carefully packed in cot
ton, powder in TASKS, qua implements
of all kinds, and fishing outfits are re-
ceived daily. Peaceful things are, Of
course, plentiful. Slmples of every
known fabric to delight the eyes of the
professional shspper--co cosmetics, bustles,
velvets, silks and woolens, worsted
flowers, oil paintings, plans Of houses,
specimens of ore and electric apparatus.
Sadly crushed, but pretty for all that,
bit of edelweis', direct from its native
Alp, awaits an owner crushed, too
but no longer beautiful lady's bonnet
for which moi doubt the owner fumcd
and fretted, bit it was the bonnet that
never came.
After the OIgon's mail was recovered
the supply Of shamrock and green rib
bon III the iAf Office would h9 h,9,.r
piled eve Erin in An = = =
are often 4 but Thrown away Al
the slightc gsarance of dacay. Skin.
of animals forthe taxiIermist and birds
wings for the miIliners also find theil
way into the office, together with jew
elry, ofttiues of great value, and note,
and coin. Shoes, clothing and hard
ware are no; wanting A specimen
card of insects, containing all species
] native 10 a certain part Of Alric;
and ADDRESSED to scientist of promi-
ncnce, has just now been forwarded t
the owner A prize pumpkin and
complete set of dental instruments were
reposing side Ly side among heap o
papers when the reporter called, and OF
a shelf directly back of the table, al.
phabeticalIy arranged, were newspaper
from all parts of the world.
In the book department, books, prin-
cipaly foreign, in elegant bindings,
with dust for company, and manuscript
and even corrected proofs-ready fol
the printor-form an interesting part Of
the collection. Novels in paper cover
are everywhere.
Mr.. Jones says that the system used
in disposing of the accumulated matter
was copied by every large city in the
union and inquiries regarding the work
Of The department are frequent Since
it, Establishment, seven years ago, it ha-
cr wn to be necessary part Of the gi-
q tic postal system in operation in this
city. To this Office all parcels not ad
dressed, or from which part of the adj
dress had been obllterated, are sent. Tc
this office are sent also all improperly
packed parcels, and those which the
postal officers have reason to believe con
tain contraHand articles. The business
Of the employees in the off
is to put the addresses where
they belong, repack the par.
GELS when necessary, confscatt
the things which have no place in the
mails and otherwise remedy the mis-
take caused by the carelessnes3 or igno-
rance Of the sendcrs. When a parcel is
improperly packed or something i:
wrong with the address, if the person
for whom it is probably intended ctr
b. found, a circular is sent to him with
the requ st for the name and description
Of the article. If the answer is salts
factory the parcel is forwarded. In
some cases the person addressed does
not know the contents of the package.
In that case the name Of the sender is
procured from the person addressed, and
the parcel reaches its destination. Two
men are constantly employed asserting
the mutilated addresses and one kent
busy recording articles which are await
ing claimants. Besides these there arc
several clerks who do nothing but fill out
the notification blanks and repack arti-
cles for shipment.
Articles Of an indestructible charac.
Ter are kept three months and are then
sent to Washington. Fruits. vegetables
or skins are disposed of at short no.
tice.
Mexican HumOr.
At party some people were speaking
Of lady who hal died at the ripe age
Of Sc years.
Among the persons present was one