Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-09-15
How Letters are Lost

as many different poOPio 80"
reach their Attended destinations were
last year oEvned. There are a score u
cIsrks here who are favored among
"a 600 600 inhabitants, for they are al
lowed to open letters addressed TO peo'
nle of whom they know nothing
There are some forty ladies here. wh9'
n they be but half as curious. half as
romantic as the majority OF their sex.
find their work very congenial' TOT y
is their duty to read this vast amount
of correspondence. although the pleas
ure is no doubt lessened by the TACT
that rule OF the office forbids any IN
formation thus gained from being d'-
Vulged.
However, says = Washington dis
d atcb. without breaking that rule,
few interesting facts relating to these
letters may bs safely given. In the
first place. the letters go 20 what Is
known us the opening table, where
thew are opened. and all Yaluables.
from a tooth brush or collar button TO
a 81, 200 draft or $50 bill, taken from
the ordinary run OF communications
and classified. Here the clerk has lit
tie or no time for anything but work.
as dealing with 1000 or 2 900 letters
In a day. taking care not W over
look any thing Of value. keeps
one busy. The letters come
10 the clerk la bundles OF
100 each, and from the appearance OF
bundle. with regard to neaGness OF
cleanliness ha does not have 70 look
al the addresses TO tell whether IL
comes from the north, this south, the
east or the west. He knows New
York drop bundle By rs peculiar
shape. arising from the large num6or
OF enclosed circulars. The terror Of
the opening clerk Is Southern work
Opening a letter from the south
usually means very ragged work.
Sometimes il IS written on = dozen
different pieces Of paper every one Of
which must DO opened ia search Of q
hidden postage stamp or dime. II Is
always dirty and often contains haiE
clipped from some wool headed
negro Western work Is comparative.
~ clean, while outside Of clio large
cities letters coming from New Eng
land postofiices are the usates,. This
clerk also tinds out what Kind Of letters
are most frequently lost There are
u great many circulars sent here. A
New York or Philadelphia firm advog-
Using It's goods gets hold Of a
Cincinnati or Chicago directory and
sends several thousand circulars 10
people whose name appear there
Many OF these persons have moved
since the directory was issued. aud
consequently the circulars are not do
liyered
LETTERS FROM swISDLERs.
Lottery aud green. goods circulars
come IN By tho thousand, Another
class Of letters consists % those al.
dressed to firms or persons whom tho
law or the press have found out 10 30
swindlers and who leave suddenly for
parts unknown. Many Of these letters
contain money ranging from ton cents
TO VI Green. goods mon who have
made themselves scarce also come In
for their snare OF lettsrA Nearly All
the letters addressed to them contain
an acceptance Of the ''bargins" offered
to uususp Getting haysceds, together
with original UirCnlar sent out by the
sharpers, which. TO throw an air OF
secrecy about their transactions, they
ask TO be returned TO them. An amaz-
ing example Of ignorance in conpor.
ton with this business came TO light
here n day or two ago. After CORE.
spending With some cOuntryman t,r
quite while tho dealer in green good.
had sent "A genuine 81 bill 10 M. ,.,an.
tiiential friend" The bill wHs ssn, n.
an alleged sample Of tho goods made.
Inc dupe answer 10 this letter shows
now well the sharper had PLAYED his
cards. His letter was evidently writ.
ten with the idea Of making the nj.
legged counterfster think hs wa. dsaI.
ing with an old hand at tho bustn.,s
lie stated that he bud examined the bin
sent, and found il to be- as nearly DER.
iect as counterfeit money could pos :.
ply be The letter ended something
IKE TINS: Don't desert me. am \
pine (eYidently meant for 'pooTD man
You want to send mo /. 600 for 2iO
lei me how to send IL aud by then I
will hav the money"
Another, and very humorous elias,
OF letters, consists Of unpaid bills with
please remit" or IAN in need ~
money, tackled on Mt the bottom
Letters d rccted TO guests al hotels nro
also yerr plentiful. Watering pInca.
winter resorts aud healthy ioraIItic.
send IN more than their proportinn
For a while Los Angeles. CHI ~.
nished more work for tho olIIc. tb,n
dld Philadelphia Florida sends M a
great many letters in early spr'ng
while Atlantic City. Ocean Grove Xxi
other seaside resorts loom up nmnzing'
ly towards fall.
READING DEAD LETTERS
70 tue ladies' 10 the returning d,.
Partment.--for Il is MANAGED AIM,
Soiely oy ladios-is reserved tho work
OF more private nature. Il III thntr
uuty 70 examine aud read lottera aan,
from the opening table. in order ~ ~,
q proper address to send them ="
among political and business oorro.
sPonuence' or may DO sandwIehed ho.
tween q dunning letter and n cironio.
setting forth the Advantages Of n nsaa",
nay-rake, Is a delightful little ioS"
story, with just enough uneertain,S
ABOUT inc real circumstances OF M