Connecticut western news., 1888-01-11
MAIL ODDITIES.
Queer Things That Are Seen at
 the New York Postoff1ce.

Queer Things That Are Seen at
 the New York Postof1ce.
 A Museum Filled With Articles
 Confiscated By Uncle Sam.
 On the third floor and west side of the postoffice building, overlooking the court, and shut out from the noise of the street, says writer in the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser, IS large room, which in character partakes about equally of junk-shop, storehouse and museum. Over the door is sign bear ing in plain black. letters, Enquiry Of fcc." Mir. Perry Jones is the presiding spirit. %
 sOn entering the office through a pri- vatc door one is confronted with the workshop aud museum proper. A talk with Mir. Jones brings out some inter- esting information. It becomes appar- ent at once that the inquiry office IS no place for person with weak nerves. A package without an address is received. It is opened. A cotton ball is exposed to view, which is foldel layer on layer in the most careful way. In the centre, between two layers saturated with alco- hol, is found hideous scorpion from from the West ladies. Live horned toads have been received here, as also have snakes in heavy glass jars, filled with alcohol. Live turtles complete the list, of nerve-shattering things which the employees have to dispose of. Dynamite, carefully packed in cot ton, powder in flasks, gun implements of hll kinds, and fishing outfits are re- ceived daily. Peaceful things are, of course, plentiful. Samples of every known fabric to delight the eyes of the professional shopper cosmetics, bustles, vclvets, silks and woolens, worsted flowers, oil paintings, plans of houses, specimens of ore and electric apparatus. Sadly crushed, but pretty for all that, a bit of edelweiss, direct from it's native Alp, awaits an owner crushed, toos but no longer beautiful, lady's bonnet, fol. which no doubt the owner fumed and fretted, but it was the bonnet that never came ..s~
 After the Oregon's mail was recovered the supply of shamrock and green rib bon in the inquiry office would have SUD- piled every son of Erin in America with emblems of tn, Emerald Isle. Fruits arc often received but thrown away at the slightest appearance of dacay. Skins of animals for the taxidermist and birds wings for tho milliners also find their way into the office, together with jew elry, ofttinles of great value, and notes and coin. Shoes, clothing and hard ware are not wanting. A specimen card of insects, containing all species native to a certain part of Africa and addressed to scientist of promi- ncnce, has just now been forwarded to the owner. A prize pumpkin and complete set of dental instruments were reposing side Ly side among heap of papers when the reporter called, and on shelf directly back of the table, al- alphabetically arranged, were newspapers from all parts of the world.
 In the book department, books prin- cipally foreign, in elegant bindings, with dust for company, and manuscripts 1 and even corrected proofs-ready for the printer-form an interesting part of the collection. Novels in paper cover are everywhere.
 MT. 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 1 it's establishment, seven years ago, it has grown to be necessary part of the gi-, l gantic postal system in operation in this city. To this office all parcels not ad- l dressed, or from which part of the ad- dress had been oblterated, are sent. To this office are sent also all improperly packed parcels, and those which the postal officers have reason to believe con- tain contra band articles. The business of the employees in the off is to put the addresses where they belong, repack the par cels when < necessary, confiscate the things which have no place in the mails, and otherwise remedy the mis- take caused by the carelcssness or igno- rance of the sendcrs. When parcel is improperly packed or something is wrong with the address, if the person for whom it is probably intended can be found, a circular is sent to him with the request for the name and description of the article If the answer is satis- 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 res ches its destination. Two men are constantly employed asserting the mutilatcd addresses and one kept busy recording articles which arc await
 ing claimants. Besides these there are several clerks who do nothing but fill out the notification blanks and repack arti- eles for shipment.
 Articles of an indestructible charac- ter are kept three months and arc then sent to Washington. Fruits, vegetables 1 or skins arn disnnsnd of at shnlL 10.