Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21
LOST CHRISTMAS PARCELS.
When You Send Them by Mail Observe
These Trifling Precautions.

"H people realized how often Chr istmas
packages go astray," said Assistant Postmaster
Sherwood to a Stan reporter yesterday, they
would take mere care in sending them by mail
don't think that am making an overesti-
mate when 1 surmise that something like 200
parcels are held at this Office every year on an
average at this season instead OF being dis
patched to their destinations, ali on account of
some carelcssness or other. What sort of care
iessness! Why. mostly failure to put on suffi-
cient postage. Peoples notions regarding the
postal rates for packages are. as a rule, exceed
ingly vague; it would be worth their while to
get list Of government rates for transporting
matter other than letters. One thing very diff
ncult 10 teach also is the rule relating 10 the
wiring That Is permitted to go on the outside
OF bundles posted as merchandise"
age that is held for postage TO get il 70 the in
tended recipient?"
we write at once TO the person addressed
ana say that package for that person lies in
tne Washington post Office awaiting the paymen
OF postage due. Almost invariably We receive
a reply inclosing the requisite amount In
stamps and duly forward the parcel. III the
sender address is on the bundle we notify the
sender immediately. Ii very rarely bappeus
that Christmas bundles remain finally on our
hands. But when they do they are sent. as a
matter OF course, to the dead letter Office, and
II not Claimed are eventually disposed OF by
! SALE"
What is the rate of postage for Christmas
III they contain simply merchandis and no
wriing, one cent an ounce. They must be
done up, however, SO that they can be opened
readily, II desired in the post office: i. scaled
up they require letter postage. Christmas
cards go at one cent for two ounces Now, as
TO writing on the outside the regulations are
very precise and it would be well If every one
understood them. In addition 70 the address
the word from with the name and address of
the sender is permissible; also the word
merchandlse or any other simple indication
OF the contents OF the package. Besides
the words to be called for or per.
sonaI or any other request or direction as to
aenvery. Forwarding or return, are allowed
Nothing beyond this will pass-particularIv not
anything intended to convey an idea to the per-
son addressed; the notion is. of course, that the
writing on the outside of the bundle is exclu-
siyeiy intended for the information of the post
once department, and not to carry any intelli-
gence to the addressed Under the last admin
lstration, by the way, it was held that th.
senders name and address could not
De put on without subjectng the
parcel TO letter rates; but the rule
Is otherwise now. / would like TO caution peo-
pie addressing postal matter to this CITY to
always write Washington, ID. c. If they
SIMPLY put on Washington the letter or pack
age Is very apt to go out to the state of Wash
lngton, some distance out of the wav, We ex-
Pect good deal of trouble from this mistake
now that the state has been admitted to the
Union. Persons here often write New York
ave: SO carelessly that their letters go to New
York city, while other letters addressed indis-
TnItiy TO the Navy Yard 90 likewise to New