Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-09-28

Of each week. Lettera bearing a re-
tIrn request or the name OF the sender
are not advertised. These letters are
all addressed to Boston, and bear upon
their face no evidence OF inability to
deliver them here By this is meant,
that they are all to possible Boston ad-
dresses, otherwise they would be sent
to the inquiry division. For instance,
If letter was addressed to John Jones,
Front street, Boston, Mass, it would
not be held for delivery, but would 90
to the inquiry division as misdirected,
for the reason that there is no Front
street in Boston. The Boston post
office sends to the dead letter office at
Washington about $500 pieces Of mail
matter a week which has been held
here for delivery. This does not in
clude the misdirected matter sent to
the dead letter office from the inquiry
division, but simply that which is
plainly addressed to this city Prob
ably good many OF those letters are
addressed to people who have been
temporarily stopping in the city, and
who go away without receiving them,
perhaps caring nothing for them. But
the failure to deliver in a great many
cases is Of real consequence to both the
sender and the addressee. 1t is fair to
presume that postmasters in all parts
OF the country receive complaints about
the non-delivery of letters which are
lying misdirected in the Boston post.
office
The inquiry division of the Boston
post-ofice receives upward of 1000
pieces of misdirected matter daily. It
seems almost inconceivable to those
who are shown about the office, that
there could be so much matter misdi-
rected. There is little town contain
ting population of only few hundred,
famed Boston, in Erie County, N. Y,
Which is furnished with a Boston,
Mass, directory, and which by every
mail sends to this city large package
of letters misdirected to that place.
These letters are usually intended for
houses which are among the best known
in this city. The theory of the law OF
averages finds fresh Confirmation in the
number of misdirected or Asufficiently
letters which are received in
the inquiry division. A record is kept
of the number received, and the vari-
ance from day to day is very slight.
Mondays about 800 are received; on the
other days of the week about 500 The
excess for Monday over the other days
is due to the accumulation from Satur-
day, as no work is done in the division
on Sunday. Here are some samples OF
misdirected letters: Schooner Panther,
box 272, R. IL MARY F. Oxford,
Berks Vier County, Mass" This is
plainly intended for Berkshire County,
but no post-office is given. "W. Will
son Windermer, Mills, Gilbertville,
Conn, N. W; "Mr. AlbertH jackson
Connecticut in care of Lewis Bros in
Heart" 1t was thought that the latter
might possibly be intended for Hart
ord. Here are number of summer
resort addresses with the names of the
persons omitted; "Sea Shore House,
ingalls,, near Boston;" vienna Beach,
Cape Cod;' Stone Cottage. Me. !" He'd
ling Camp Ground. N. H. !" Graves
Cottage, Lake City, Me-" These are
probably all local names which are
given to places, but they are not post
offices, and are not known to the post
office officials.
The system of tracing letters is neces-
arily slow in its operation, as mail
natter transmitted over long distances
'asses through many hands, and it is
ometimes necessary to get report
rom every person who has handled the
tray missive. As the result of an in
twenty-five individual re-
'orts will sometimes be returned,
IL connected together, making quite a
oluminous correspondence. 1t is the
'ractice to return the whole corre-
pondence to the person making the in
uiry. In cases where letters contain
money, it is generally waste of time
D bother with an investigation. The IG
resumption is that such letters have
cen stolen. This is especially true in
ases where letters are addressed to the
gents of lottery companies. Every
hing is done to discourage the sending
money in the ordinary mail, but still
great deal is sent in that way. 1t
roves constant temptation to poorly
aid or habitually dishonest clerks, but
ill many people would rather run the
isk OF loss by theft than to take the
'ouble to have letter registered or to
NY money order
Speaking OF the delay in the system
tracing letters recalls an anecdote
I'D by an official in the registry divis-
IN, A great many registered letters
re sent to foreign countries, the Ital-
ms being especially particular to have
leir letters containing money for
lends or relatives at home sent in this
ay. Many of these people are unable
write, and as a result of getting 9TH
people to do their writing for them {
any OF the letters are misdirected. To
ace such letters takes long time. 9
he tracers apparently lie in the for t
gn offices for months at time with
1T action. People who are anxious to c
now the result Of the inquiry sent '
'road come to the post-office every few +
Iys asking for information, and it Il S
lpossible to explain to them intellis t
bly, the reason of the long delays. d
ne official referred to- tells in hui d
Orous way, thasR young man once d
Mt misdirected letter abroad. and I