Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-10-16
Post-ofiioe Department.
DEAD LETTER OFFICE.


WASHINGTON, d. G., Sept, |, 1890.
Over six million pieces Of mail matter
are sent annually to the Dead Letter Office
by reason of incorrect, illegible, or detc-
| lent address, insufficient postage, insecure
| inclosing, whereby matter mailed becomes
separated from the envelope or wrapper,
or the failure to be called for or delivered
to the person addressed. This is daily
average of over twenty thousand pieces.
Of these the greater portion either are
not called for at the post office to which
they are directed, or, IN case of free deliv-
cry offices, the address cannot be found,
notw outstanding every known means is
resorted to on the part of the postal otiic-
ials TO effect delivery.
Matter sent to the Dead Letter office,
which cannot be delivered to the person
addressed, is required to be opened in its
treatment for the purpose of return to
the sender, and if the name and address of
the sender be not shown or cannot be as
ccrtained from the contents. and it con-
tains no valuable inclosure it must be de
stroycd.
Letters opened and found TO contain any
inclosurc of obvious value are entered
upon proper records, and. of such. those
which do not disclose sufficient informa-
tion to enable them to be returned are
filed, subject to reclamation upon proper
application and identification.
Letters which contain no inclosure of
obvious value are not recorded.
Packages and parcels are recorded. and
where they do not disclose the name and
address Of the owner are filed if not call
ed for or claimed within t.o years they
are disposed If at public auction and the
proceeds covered into the United States
Treasury.
A large prop ortion Of the packages and
parcels sent 20 the Dead Letter once fail
TO be restored To the owners because Of
the absence on the wrappers or Enclosures
Of anything TO indicate ownership thereof.
Information aS to the character and nat
urc Of the matter thus received at the
Dead Letter oliicc, and the conditions and
Influences which occasion its failure to
reach the persons To whom the senders
designed it to 20 may be Of interest, and
the mere statement of it carry with it sug
gesiions which may serve the public in its
exercise postal privileges.
VI rlrr,ction, incorrect, illeglble, and
dehclrnt address are given as leading
causes which occasion the failure Of mail
matter 10 reach it, proper destination. and
affect alike that which is 50 addressed to
either city. town. or village
In addition 10 these. in the case of mat
ter mailed to cities or rrc-dclverv offices.
are the failure to give street or number,
business or occupation, or some designat-
ed place Of delivery OF the person address
ed inability to lind transient people and
their neglect to give forwarding orders
for their mail; the neglect of permanent
or temporary residents To notify the car
rlers or post otlice Of change Of place for
~. Il
moving from one part of the city to anoth-
cr. together with the failure of newcomers
to furnish the post office with their names
and places Of address. II is to these
causes with Others of more or less con-e-
qucnCc, that the non delivery Of mail mat
ter l.. in tile main, attributable, and they
are conditions over which the postal ser
vice has no control, aud may alone be rem
eIicd by the people themselves.
The following suggestions, II observed,
Will aiG the dispatch and delivery Of mat
ter sent through the mails, or its return di-
rrCtly 70 the sender in the event Of non
delivery, and thus prevent the annoyance,
delay, and embarrassment caused by send
ing matter To the Dead Letter ptiice.
Mail matter should be plainly aud cor
reCtly addressed, the name Of the post Of
flee to which it is TO be sent should be
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should be added.
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-
nf ,,t,.J,,i,s,r a,,t ,,r,,ar .r,n., IN
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y, ,,a,r -. f.,,nL
II.,I, 1. ,,,,,,r.ri
l., '.i',r,,tnn in .i,, ,,har,. ,h. Letter
carrier system /, in operation should be
marked "TrauSient' or General Delly-
.ry." If not addressed to A street and num-
Der. or some other designated place Of de-
livery
The name and address Of the sender
either printed or written. should be placed
upou tic. upper left-Aand corner of the en-
yrlope or wrapper of all matter mailed.
This will secure its immediate return to
the, sender from the. mailing Office for cor
rcction if improperly addressed. insuftici-
entity paid, or otherwise defective; thus
aforliny opportunity to comply with the
postal regulations and requirements, and
title it 10 all the privileges of the mails,
and is especially useful in the case of
packages and other matter mailable at less
than letter rate of postage. which is re-
stricted to certain conditions and require
meDts as to weight. size. manner of inclos-
ure. etc.
Letters and all other matter mailed, so
marked with the name and address of the
! sender that should fail 10 be called for or
delivered to- the person addressed, and
| unon which full letter rate of postage