The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-04-25
LOST PROPERTY OFFICE.
An Institution Of Great Benefit to
Thoughtless Persons. ~
A rlace whittier Arc brought tho Flot-
sain ami Jetsam Of London aud Its
Suburbs Quecr Articles Found In
Cabs, Cars s.nd Omnibuscs.

Cabs, Cars and Omnibuses.
The majority of articles left by their own
ers in pubic carriages consists Of such
things as umbrellas, sticks, hand bags,
wraps, cigar cases and opera and field
glasses. 1t is easy to understand, says tho
London Times. how such small items of
personal impedimenta as these may be left
behind, especially after dark, for although
soaie of the better class of hansoms now
carry inside lamps this luxury has not yet
been extended u the greater proportion Of
them or to any OF the four-w heeled cabs.
But it is astonishing to find what q number
of really valuable properties have Sean left
in cabs during the last few years. Vie fol-
lowing is u list of some of tho mcipal
ones, with the values on which the rewards
TO the drivers were based: A bag Of jew
ely, valued ut e1,50O, and another at
41 900; u case containing El.000 IN Bank of
England notes; u diamond necklet, valuo
III ,CtO: u diamond tiara wortl, ESQ; several
packets of bond valued at :t:, 100, ii ,i;O3and
,ei,Uu0 respectively; silver plate weigh
iry 1,C24 ounces, valued ut e240; O
parcel Of bank notes fer ESQ, and
numerous other items of the came
nature, but rather less valuable. OF
coarso all the articles and properties just
iia,aed were c:ain.cd by the owners, tho
drivers of the cabs ia which they were
found receiving pecupiary rewards; but,
although it can not be said that tho sums
paid thcm were inadequate, they certuinly
can not he considered excessive Thus, for
tho diamond tiara, vsued ut ESQ, the re-
ward was .i:s5. In C; scs, however, where
bank notes or bags Of gold are deposited
the sl;pls awarded are properly based upon
considerably higher scale.
The most valuable deposit was nlrde some
few years ago. when - thought!ess clerk,
belonging to ~ bank situated not d hundred
yards from Scotland Yard, loft notes aud
securities amounting to several thousand
pounds in a cas- that he discharged ut the
door of the bank, Within two minutes Of
being paid his fare the driver had deposited
them in the Lost Property Ofllce. 1t is q
nice point in ethics whether, as the cab-man
i:ncw t., whom the property belonged, he
was Justified in taking it to the Lost Prop
cr,y Department. Self-interest, however,
and literal Interpretation of the statute ON
Tie subject o.twsiglled any conscientious
scruples the cab-lrivcr may have had on
that score, and the result to him, at ill
events, was satisfactory, us he received u
reward sufficiently large TO enable him to
start as Il small cab proprietor with IL couple
OF horses and a s'hunso.n'' cab.
Ii may see;a q G.range assertion to make,
but it is nevertheless true, that The owners
of some OF the articles found in cabs l:avc
:,can by no means anxious to claim them.
indeed, some of their Misfortuncs in life
have been dir ,tly traceaDlo to a molnent..-
ry fo-gatf. ..lncss on their part when leav-
ing uti,. 81 those useful vehicles. Slowed
way In the pigeon holes of the Metropol;
an Foi;yo Department. are to be found doc.
unien,s AMI letters which, bong taken to
The Lost Property Office, gave ti:nc.y
warning to the police CT some intended
fraud or cutrags, cleared up q doubtful
,iaw, or possibly led to the arrest Of a
swindler who l.;al long been preying upon
.!,e cfedaii;y of the public. If ru,ncv is to b (,
se!;e.ea, even sonc police officers them
selves iiave net TIC pleas;lntcst recollectlons
Of scE.c unfortunate lapses Of II mnry
which were tie u,cans of bringing to light
:,aners Qeft by them in eaes) that were
never intended for the eyes OF their official
s,.aer.ors. Ihe Lost Property Office, too,
has been t!:e Sc u: OF ..;;: an unfo:. una.
recon,ur. 1t would be & ..cuit to do justice
to the feelings of the joilng undergraduate
who. wi...e rela.ing one morning 10 an ofi-
Ger Of the Lost Property Department his
various vsandcrings the night na.crc in q
hanson cab IN winch lie had left his cigar.
case, discovered at his elbow an affection
ate parent, of whom hc had taken fare.
well cn route to Oxford the previous day,
Lent on u somewhat similar inquiry after I.
:nyolito umbrella. More than one ,naii
..on:;sl jar, 1. o, has been traceablc to the
| '-neNpe.;:..i meeting at Scotland Yard oil
husband and wife. intent on tho recovery
| of nropart, lost on journeys in. Which tllcl
| inutuil interests were by no means CON
~
4 however, the department is net rcspcn,
| sihe.
Few people can have any idea of the i'm
rnense amount of trouble the Lost Property
Office takes 20 retrieve for the inhabitants
4 and visitors of the metropolis losses thai
their own carclessncss las brought upor
them. itis certainly not the fault of this
\ ssef.il department that no owrcrs can bs
found fur ii.',:s.iy half the articles deposited
with it. I;v"ry publicity is given hy ,.dvcr
Using them III the daily papers, and noliue.
of p-c.,erti $ found urc sent To cccupicrs O
ho.,ses. managers OF hotels nd thc:i;ers. i.
all ca.,ea i'll which the driver gives the mum
Der OF ths house, hotc., etc., whence no wa:
hired. Weekly advi,rs are now sent to t!s
Lost l4irga.se Department Of the RAILWAY
Clearing Ecusein Drln,mnnd street, Eustc,
square. OF articles found liz Cubs when the,
have taken up or set down their ''fares' u
railway stations. These advises arc vcr,
useful aids to the recovery of lost property
as c!..:rls arc frequently nude on tho rail
way companies for articles which are sub
secuea,ly found TO hsvc beca loft in cabs.
Tie I.oie in the Wall.
A gentleman who has recently returne,
from quite a long trip through ''the land o
the Aztccs' has been giving some interest
ing details of his experiences to his friends
Among ctacr thincs he said that when III
was in ,hc City of Mexico he was show,
through some ancient buildings convent
and laiis- that were erected by tho Spun
iavds several Centuries ago. In the wall @
| orc cs +hcc a opc;nu% e,,if;ros lo .ov, n e,,,,,