The Russellville Democrat., 1890-11-06
DEAD MAIL MATTER.
An Interesting Circular Issued by
the Dead Letter Office.
why Millions OF Letters and Parcels Fan
to Reach Their Destfnation-Sug
lions That should BE Observed
by Everybody.

Ouic0 by reason OF lDCQrrects lliVSA DIE
ordefcient address, insufficient postage,a
insecure inelosing, whereby matter
mailed becomes separated from the en-
velope or wrapper, or the failure to be
called for or delivered to the person adj
dressed. This is a daily average of
over twenty thousand pieces.
OF these the greater portion either
are not called for at the, postofice to
which they are directed, or, in case of
free-deliyery Offices, the addresses can
not be found, Notwithstanding every
known means is resorted to on the part
of the postal officials to effect delivery.
Matter sent 10 the Dead Letter Office,
which can not be delivered to the per-
son addressed. is required to be opened
in its treatment for the purpose Of re-
turn TO the sender, and II the name and
address of the sender be not shown or
can not be ascertained from the con-
tents, and it contains no valuable. in
closure, it must be destroyed.
Letters opened and found to contain
any Enclosure OF obvious value are en-
tered upon proper records, and, of such,
those which do not disclose sufficient
information to enable them TO be re-
turned are filed, subject to reclamation
upon proper application and identified
tion.
Letters which contain no Enclosure 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 called for or claimed with
in two years they are disposed of at
public auction and the proceeds covered
into the United States Treasury.
A large proper ton of the packages
and parcels sent to the Dead letter Of
flee fail to be restored to the owners
because of the absence on the wrappers
or Enclosures Of any thing to indicate
ownership thereof.
Information as to the character and
nature of the matter thus received at
the Dead Letter Office, and the condi-
tions and influences which occasion its
failure to reach the persons to. whom
the senders designed it TO go, may be of
interest, and the mere statement of it
carries with it suggestions which may
serve the public in its exercise of postal
privileges.
During last year 451, 600 letters were
either misdireeted or insu fficiently d.
reeted, while "a. 600 were not directed
ut all. OF the latter many were from
business houses. containing money,
drafts, stocks and important instruc-
tons. Many OF these were doubtless
mailed by clerks. Ninety-eight thou
sand were to domestic, Canadian or
Mexican addresses held for postage;
165. 600 we're to guests at hotels; 50, 900
were parcels OF merchandise, books,
clothing, needle-work jewelry or other
valuable matter; and 2s, 600 contained
money amounting in all to S4s,642.
Postal notes TO the value of IS, 800 in
sums under IS were found in 1000
pieces; while drafts, checks, notes and
other commercial paper in the sum of
Sl,471, ST. were found in q, 600 others.
Forty-eight thousand contained paid
and cancelled obligations, receipts and
miscellaneous papers. One hundred and
sixty-two thousand contained postage
stamps
Forty-two thousand were letters to
fictitious addresses and principally cor
dependence relating to what is known
as green goods" or saw dust" swim
dies, many of them contrasting money
with orders for the purchase of these.
fraudulent goods. Parties engaged in
such enterprises invariably use an as
sumed name, and when the character
and business of such persons is discov-
cred by the postal authorities such mat
ter addressed TO them is declared 'sicti-
tious,n and delivery withheld.
Forty-two thousand contained photo
graphs. 1000 contained articles forbid
den to be transmitted through the mails,
and l1,O00 upon being opened were
found to contain lottery tickets, which,
under the terms Of the law, are declared
unavailable. 4atI
Five hundred and thirty-one thou.
sand were letters, and Al, 600 parcels Of
printed matter, samples, etc, which
had been mailed in foreign countries to
post Offices within the United States,
and failing Of delivery were sent to the
Dead Letter Office, and thence returned
TO the postal administrations OF their
respective countries of origin, I'M
opened.
Two hundred and FIVE thousand were
letters, and a., 1000 we're parcels, books.
samples Of merchandise, etc, which had
been mailed within the United States
addressed to foreign countries, and hav-
ing failed OF delivery at their destina-
ton, were sent to to the Dead Letter
Office by foreign postal administrations.
Over 5000 600 Of the letters received
st the Dead Letter Office contained no
inclosure Of obvious value. although
doubtless many OF them were quite as
valuable and important to both sender
and sddressee as thousands OF other
letters containing money, checks,
stamps, etc, and yet Of this immense
number Of letters over 5000. 600 bore
within either no definite or sufficient
address Of the writer--in most cases no
address whatevsr--or there was no sig
nature whereby the writer might be
identified or determined, without which
the Dead Letter Once could not make
return.
These facts teach that envelopes
should always be plainly ana explicitly
directed, and that no letter or package
should be mailed without the address
OF the sender plainly given both outside
and inside.
When an indefinite address is Beces-
sarily given 1t is more apt to prove suf-
Aeient IL the business or employment Of
the person is added
Those who are transiently at a GER
tain place should be addressed as
''trapsient," and upon leaving a place
IL is always advisable 10 ask "a have
ones mail forwarded 70 the next stop.
ping place.
The name and address o. the sender.
either printed or written, should be
placed upon the upper left.hana corner
% ihe envelope OF wrapper 81 an matter
mailed
L5ttefa and all Qther nnattsx raailaa,