The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-10
THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE.
Six Million Pieces of Mall Matter Go
There Every Year.

There Every Year.
The dead letter Office of the postoffice
department at Washington. d. c.. has sent
out circular for public information.
Over 100000 pieces of mail matter are
sent annually to the dead letter office by
reason of incorrect, illegible or deficient
address, insufficient postage, insecure in
closing, whereby mailed matter becomes
separated from the envelope or wrapper, or
the failure to be called for or delivered to
the person addressed This is g daily aver
age of over 20, 600 pieces.
Of these the greater portion either are
not called for at the postoffice TO which
they are directed, or, in case of free delivery
offices, the addresses cannot be found. not
outstanding every known means is re-
sorted to on the part of the postal officials
to effect delivery.
Matter sent to the dead letter office. which
cannot be delivered to the person addressed.
is required 10 be opened ia its treatment
for the purpose of return to the sender. and
II the name and address of the sender be
not shown or cannot be ascertained from
the contents, and it contains no valuable
Enclosure, 1t must be destroyed.
Letters opened and found to contain any
lnclosure of obvious value are entered upo n
proper records, and, of such those which do
not disclose sufficient information to enable
them to be returned are filed, subject TO re-
ciamation upon proper application and iden-
tification.
Letters which contain no Enclosure of OBJ
vlous value are not recorded.
Packages aud parcels are recorded, and
where they do not disclose the name and
address OF the owner are filed if not called
for OF claimed within two years they are
disposed of at public auction and the pro-
ceeds covered into the United States treas
ury.
A large proportion of the packages and
parcels sent TO the dead letter office fail to
be restored to the owners because of the alb
sence on the wrappers or Enclosures of any
thing to indicate ownership thereof
Misdirection, incorrect, illegible and de-
flcient address are given as leading causes
which occasion the failure of mail matter to
reach it's proper destination, aud affect alike
that which Is addressed to either city
town or village.
In addition TO these, in the case of matter
mailed to cities or free delivery offices, are
the failure to give street or number, bust
ness or occupation, or some designated place
OF delivery OF the person addressed; inabil-
ity co find transient people, and their ne
glect to give forwarding orders for their
mail; the neglect of permanent or tempo
rary residents 20 notify the carriers or post
office of change of place for the delivery of
their mail matter upon moving from one
part OF the city to the other, together with
| the failure of newcomers to furnish the
| postottice with their names and places of
| address. 1t is to these causes, with others
| of more or less consequence, that the nom
| delivery of mail matter is in the main at
| tributable, and they are conditions over
| which the postal service has no control, and
may alone be remedied by the people them
| selves.
Mail matter should be plainly and COR
rectly addressed, the name Of the postoffice
to which it is to be sent should be clearly
and distinctly stated, and to avoid con-
fusion from the similarity of authorizations.
as frequently used the name of the state
should also be given in full In the case of
mail addressed to small offices, or where
there are offices In like names in different
states, the name of the county should be
added.
Where mail matter is addressed to cities
or free delivery offices the street and house
number, or postoffice box number of the
person addressed are important, and should
always be given when it is possible to do 3d.
Where this cannot be done, the business
or employment of the person addressed, il
stated, will often secure delivery.
A small proportion of the mail received
at the free delivery offices is called for at
the general delivery of the postoffice, the
public expecting delivery by the letter car
anu uouCS Luo importance OF giving
street and number, or some other designa-
ton whereby the person addressed may
be found.
Letters addressed to persons temporarily
sojourning in a city where the letter carrier
system is in operation should be marked
Transient" or General delivery" if not
addressed to street and number, or some
other designated place of delivery
The name and address of the sender.
either printed or written, should be placed
upon the upper left hand corner of the en-
velope or wrapper of all matter mailed.
This will secure its immediate return to
the sender from the mailing Office for cor
rectlon if improperly addressed, INSULT
Gle thy paid, or other wise defective.
Letters and all other matter mailed. so
marked with the name and address of the
sender, that should fail to be called for or
delivered to the person addressed, and upon
which full letter rates OF postage has been
paid, are not sent to the dead letter office.
but are returnable to the sender directly
without additional charge, and with the
reason Of non-delivery Endorsed thereon,