Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-28
LETTERS THAT NEVER COME.
The Opinions of POstmasters on the
Reason SO Many Are Undelivered.

The Postmaster General lately desired to
learn why over 1900, 900 unclaimed letters, or
one-half of the whole number received, are
sent each year to the Dead Letter Office from
the 400 free delivery post offices alone, and di-
rected Chief Clerk Cooley to send inquiries to
each OF these postmasters asking for their
views and for suggestions as to the remedy
The replies have all been received and have
been analytically briefed by Superintendent
Liebhardt Of the Dead Letter Office under the
headings: l. Faults of the public. 2. Faults
of the service. 3. Remedies that could be ap-
piled by the public. 4. Remedies that might
be applied on the part of the service. This
analysis Is OF great practical importance as well
as public interest. The largest consensus of
opinion ascribes failure of delivery in cities to
the transient character of large portion of
the population therein, which frequently have
no permanent addresses. and often fail to no.
tfy the post Office officials as to the forwarding
of mail matter. This is a cause not easy to
be reached or remedied by the Post Office De-
partment.
In the judgment of this large number of post
masters the faults which result in the return of
so many letters to the department are due in a
very small measure to any deficiency Of ad-
ministration in the postal service, and in very
large measure to care!essness on the part of
the public. and to conditions over which the
INCORRECT ADDRESSES.
An important cause OF the non-delivery of
letters, in the opinion of postmasters is that
the addresses are so often incorrect, improper
and insufficient This arises as much through
carelessness as ignorance. Then, again, large
proportion of mail matter consists of business
circulars. The addresses are, as a rule OBJ.
tanned from directories or old lists, with the
result that considerable proportion Of the
persons thus addressed cannot be found
SEGL1GENCE OF oFFIoIALs
While the faults of the public are TINS
pointed out by the postmasters they also ac-
knowledge that there are sins of commission as
we'll as omission on the part of the pest Office
officials. For instance. they acknowledge that
clerks and carriers arc careless, and it is even
asserted that postmasters do not give proper
personal attention to the work of the office.
While citizens and officials will continue to be
careless and inefficient, yet large number of
the postmasters are OF the opinion that il the
envelopes with the request to return printed
on the face were used more generally that there
would be fewer letters sent to the Dead Letter
Office. At least, they say, if the person ad-
dressed cannot be found the letter can be re-
turned promptly to the sender, by whom the
defect can be remedied.
CIRCULARS OF INSTRUCTION.
Some of the postmasters are in favor of in
augurating a system of instruction for the pub
lie. 1t is suggested that circulars be issued
from the department from time to time telling
the public how to address letters. This system
Is also to be extended to postmasters and to
clerks In post offices. There is no doubt that
In these responses from postmasters the de-
partment will secure great many valuable
suggestions which will be utilized here after in
the instructions and orders to be issued.