The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-02-12
AMONG STRAY LETTERS.
A Glimpse at One Of Uncle Sans
- Little Cemeteries.

A Glimpse at One Of Uncle Sar's
= Little Cemeteries.
There are some queer things in
Uncle Sans household, and none more
curious than the Dead-Letter Office.
People in general have a vague idea Of
its Importance, and of the amount of
work done in that apparently insigni-
fcant branch of the Post-Office Depart
ment. But they have no conception of
the wit and wisdom inferred in that
little cemetery of Uncle Sans in q
twelvemonth.
More than six million letters drifted
into that Office of buried hopes in q
single year, and something over a hun,
dred thousand magazines, papers and
packages. The daily supply of 'dead
letters" is about eighteen thousand.
i"Not so very many" some one re-
marked, 'when you remember that
there are more than sixty Thousand
post-ofices to be heard from" But
enough, surely, to prevent there being
many idle hands in the Dead-Letter
Office, as most of the letters have to be
opened. All those containing money
are sent to the clerk, who keeps a
record of the amount received each day.
By the end of the year it sometimes
reaches the snug little sum of thirty
Eve or forty thousand dollars, which
shows that there are people who have
faith in the postal arrangements of our
country. And their confidence is not
usually misplaced, as most of the
money is restored to the owners; how,
ever, when there is no clew and it can
not be returned, the United States
Treasury is the gamer. In 1888 over
eight thousand dollars was thus added
to the much-tallsed-of surplus"
Why mail matter goes astray is ac-
accounted for in various ways, although
many persons are inclined to hold Uncle
Sam responsible for all mishaps. No
doubt postmasters are sometimes at
fault, but sins of omission on the part
of the senders are more often the cause
of loss and delay-thousands Of letters
are not stamped, while others have no
address. OF course, no one will believe
there are many of the latter, neverthe-
less, in one year nineteen Thousand one
hundred and ten OF those blank en-
velopes were sent to the Dead-Letter
Office. Then again, people are careless
as well as absent-minded, and often
misdirect or only partially address let,
ters, which never reach their destina-
ton, unless the clerk in the Dead-Let-
ter Office can supply the missing link.
In three hundred and sixty-five days
over four hundred thousand such epis-
ties were received. So it would seem
that q thorough knowledge Of cities and
towns, as well as patience, practice and
considerable shrewdness, is necessary to
correct the blunders of the writing pub
lie Who but Dead-Letter- Office clerk
with all her wits about her-for q wom-
an has charge Of that branch of the
work-would imagine that "BiI Town.
Kan, was intended for Williamstown in
that enterprtsing State9
In the foreign department. letters are
not opened.
ut would be impossible" said the
brisk little woman in charge. "You
see, we receive q thousand letters a
week from Italy, about two thousand
from England and the same number
from Germany, not to mention other
countries We look them over, and, il
we have any information that furnishes
q clew, try again TO find the owners;
otherwise they are returned unopened
to the postal administration Of the coun-
try from which they come"
Foreigners have q way Of ignoring
the States that causes dire confusion.
A letter directed to Fairfield, America,
Is as many-sided as the tariff question,
and about as hopeless. est. Duskin,
America" was easily located as San
dusky, o., but some letters become
''all tattered and torn" in going to and
fro throughout the States seeking an
owner. ''The Russians give us the
most trouble" volunteered a bright
woman who for thirteen years has been
deciphering hieroglyphics, and under
stands all languages, except Chinese.
sufficiently for her work. Who would
imagine that it required such linguist
to straighten out the tangled web Of
foreign correspondence? Considerable
general information is also needed, q
knowledge Of many countries and ma
tions, and OF the various States where
the different nationalities most do con-
gregate-and even then eternal Wig
nance viii not insure success.
What becomes Of all the dead mail
matter?" is often asked. The thousands
Of magazines, illustrated papers, pic-
turc-cards and valentines that can not
bereturned to their owners are ''dis-
tributed," by order OF the Postmaster-
General. ''alnong the iumates Of the
various hospitals, asylums and other
charitable institutions Of the District Of
Columbia" So they are made TO serve
. good cause by carrying brightness and
change into many weary lives, and
happineas 10 the little VOLTS without >
home.
Although every efDort b made TO
fnd owners for the various things that
Ala fx.k<> A.. ~ a II <,kk1~, nI4n1f