The evening times., 1896-02-25
CURIOUS THINGS TO Be SEEN
Interesting Collection of Relics in
Postofice Department Museum.
Old Bullet -Riddl led Stage Coach, a
GruesOme Skull and Other
Strange Articles.

The Postoffice Department Museum IL
open and ready to receive visitors. II has
been greatly benefited by Its several trips
from this city. II went TO Chicago as I;
Worlds Fair exhibit, and has Just returned
from Atlanta, where IL formed II part OF
the exposition. The exhibit is unique and
interesting, to say nothing of its educa.
taional features.
The first object to be seen on entering
the room is an ordinary looking bucket
almost covered from view by the numer-
GUS tags attached to 1t. This bucket has
been around the world alone. An exami-
nation of the tags shows 1t started on its
journey In the mail at Atlanta, and passed
rapidly through Charlotte, N. c., Washing
ton. st. Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, To-
ronto. Canada, New York, Liverpool, TO
New York, to Atlanta. One amusing sem
timent from some annoyed Britisher was
appended. 1t read, 1T is hoped that the
man who sent this bucket on its travels has
| kicked it,"
| In this museum are postoffice collections
from all over the world. The service OF
Russia Is shown by several wax figures
Of the carriers. with their satchels. swords
and mail pouches. India is portrayed by
| its camel post and coolies, and also the
| town postman in his suit of white linen.
| There are exhibits from Japan, Mexico,
Sweden and Norway, Germany, France and
| England.
Contrasts in the service are shown by
models of the first American steamer that
carried the malls and the present City Of
Paris, the model OF which cost over 81 900,
| and is a donation TO the exhibit. There
| Is a Western mail carrier or pony ex-
press and pretty exhibit of Canadian
Indian driving a relay Of three dogs to
sledge, on which is one OF Uncle Sans
mail pouches. Another contrast is seen In
two mail trains, illustrating the first and
the present style. A gruesome sight is a
mail pouch which was captured by the
Apache Indians in Arizona and cut open.
The carrier was murdered and large dark
blotches show where his blood spurted.
There is one case which is particularly
interesting because of its unendiug variety.
1t contains some of the objects sent through
the mails and held up, either for lack OF
postage or because OF violation OF the regu-
lations. A skull adorns the cabinet. 1t
was sent to a medical man with So. .19
postage due. He declined to pay the sum.
A live centipede was wrapped In a news
paper and mailed. It was discovered and
confiscated, as was also a dynamite bomb
fully two feet long. A pigs tail and In
dian wampum belt, set of false teeth,
an Indian scalp, fruit cake and rattle
snake with nine rattles, baseball mask
and the hats and anklets of Spotted Wolf,
a noted Indian chief. comprise part OF the
exhibit.
The stamp collections will interest all
collectors. The commercial value OF the
rare stamps Will aggregate many thousand
dollars, and their face values will be double
the other.
Mr.. S. /. Slack is the curator of the ex-
hibit. He is particularly interested In an
old tumble-down mail coach, bullet-riddled
and arrow-scarred. This coach is in the
areaway outside. but in view from the win
dow OF the exhibit room. Mr.. Slack is
| desirous of having waterproof covering
| or canopy to shelter this coach from the
weather.
1t has done service In Montana and car
rietl in its day Gen. Sherman and Presidents
Garfield and Arthur. More than once has
it been captured by the Indians, but re-
captured by Uncle Sans boys.