The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-22
THINGS SENT BY MAIL.
Some That Are Dangerous and Some
That Are Prohibited.

New York Times.
A little woman showed an awkWard-looK-
ing bundle through one of the postage
stamp windows of the general postonce
and asked the usual question, How many
stamps?" The representative of Uncle Sam
who happened to be selling postage stamps
at that window just then felt of the bundle
and calmly replied: Il am afraid that you
couldn't stick enough stamps on this par
Gel, madam, to carry IL anywhere III AS
present condition" 49,
Il don't understand YOU" said the little
woman, nervously. There isn't any writ
Fit is glassware, is it not?' asked the
postage-stamp man.
"OnIy a pickle dish and half a dozen
sauce plates" was the reply in a reassur-
?weii, I guessed as much" laughed the
official. These dishes are so loose that
they rattle, and they would break as soon
as thrown into a mail bag. Being break,
able, they are unavailable. Now, you Will
have to pack them carefully in box, SO
that they will not shift about nor be In
danger of cutting through their covering.
A lot of broken glass in a small bag would
not be of a vast amount OF benent 10 the
"Oh, can't you fix them?" asked the
woman.
Il am sorry to say that cannot, mad
am" replied the man as the laugh took
flight from his face The woman turned
away impatiently, and the postage stamp
seller made some remarks under his breath.
AS soon as he obtained few minutes leis-
ure, he said: "A gOod-sized volume might
he written about the mistakes that people
make in trying to send things through the
mails, and if such a book was written from
the postoffice standpoint 1t would contain
several chapters of 'Donts.' That little
woman was only one of large class. Some
people seem to have an idea that the post
office handles all kinds OF loose merchandise
so long as a sufficient number or stamps
are affixed. Many of the packages handed
in here are improperly prepared, and have
to be handed back for revision. Men as
we'll as women are careless In wrapping up
H.. s1rrA1 oil 40
regulations of the department require that
sharp-pointed articles must be capped so
that they will not cut through their IN
closure, and blades must be bound together
with wire, so that they shall remain firmly
attached to each other, ana WITHIN thelr
handles" .....
ION. yes, a great many bottles contain
ing medicines, perfumery, etc me law
does not allow spirituous, vinous, or malt
liquids to be sent by mail. Admissible
liquids, not exceeding four ounces, liquid
measures, put up in bottles, must be in
closed in a block or tube of wood or of
papier-mache. not less than three-sixteenths
of an inch thick and able to resist rough
usage; and such bottle must be surrounded
by cork, cotton or some other substance
sufficient for protection in handling. OF
course there are some Things tnat are IN
terdicted altogether The Postoffice De-
pertinent does not undertake to carry pOlS-
onous or explosive articles. nor live animals.
By the way. we have occasional appnca-
lions to take birds in wooden cages, and
little dogs and cats in boxes and baskets.
Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables are I'M
maiIable, as also is anything liable to. de-
composition. or liable to exhale bad odors.
IF persons about to send Snr1stm ma 5
trouble to inform themselves about the
postotfice regulations they might save them
selves much annoyance. AT all events; peo-
ple should bear in mind that their packages
90 in the same mailbag with other pack
ages, and therefore they should. refrain
or otherwise is likely to injure other ar
ticles.''