The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-29
THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE.


OF the Dead Letter Office concerning the bust
OF the fiscal year ending with last June il
appears there has been singular increase in the
Der OF letters which, Tor another, have
had to be turned by the postofice officials to
the dead letter department
Letters and parcels held for postage including both
foreign and domestic addresses were last year 1885,
ST, as against $500 in the previous year, an in
crease OF 5000, 90 per cent Misdrected letters
and parcels 367,46o, against 352,87o being an
increase OF 1850 The number OF pieces OF mail
matter dropped into the boxes without any address
at all were 1910 an increase OF 5I2o over the preced
ing year and in domestic hotel letters returned TO the
dead letter office there increase from IoS4H
in the fiscal year 1893 to 2o473o last year, an in
crease OF nearly so per cent.
1t is probable that large proportion OF these in
creases due TO the war letters to soldiers
being instructed or mailed without postage 1t is,
however. easy explain the so per cent increase
in the hotel letters unless it be that the increase in
prosperity more people opportunity to travel
and visit hotels than in the former year and conse
quently increased the amount OF mail hotel al
dresses
There are other increases which will require an ex-
pert 10 explain. Thus the number OF unclaimed par
GELS including unavailable ones addressed to foreign
countries those returned from abroad and such as
contained photographs, was I67675, as against 1oo
$50, or an increase OF about s. per cent, while the
ordinary unclaimed domestic parcels numbered ~
or, against 3o,I53, increase OF more than 80
per cent.
One of the striking features of the report is that
, relating to letters and parcels containing money
which by the caelessness OF enders find their way to
the dead letter office. Among the letters opened AT
the office there were 43,3o8 with Enclosures amount
ing to S37,S75 20 OF that kind OF letters, however
there was decrease for in the previous year money
was found in 7o755 letters opened the office. The
decrease in this instance is due TO the fact that during
the year the Government had broken up good many
fraudulent enterprises and withheld the mail ad-
dressed to them.
Letters containing drafts and notes were 1896
with Enclosures to the face value OF $II3o,IS4, as
against 34663 with Enclosures representing So45o22
last year One OF the most notable increases OF the
year has been that in the number OF merchandise
ceipt calls That is attributable the legislation
which permits second, third and fourth class matter
to be forwarded to a address only upon payment
OF new postage at the original rates. A single in
stance will indicate the to which the work of
the office has been increased from the
toned. A concern in New York makes extensive
shipments OF small articles OF merchandise matter
the postage on each parcel being cents. Great
numbers OF these not delivered and the sending
company is notified by postmasters to furnish return
postage These notices being disregarded the matter
is sent to the Dead Letter Office by which fresh
notification is given to sender with like failure OF
response There recently hand at one time
more than 1900 of these parcels, which were finally
returned to this company a single shipment full
return postage having been received, amounting to
more than $500
After all explanations made it will be the
American people careless in mailing letters and
parcels. The Government does all it can to make
the mails sure, but when many letters are either
instructed mailed without postage it is clear
the Dead Letter Office will continue to be busy and
have important work TO do.