The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-26
WHERE DECEASED
MISSIVES GO
Some Interesting Facts About the
Dead Letter Office.
RUTHLESS OFFICIALS THERE.
They are Untouched by Sentiment or
by Business - Some Figures
that Show the status
of the Office.
RUTHLESS OFFICIALS THERE.

W iitt obiAA'
There are many persons who arc sun
looking for the letter that never came ana
WILL ia all probability, continue 20 look.
Meanwhile the miuions of Uncle sam
are stil doing business al the Old stand
and the Dead Letter Oliice Is WORKING
overtime There Is no sentiment 10 ne
found here, and the same ruthless hand
exposes 20 rude gaze the violet-scented
lulct-dcauN that Is addressed 90 the "o d.
cd one" and the "green-goods' man
personal and strictly confidential conn
municati0n setting forth i'm glowing terms
fo the prospective victim how thousands
are TO be made through small outlay
and that there is millions in IT, lue
heart Of this ruthless inquisitor IS un-
touched. II is invulnerabe to Dan Gu
pid's darts He listens 10 his pleadin@s
but no responsive chord is walked ana
with unfailng regularity the letter ana
it's sentiments are consigned 100 the waste
True enough, they are 90 De consumed by
a ire. but not by the fire Of love.
And with them are consigned to the
flames a thousand and one other pieces
of mail matter misdire ted and the send
or unknown.
SOME FIGURES.
The Superintendent Of the Dead '-eltef
Office has issued his report for the year.
ending June 80. 1889, and some Of the iis-
ures therein contained may prove interest
ing.
THE total receipts Of mail matter from
all sources were 6s559s3 pieces, against
6.1t5.sa3 for the preceding year. AN In
crease of 55O,130 pieces, or a little less tnan
per cent The ordinary unclaimed let
tiers numbered 49937Oo. against 4532.a0
an increase of more than per cent The
ordinary undelivered letters returned
from f0reign countries exceeded those for
the last year by 211lG, or about per cent.
Letters and parcels held for postage
including those 10 foreign and domestic
addresses. were 1851 against &Dl; III
crease. $500. or 90 per cent. Misdirected
letters and parcels We're 257,459 against
352 SO. increase 1850. The number or
pieces OF mail matter without address,
including envelopes containing money
found loose I'm the mails, was l,sls, an IN
crease of 5.1@ Domestic hotel letters
29i,739. against 1871. a notable Increase
OF s63-S. OF nearly Sd per cent.
There was "a decrease equally notable
I'm matter directed 20 fictitious addresses
from 20S. ga to 1897 pieces, little more
than forty-hve per cent. This decrease
was rather apparent than real, since the
abnormal receipts of matter of this char
acter during the preceding year were dde
TO the breaking up of a number OF eX-
tcnsive fraudulent enterprises and the
Withholding from delivery Of mail matter
addressed To them.
"The total number Of unclaimed par
GELS, including unavailable ones address
cd 10 foreign countries, those returned
from abroad, and such as contained pho
tographs. was 1868, against 1889 tie
preceding year. an increase Of nearly -
per cent. The ordinary unclaimed domea-
tic parcels numbered 1C-l. against &I'5
gain of more than SO per cent.
FROM FOREIGN LANDS.
"Undelivered matter from foreign coun-
tries. including registered letters, sam
pies. etc. numbered 5gS,19i pieces, against
J37 e65 the preceding year. an increase Of
500 pieces, or more than 10 per cent.
There were delivered 10 owners, unOp-
ened. 1908 letters and parcels, against
go $50. an increase OF per cent. The to-
tai number opened Including parcels,
was Cl0l. $50 against 5.6o3.s3j the year be-
fore. an increase OF 1865 pieces, or near
~ per cent.
Opened letters containing money num-
bered $685. with Enclosures TO the amo'nt
of $500. against ,0.15j and $33.jsj3L
respectively. the preceding year. ~ will
be observed that this great decrease IS
almost wholly in the number Of letters
and IS due 10 the cause noted with respect
TO fictitious letters. namely, the suppress
sion during the preceding year Of extern
sive fraudulent enterprises.
Letters containing drafts. notes, etc,
were 1886 with Enclosures to the race
al. 4 with
Enclosures representing a value OF Slij.-
O22.J3 the preceding year.
The number of pieces of mail mat
ter delivered, on hand awaiting deiv-
cry. or which were fled after failure 10
deliver. was 2.$iS451, against 2,6S,4S2 the
preceding year, a decrease Of 2j0,025. II
about 10 per cent.
1.-THE total number Of pieces Of mail
matter destroyed, including letters with
out Enclosures or sufficient indication Of
the writer, circulars, pamphlets, parcels
containing perishable matter, fruits, etc.
was 3,775.6i3, against S,0o9.69O the last year.
an increase of 1853, or little above IS
per cent.
THE number Of foreign letters and par
GELS returned 10 countries Of origin vas
5S0,366 against 5322S2 the year preceding.
INQUIRIES FOR MAIL.
1.-THE number Of formal applications for
missing mail matter. not M udins per
sonaI inquiries, was 25S57. an increase Tor
the year Of 1884, or nearly is per CENT.
In addition to the usual CORE spond-
ence by means of printed forms 7.411 man
uscript communications were written, an
increase of 81, or more than II per cent.
During the year 1885 magazines. IL
Illustrated papers, picture cards. etc,
which could not be restored 10 owners.
were distributed among the inmates OF
the various hospitals, asylums. and 9TH
er charitable institutions in the District
OF Columbia, by order Of the Postmaster
General"