The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-29

the inspector. He turned red and then
became as pale as death and tottered
as II about to faint. The inspector took
hold of his arm and without exciting
any suspicion the two went to the post
office department. The 18th street
entrance was selected, and they hur-
RED to the fourth floor, where the
chief inspector is located. Here the
chief took a hand and the man was
put through the sweating" process.
"A catalogue of the sale was found on
him, and marked with red and blue
pencil. The red marks indicated the
PACKAGES that were valuable. while
the blue marks denoted packages that
were very valuable. In other words,
as the man explained, some of the
packages might be sacrificed that were
marked with red, but the blue ones
were to be purchased no matter how
nigh the bidding went
Gradually the post Office detectives
lnraveled the story, the man being
gently led to tell all he knew of the
case. Others were implicated. but the
oihclals decide to do nothing at that
time, waiting for a better opportunity
to catch them all The man who was
acting for the others as the nurchas.
ing agent was sworn to secrecy. Fin
ally ne was permitted to go, although
ne was warned to keep away from the
auction.
Meanwhile the inspectors were
watching the sale, and not a purchase
was made but they made a note of it.
watching particularly every suspicious
bidder and noting everything that
might point to collision.
The scene of the plot Is the property
DIVISION OF the dead letter office, To-
Gated on the third floor Of the post
ONCE department. Here all the mer-
chandise received in the mails upon
which there is an insufficient address
fnds its way. Hundreds Of packages
are received each lay, and while the
clerks often upon opening them ara
able to locate the sender, in which
case they are promptly returned, there
are thousands which gravitate to the
unclaimed department, to be sold Il
public auction after a lapse of two
years. Thirteen clerks are required
TO look after the property division.
and they are always kept busy open
ing the packages and searching for
some clue to the sender. 1t is a YER.
liable old curiosity SHOP, for the mails
are useu to send every conceivable
thing. AS the packages are opened
care is taken in keeping the address
intact, for the department gets hind.
reds OF inquiries each week for letters
and packages that have gone astrav.
Those with addresses are kept I'M
touched for two years, while those
which have no designation on them
are sold after six months.
1t is during the holiday season that
the Office receives the greatest am
cunt of goods. Christmas presents
come to the Office without proper ad-
dresses, and are thrown in with =
great mass of merchandise. Often
money is enclosed, but this usually
comes through letters, where a separ
ate division handles it, and renders
an account each day to the superin-
tendent.
There was consultation this morn
ing between the postmaster gene1 al
and his assistants which lasted over
an hour. The report OF the inspectors
was carefully gone over and the rec
concentrations for dismissal PROMPTLY
acted upon
This is by no means the end, for the
dead letter office Will be completely
reorganized, with view to prevent
ing such things in the future.