Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-14
A Convenience.

A Convenience.
Comparatively few people know that
this can be done, and fewer care to
take the trouble of going through the
| forms which have been prescribed
| forms which are to a degree cumber-
some and time-consuming, but which,
nevertheless, are necessary to pre-
vent deception and fraud.
Occasions rise when the writer of
an important letter desires to with
draw it before it reaches its destina,
ton Oftentimes additional knowl
edge of a proposed transaction is ac-
quired after a letter has been sent to
the postofice, making it highly desir
/ able that the facts related in the let
! ter do not reach the person for whom
they were originally intended. In
i case, too, where knowledge of the fail
ure of mercantile firm or a banking
house reaches a person who has mail
ed a check or draft to that concern, II
Il is sometimes wise to withdraw the
letter before it is delivered.
Application Made in Person.
| The postal authorities have a sys
claimed il application is made for i
before it is delivered. Application mus
l,1se made in person. The government
provides blank upon which the ap
plicant writes the address given OF
tile letter. If that letter has not lief
tine postoffice the clerk finds it ant
compares the address on the envelop
w it'll the address on the applicant
slip. If the addresses are identical tn
letter is returned to the claimant an
. the authorities keep the slip as re
Gel pit.
: MO reclaim a letter sent out of tn
2 Office the writer must fill out the pre-
scribed blank and deposit the cost c
! the kilograms. The local authorize
!, theih telegraph the postoffice to whic
the letter has been sent and asks thu
I | it be. returned When it reaches tn
5 local clerk he compares the addresse
: and If they are alike he returns tn
letter to the applicant. The expens
of teNegraphing and postage being pal
by the person making the request.
This involves a study of handwri
: ing. If there is a noticeable diffe
ence in the little things which al
n chara, ,teristic-the manner of eros
: ing tho ITS" or the dotting of the Six
f or the peculiar little flourshes whic
e are msNde after name-the letter
/. not delivered to the claimant. In cas-
q where letters are addressed by Typ
s. writer it is impossible to identify tt
applicant in this way.
# When the claimant is well know
s. business man, personally known to tt
If postal authorities, letters are som
e times returned upon his mere reque!
IL no receipt being required.
n Foreign Mail.
y e Occasio nally letters which ha
~ been addressed to foreign countri
:. are asked to be returned In such
=, - case deposit of SIS is required
-. =. cover the expense of telegraph a
- cable tolls Letters addressed to poiI
~ in almost every country on the ia
20 of the earthi may be reclaimed in Il
. way il application is made before
70 missive Is delivered to the address
~ Great Brit ain, however, takes
w. w stand that a letter when once dropp
I Is in mail box becomes the proper
40 of the address zee, but makes exceptio
- in the cases off the Cape and the
-, ~ stralian coloni es. Why this except
If the local postal authorities do l
no know.