The National tribune., 1902-09-11
POST0FFICE MUSEUM.
A Unique Collection Pertaining
to the u. S. Mail Service.

Is officially known as the Dead Letter
Office Museum. Its contents graphical!
illustrate one phase, at least, of the va,
carries of mankind, and the utter disre
gard of the postal laws by certain reck,
less and thoughtless persons.
Near the eastern entrance of the Mu-
scum is an Old-time Rocky Mountain mail
coach, badly battered and used up after
long service on the rough mountain trails
of the far West. This interesting relic was
built in 1868, and was recently donated
to the Museum by S. S. Huntley, General
Manager of the Yellowstone Park Trans
portation Company. The old coach was
among the first to carry mails in Montana,
fits service being from Helena to Boze-
man, carrying the mails between those
points once each week, while now, over
the railroads, the mails between Helena
and Bozeman are carried four times q day.
This coach was captured by the Indians
in 1877, with its contents, including the
mails. Gen. Howard was quickly inform
ed of the capture, and at once started
after the Indians with q strong force of
Regular Cavalry. After n hot pursuit,
the coach was recaptured by the troops.
Among the distinguished persons who
have Travelled in the vehicle are Gen.
Garfield, before he became President;
Gen. Arthur, on his visit to Montana in
1888, and Gen. Sherman on his tour of
inspection in 1877. When Gen. Sherman
was its passenger the coach made the dis
lance from Fort Ellis to Helena, los miles,
in eight hours, six horses being the team
with frequent relays. Mr.. z. B. Clark,
one of the proprietOrs of the Stage Com
pany. drove the whole distance.
The historic vehicle is cumbersome
affair, and bears many bullet marks. the
result of attacks made upon it by Indians
and bandits. 1t is painted dark red, the
wheels being colored bright canary yell
low, striped with black. The coach is in
strange contrast with natty rural free
6elivery wagon, of the very latest type,
which stands opposite. The latter is
model of lightness and comfort, and ap-
pears gay in its coat of the national trl-
color red, white, and blue.
An entertaining feature of the Dead
Letter Office Museum is a series of life
size figures showing the uniforms and
nations. The Porto Rican carrier is
mounted on diminutive donkey. On
each side of the animal, in the position
usually occupied by panniers. are suspended
Two clumsy looking leather trunks in which
the mail is carried The carrier is clad
In breezy suit of linen, with wide
brimmed straw hat, and apparently sits
most uncomfortably on the little donkey.
his legs dangling over the animals fore
shoulders.
The Swiss carrier is represented by
Q blonde young man clad in uniform of
navy blue with a plentitude of brass lace
and buttons. and navy cap of the same
color having on its front a design in red
and gold of crown and trumpet. This
figure suggests a petty officer in the
American Navy. The Swiss mounted
carrier is similarly attired and wears in
addition great rubber cape which en-
a lS a
with dangerous-looking saher and big
revolver, and carries clarion to announce
his arrival at points where mail is to be
delivered.
The japanese letter carrier wears
great cape, peculiar-looking hat, similar
to those worn by the Filipino soldiers,
and sandals tied to his ankles by coarse
gripsack Of the design used by up-to-date
travellers.
The French carrier. clad in his dark
blue uniform, trimmed with red, and hav
ing brass buttons, could easily be mis-
taken for a private in the U. s. Regular
Engineer Corps, so similar are their suits.
On the front of the military cap is ro-
Dette in the tri-color of the French Repub
dc. His mail is carried in an odd-lookinS
Dachel with compartments, and suspended
IN his front at about the waist-line. The
Canadian carrier is attired in a uniform
very similar TO that worn by the French,
with the addition of a design on his left
arm bearing the inscription, Telegraph
Messenger"
The town postman Of India is repre-
Dented clad in a white linen suit surmount-
I'd by blue-and-red turban. The camel
p0stman of India is shown as semi-nude
native mounted on camel with mail
packs hanging on either side of the animal.
The mail runner of India Tor fast maiD is
also shown as half-nude. He carries a
spear across his shoulder with the mail
sack hanging from the point end of the
weapon.
The exhibit Of the mail carriers Of the
United States embraces the city carrier
tn his familiar uniform of gray; the West
ern mounted mail carrier, typical cow
boy, with wide sombrero, leather trousers,
big spurs and a brace of Colts ASS strap
ped to his belt, and dog team used for
earrying the mails in the frigid climate of
Northern Michigan. The carrier is q
sturdy Indian clad in furs and wearing
mow-shoes. His team comprises three
stout dogs attached tandem to a queer
looking sled, to which the mail-sacks are
fastened.
Numerous cases in the second room of
khe museum contain many queer things
which were sent through the mails by ig-
porant, careless and vicious persons.
These articles found their way to the Dead
Letter Office and from thence were sent
10 the Museum. In one case is q hair
raising assortment Of snakes, tarantulas |
scorpions, lizards, centipedes, horned
Roads and other venomous reptiles and in
Bects. In one package was found a rat
kesnake over seven feet in length. This
rattler is exhibited in large glass jar of
alcohol. In letter addressed to q wo-
bnan in Pennsylvania and postmarked at
Q mountain town in Arkansas, was found
q live snake about four inches long and of
The circumference Of parlor match. This
wee specimen was undoubtedly sent by
some enemy of the Pennsylvania woman.
Dead Letter Office was found a copper
cylinder about three feet in length and
Eve inches in diameter. The cylinder was
carefully opened and was found to be an
Internal machine. 1t contained enough
dynamite and other explosives to blow
into smithereens the great Post Office
Department Building, which covers ar
entire block. No history of this dynamite
bomb is given by the Department, save
that il was sent through the mails Ii
y probable that the authorities yet have
hopes of capturing the miscreant who
placed it in the mails and jeopardiZed
hundreds of human lives. 1t is on exhi-
bition in the Museum.
A Cuban machete was found in another
package, and numerous pistols of every
design, style and caliber in other pack
ages. A loaded fve-inch machine gun
projectile, case and all, was found in the
mails during the war with Spain, as well
rs many smaller cartridges for rifles and
fevolyers.