Cañon City record., 1902-12-11
RECALLING A LETTER
HOW YOU MAY GET IT OUT OF THE
MAIL AFTER POSTING 1T.

tenn by which = Docunent May BE
Reclaimed n Apphcatfo. Ii Aade
Before II L. Delivered.
A few days ago young woman hur-
ried into the office of the postmaster at
New York and asked to have letter
withdrawn from the mails. She had
posted 1t an hour previously, she said.
and since then had learned sNSnething
about Mr.. Blank that incensed her;
therefore she did not want to keep tire
appointment she had consented to In
the letter. Could she reclaim the mis-
siye before II reached the addressee?
she inquired.
The postmaster referred her to the
superintendent Of mails. and within
half an hour the letter was picked out
from among thousands OF Its mates
and restored TO the claimant. who tore
I Into bits and walked out OF the post
office.
The authorities OF the postofiice have
made every provision for absent and
hckle minded patrons of the mails
Among the most interesting and valu.
able is the process by which a letter
may be reclaimed after IL has been
posted.
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 degree cumber-
some and tine consuming. but which.
nevertheless. are necessary to prevent
deception anu fraud.
IL .x-h Of, -
an important letter desires TO with.
draw II before II reaches Its destina-
ton. ofirntimes additional knowledge
Of proposed transaction is acquired
after a lericr has been sent to the post
Office. making II highly desirable that
the facts nr,ited In the letter do not
reach tii' Ir-Son for whom they were
originally ipfendei In case. too. where
knowledge Of the failure of merciln.
tile tirD or banking house reaches a
person who has mailed check or draft
TO that concern II IL sometimes wise
to wii iidraw the letter before 1t Is de
hver.-l
Tir postal authorities have system
by which such letter may he reclaimed
II application Is made for 1t before 1t
Is delivered. APPLICATION must be made
In person The government; provides
blank upon which the applicant writes
the address tnaJ Is sireB on the letter
II TINT letter has not left the postofiice.
the superintendent of mails finds IL and
compares tbs address on the envelope
with the az ircss on the applicants
slip II the s'idpssss are identical. the
letter Is returned 10 the claimant and
ths suihariri.~ keep the slip as re
c-.ipt
To rs--iaim i-tier sent out OF the Of
De- tie. writer mast All out ibe pre-
-frii-~d iilnuL aud dalosit 81 for tele-
Ersiuis Tbs superintendent OF mails
ti-n i.-irsrsipilS The I,osioricc TO which
ilb. trit.r has hsrn seut and asks him
to fs.tugti u Nben il reaches him. be
couipar,- Isss4 addresses. and II they
arr alike h~ returns the letter TO tile
applicant The cxpeus.. Of telegraph.
ing Is deslacied from the deposit. and
the balance is returned
This Involves study OF handwri,.
ing II tberr is a noticeable difference
In the litth. things which are charnc.
teristic-ihe manner OF crossing the
It's" or the dOiting % the as or the
peculiar little nourishcs which are
made after a nane-rhe letter Is not
delivered 20 the claimant In eases
wherc letters arc addressed by type.
writer Il Is impossible TO Identify the
applicant In this way.
when the claimant Is Il well known
business man. however. personally
known 70 the postn, authorities. let.
tiers are sometimes returned upon his
mcrc request n receipt. however. being
asked
At the New York postotiice. accord
ing 10 the tirst assistant postmaster,
the average number OF letters with
drawn each week Is ten. Most OF these
are from the domestic mails Few are
from the city mails, because the let.
tiers are collected SO frequently and
delivered 50 quickly that there is little
chance OF catching letter in the
office.
Occasionally letters which have been
addressed 10 foreign countries are
asked to be returned In such a case
q deposit OF SD is required to cover
the expense OF telegraph aud cable
tolls Letters addressed to points in
almost every country on the face OF
the earth may be reclaimed I'm this way
if application Is made before the mis-.
sivr II delivered TO the addressee.
Great Britain, however, takes the
stand that a letter when once dropped
I'm mail box becomes the property OF
the nddressee. but makes exception In
the cises OF the Cape and Australian
colonies Why this exception the local
postni authorities do not knew.-New
York Times