Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-10-22

The Postal Authoritics Have n Sys-
TEN by Which :, Document sIay he
Reclaimed IL Application Is Made
Before 1t Is Delivered
a few days ago young woman hur.
ried into the office of tile postmaster ut
New York and asked to have Il letter
Withdrawn from the mails. She had
posted 1t an hour previously, she said
ana since then had learned something
about Mr.. Blank that incensed her:
therefore she did not want to keep the
appointment she had consented to in
the letter Could she reclaim the mis-
sive before it 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
1t into bits and walked out of the post.
office.
The authorities Of the postofiice have
made every provision for absent and
tickle minded patrons of the mails.
Among the most interesting and valu.
able is the process by which letter
may be reclaimed after it 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 time consuming, but which.
nevertheless. are necessary to prevent
deception and fraud.
Occasions arise when the writer of
an important letter desires to with.
draw 1t before 1t reaches its destina.
ton. Oftentimes additional kno,v,edge
of proposed transaction is ACQUIRED
after letter has been sent to the most.
office, making II highly desirable tint
the facts related in the letter do not
reach the person for whom they were
originally Intended. In case. too whore
knowledge of the failure OF n mercan.
tile firm or a banking house reaches n
person who has mailed n check or draft
to that concern it is sometimes wise
to withdraw the letter before If is de-
uNeTeQ.
The postal authorities have n system
by which such lettermay he reclaimed
If application is mnde for II before n
is delivered. Application mnst be mode
in person. The government nrovides a
blank upon which the applicont writes
the address that is given on tho letter.
II that letter has not left tbe nostoft,ca
the superintendent of moils finds # and
compares the address on the envelone
with the address ON the nnnlicant,s
slip. II the-addresses ore Identical tho
letter is returned to the claimant md
the authorities keen the sin MS r...
cnipt.
10 reclaim a letter sent out of the Of
fee the writer must an out tho nra.
scribed blank and deposit 81 for tele-
grams. The Superintendent of mails
then telegrapls the postotfice to which
the letter has been sent and asks him
to return it. When 1t reaches him. he
compares the addresses, and If they
are alike he returns the letter to the
applicant The expense of telegraph.
ing is deducted from the deposit, and
the balance is returned.
This involves study of handwrit.
ing. II there is a noticeable difference
in the little things which are charac.
teristic-the manner of crossing the
IT'S" or the dotting Of the rs" or the
peculiar little iourlshes which are
made after name-the letter is not
delivered to the claimant. In cases
where letters are addressed by type
writer it is impossible to identify the
applicant in this way.
When the claimant is well known
business man, however, personally
known to the postal authorities, let
ters are sometimes returned upon his
mere request. u receipt. however. being
asked.
at the New York postottice, accord