The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-30
Postoffice Department Pre-
pares Answers to Ques-
tons Asked by Tourists
Concerning Dead Letter
Office.
VISITORS ARE NOW GIVEN
PRINTED INFORMATION
Pamphlet Just Issued Tells
More Than a Guide Could
Explain in a Day, and
Saves the Time of Busy
Clerks.

Perhaps no division of the Postoffice
Department is of more interest to visi-
tors in Washington than the dead letter
office. stay of any length in the Cap
tai is generally considered incomplete by
tourists unless the curiosities and meth
DDS Of the Office are seen. Each visi-
tor wants TO know as much as possible
about the workings of the office, the
number of people employed. the amount
of mail it handles. the quantity of money
and merchandise discovered in the dead
letters, the methods OF returning mail,
and hundred other things.
The consequence Of this thirst for
knowledge is that clerks are fire.
quently interrupted in their work to an
swer questions. To avoid this the Of
fee has recently issued a pamphlet
which gives in brief the figures and
methods of the division and serves to
satisfy the curiosity Of all except the
most persistent tourists.
The pamphlet is interesting even TO
persons in the department who have OF
paid special attention to the dead letter
Office, and will prove doubly interest
ing to the general public 1t is as fol-
lows:
The dead letter office was established
IN 1925 and from an Insignificant be-
ginning has grown into an establishment
giving employment to an average force
OF about 125 persons. of whom So are
males and 20 females.
Scope and Purpose.
The work to which the Office devotes it
self is the disposal Of the various kinds
of unbelievable mail matter sent to il
from the nearly 1000 postofiees in the
UNITED States This mail matter is divid-
ed into two general classes-unclaimed
and unavailable. The former includes
such matter as has reached the des-
tination to which it is directed. and has
been uacalled for, or refused. OF OF
which the addresses cannot be found.
The latter embraces variety of matter
which cannot be dispatched for various
reasons. such as nonprepayment of pos
tage, instruction, entire want of adj
dress. etc.
Inc unclaimed matter is classified as
domestic and foreign. the latter desig-
nation OF course, applying TO such as
originates in foreign countries
The work OF the Office, generally
speaking. is to deliver as much of this
matter as possible either to sender or
addressee, the former almost exclusively.
This disposition is made from dav To
day, as far as may be. There is popu-
lar fallacy that matter is held for a
stipulated period, and arranged for de-
hVery upon application. in much the
same manner as local postofices are con-
Quoted This would be wholly impracti-
cable. and receipt and disposition must
be made as nearly concurrent as possible. |
Some Instructive Figures.
During the fiscal year ended June 30. |
1901. upward of 100000 pieces of mail |
matter were received, or about 81 600 /
pieces for every working day OF the |
year.
OF this total 500 pieces were Of
foreign origin. and were returned IN
opened to the countries from which they
were dispatched Exchanges are made
with lightweight different postal admin
istrations
The unclaimed articles Qetters and
pareeis) were, in round numbers, $780,
0e0, the remainder being made up Of the
several varieties OF unavailable matter.
While 100000 pieces were returned to
other countries. the number Of United
States origin returned here was less than
s25, 900.
The enormous number of more than
100000 letters and parcels were opened
during the year. and 100000 were de-
liyered unopened TO owners. From ten
10 fifteen persons are constantly en-
ployed in opening, and by long practice
they. OF course, become expert The
daily average Is from 2 900 TO 3,000 some
of the more rapid frequently exceeding
the latter figure.
Valuable Enclosures.
Record is only made of letters, etc,
containing valuable Enclosures. These
include money, commercial paper drafts, {
money orders. letters of credit. etc).
wills, deeds, mortgages, receipts, 1
powers % attorney, legal papers gen
orally. stamps exceeding two cents in :
value. articles of merchandise, etc.
During the last fiscal year there was
found In actual money S4s. 1888. or :
nearly $3.50 for each working day. OF
this about sS2, 900 was delivered to own
ers; the remainder, including money
found loose In the mails. the separate
items OF which could not be identified,
was turned into the Treasury. The face
value OF the commercial paper found
was 1888. s2e.23.
Unregistered parcels received num-
bered about 100000 OF which 3d. 600 were
delivered.
There were nearly Il 900 letters and :
parcels containing photographs. and
stamps were found in upward Of 225,OOO.
Registered Articles.
The number Of registered articles re- :
ceiyed Oetters and parcels) was so sII, 4
OF which S6,S3s came from foreign coun- e