The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-06-18
LIMBO
OF LOST
THINGS
A Side Department in
the General
POStOtfice
Queer Things Found In the
Mails, Snakes. AlIigatOrS.
TarantulaS and Other
Vermin

What might be called a Limbo Of
Lost Things has been established by
Uncle Sam at the Postofice depart.
ment 1t is a repository for all oh.
jects that go astray on the earth--of
articles, more exactly speaking, which
are found in the mails. unbelievable
for one reason or another. Many OF
them are wrongly addressed. while
others are conhscated because "un.
mailable" under the law.
The collection numbers not far from
80 600 specimens, which. viewed as a
whole, present to the mind vivid
notion OF the varlegated character OF
the merchandise transmitted through
the agency OF the postal system In this
country.
Among the curios thus captured,
and now placed on exhibition for the
amusement of the public, are razors.
dark lanterns. false teeth. pack OF
cards, poker chips, hair curriers'. gar
ters, pads for the hips and bust. boxes
OF bunion plasters, trusses. electric
belts, hypodermle syringes. artificial
eyes, imitation whlskers. coffin plates
and wig or two.
People will persist In sending
through the mails live stock OF various
kinds, particularly reptiles, such as
alligators and snakes. One day. not
very long ago. seventeen snakes were
found In one package-among them a
rattler eight feet long. one OF the big.
gest ever captured. with nine rattles
on the end OF his tail.
In the confusion caused by the dis.
closure OF the contents OF the parcel
one OF the serpents, a three foot adder
made It's escape unobseryed. and three
weeks later the dead letter ONCE was
set in a stir by the temperance Of
the "yarmint" from beneath a desk.
There Is a large two.story glass case
in the postal museum completely filled
with reptiles. stuffed or In alcohol.
which have turned up in the mails at
various times Tourists who go 10
Florida are fond OF sending small ALI.
gators home In this way. sometimes
alive. From Arizona they forward
Gila monsters and horned toads. while
giant centipedes and unpleasant look
ing tarantulars, are always considered
appropriate gifts for shipment by post
Many OF these animals are sent abroad
by people who look upon them as AZ
fording a picturesque illustration OF
the American fauna.
One OF the most notable curios Is a
shaving set sent by Pittsburg young
lady 10 a young man In whom she was
Interested Il consisted OF a razor with
half OF It's edge broken on, a shaving
brush formed OF beer jerker and a
bunch OF straws for brlstles, a small
wooden cup containing sandsoap. and
two or three other things supposed 10
be appropriate 10 the masculine toilet
Unfortunately the joke missed nre,
the package going astray, and that is
why the damsel's gift Is now on eKhi'
bition, together with her letter, which
accompanied IL. at the postofice do
partment
There was another Joker, a man In
this case. who had been thrown over
by a young woman OF Fifth avenue.
New York When the cards were out
for her marriage TO a rival, he sent 10
her by mail a life-sized colorod baby
made Of calico. She Indignantly re
fused 10 receive II. and 50 Il found It's
way 10 the Limbo OF Lost Things"
The girl was surely lucky to have
got rid Of such lover. whose sense Of
humor was about on a par with that
OF another person who sent 10 his lady
a love letter written on a board four
feet long. There was ninety cents
postage due on Il when "a arrived, and
she very properly declined 20 pay IL.
Probably intended a. an insult Was
a jawbone without any wrapper ad.
dressed 10 a man named Burk a. Wat
eryille, n. T. though there was moth
Ing on Il except the address, written
on the bare bone. with q postage
stamp II got there all right but the
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