The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-07-30
1T COSTS TO BE CARELESS.
Surprising Result Of an Inquiry In
to Reckless Methods Of Men
Who Mail Letters.

not grewsome sound in the title
deadletter Office, the report of
which the government binds in a
pink cover NEARLY red, seems APP
prOpriate to the matter, says the
indianapolis News. This is in
formation of the kind that the so,
cial student or historian of civili-
zatiOn might find valuable. The
number of pieces of mai matter of
all kinds that came to the dead
letter Office in the last fiscal year
was 1913, 52S; this was an in
crease of eight and one-half per
cent. over the previous year.
While the per cent. of increase,
necessarily diminishes each year,
the superintendent says compar
isOn of the reports for a series of
years shows a heavy and contin
uous increase each year; that is,
we are getting more careless in
stead of less so. About seven
tenths of the total was ordinary
unclaimed letters, which shows an
increase of nine per cent. over the
previous year.
Ordinary letters returned from
foreign countries increased 16O
per cent. Letters with a return
address increased slightly. There
was an increase of nearly seven
per cent. in the number of letters
and parcels held for postage. Mis-
directed letters-and here is one
of the strongest arrangements of
our intelligence-numbered 694,
90 this did not include postal
cards., which was an increase of
20 per cent. and is unprecedented.
And who would think that in the
course of the year SS,936 persons
had been so absent-minded as ia
mail matter with no address at all
land among it letters with money,
jewels, etc.? But so it was last
year. In round numbers about
100 letters a day alst year were
posted without addresses.
Letters sent to hotels and fail.
ing of delivery numbered 310,196.
and this was a slight decrease
from the previous year. There
were 11,O75 letters and packages
sent to fictitious addresses; this
was a decrease from the year be.
fore of nearly 10000. but in that
year there had been transient
causes what, the superintendent
does not say a phenomenal in
crease of more than $4,000.
About the same amount OF
money went astray as in previous
years-$4S,6 34.04. 1t came in 81,
146 letters. Besides this. there
was $1,493, 563. IS in drafts, none,
orders, checks, etc. There were
deeds, wills, pension certificates
insurance policies and such things
that found their way to the dead
letter office. Nearly 3,0OO,O 0(
pieces of matter were held await
ing delivery, or filed because the,
could not be delivered, and thi,
was an increase of about $4,000
The great amount of this matter
is due to the failure of the writer:
to give their names and address,
and the sending of ADVERTISING
printing matter under seal (which
must be destroyed also, because
a large per cent. of the parcels DE-
not contain merchandise but cata
logues and the like, medicines ant
perishable articles, which must b.
destroyed"
Among other things that wen
to this post office graveyard wer,
SO,O39 photographs and 249. %!
pieces of matter in which wer,
postage stamps-an increase O
nearly ten per cent. Here i,
another curious thing: Their,
were separated from letters in tn,
mail and found loose in the mai
and in post Offices $5,S21. 90 WORT
of stamps that could not be re
turned. If it is any consolation t,
those of us that have waited 70.
"the letter that never came" it il
to be noted that the superintend
ent says that about 1900 manu-
script communications were re
ceiyed by the Office pertaining t,
the treatment of mail matter.