Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-12
NOW UP TO ATE
WORK OF THE DEAD LETTER Of
FICE.

Postmaster General Cortelyou says he IS
DESTROYS Of undermining the postal service
In every respect He Is at present paying
particular attention to the division OF dead
letters. In order that all OF the enormous
amount OF work there may he properly
handled. Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General De Graw has been swing his per
sonal attention to this division. ana has re-
Gently materially strengthened the force BY
the addition OF a number of competent
clerks from other divisions under his super
vision
The dead letter ONCE is becoming one OF
the most important divisions OF the de
partment and the skin that is being de-
Veloped by the employees IN their own par
ticular lines is something more or less re-
markable. As a result OF the enlargement
of the force the heavy accumulation OF
man. numbering upwards OF five hundred
thousand pieces, has been completely wiped
out, and the work Is now up TO date
The monthly report OF the division or
dead letters shows that the number of IN
opened letters on hand February - last
was 5000. against 30 600 January n This
reduction is very pleasing 60 sir. De Graw
as II shows the efficiency Of the force under
ms direction. In the month OF February OF
the present year l09,oO0 more letters were
opened than were opened In the same
month last year Last month ~ 600 letters
were returned to the senders. and alto
gether $4,000 letters were disposed Of in
various ways The dead letter funds de
hvered into the Office Of the third assistant
postmaster general amounted 20 St3I2s7
Tor February.
Immensely of Work.
Few persons. perhaps, realize the i'm
mensity or the work performed by this
division. Established In 1875 with an insis-
nificant force, II has grown 10 be the IarE-
est division Of the Post Office Department.
employing 40 persons, three-fourths OF
whom are women. An aged employe re-
Gently deceased. after a continuous service
of more than forty years. recalled that he
ana one other clerk were able In the most
Iesurely manner, TO open all dead letters
received. The same person recalled the
TACT that II was the custom at one time 10
convey unFeturnable dead letters 20 what
is now the White Lot, south OF the White
House. where they were burned
The division is divided into several sec
tons. The employees ia each OF these have
speclhed duties. in which they become
amazingly dexterous. In the opening sec
ton, for instance. there are experts who
have each opened in excess of $3.50 letters
In one day. Surprising proficiency is also
attained by the clerks engaged in correcting
wrong or insufficient addresses. Thousands
OF apparently hopeless cases of misitrectiou
are set Alright by these employees
Notwithstanding the efforts OF the depart
ment TO leSsen<the amount OF dead matter
by means OF printed circulars and posted
notices to users OF the mails. giving advice
as to means OF avoiding loss of mail mat
ter by observing proper care in addressing
etc, the number OF pieces received IN the
division of dead letters continues to in
crease. reaching a total of IL 800 900 In 1905
Letters and packages bearing the addresses
OF the senders are, under the rules, when
delivery is not possible returned directly
from the post office of destination 10 the
senders. 1t is surprising that this impor-
tant method OF insuring the return of mail
matter. authorized half a century ago. is
not more generally employed IN correspond
ence.
OF the letters and parcels opened ln 1903
there were Enclosures of money In 76aS};
drafts, etc, IN 20 4o4; photographs Ia S5.31J.
and postage stamps in 316.557. Those con-
tanning merchandise numbered 33l .l2L The
actual money found amounted to 500 lH1.16
and the face value OF the commercial paper
found was 81. SOB, 1871 &c. The last annual
sale OF undellvered merchandise included
10000 articles. made up into S.lG2 lots,
and the proceeds excluding all expenses,
netted sT.054.03.
The beneficence of the service is illus
trated In small degree, by the distribution,
from time 10 time, among the benevolent
institutions of the District of Columbia, for
the use OF their inmates. Of undelivered
periodical and other printed matter suitable
for the purpose. This distribution includes
magazines, pamphlets, picture car3s, etc