The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-06-16
UNCLE SANS DEAD LETTER OFFICE
BROUGHT UP TO DATE.

BROUGHT UP TO DATE.
Postmaster General Cortelyou says
he is desirous of undermining the pos
tai service in every respect. He is at
present paying particular attention to
the division.of dead letters, III order
that all of the enormous amount OF
work there may be properly handled.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
De Graw has been giving his per.
sonal attention to this division, and
has recently materially strengthened
the force by the addition of a number
of competent clerks from other divi-
sions under his supervision.
The dead letter Office is becoming
one of the most important divisions of
the department, and the skill that is
being developed by the employees in
their own particular lines is some
thing more or less remarkable. As
a result Of the enlargement of the
force the heavy accumulation Of mail,
numbering upward of 100000 pieces,
has been completely wiped out, and
the work is now up to date.
The monthly report of the division
of dead letters shows that the num-
Der of unopened letters on hand on
February 28 last was $4,000. against
23o, ,oo6 on January 3Ist. This re-
duction is very pleasing to Mr.. De
Graw, as it shows the efficiency of
the force under his direction. In the
mouth OF February of the present
year log, 900 more letters were open
ed than we're opened in the same
month last year. Last month 49,
600 letters were returned to the send
ers, and altogether $4,000 letters
were disposed of in various ways.
The dead letter funds delivered into
the Office of the Third Assistant Post
master General amounted to 1872
81 for February.
Few persons, perhaps, realize the
immensity of the work performed by
this division. Established in 1925
with an insignificant force, it mas
grown to be the largest division of
the Postofice Department, employ
ing I4o persons, three-fourths of
whom are women. An aged en-
ploye, recently deceased, after con-
tlnuous service of more than forty
years, recalled that he and one other
clerk were able in the most leisurely
manner TO open all dead letters re-
ceived. The same person recalled
the fact that it was the custom at one
time to convey unreturnable dead let
tiers to what is now the White Lot,
south ofthe White House, where they
were burned.
The division is divided into several
sections. The employees in each of
these have specified duties, in which
they become amazingly tlextrous. In
the opening section, for instance,
there are experts who have each open
ed in excess of $500 letters in one
day. Surprising proficiency is also
attained by the clerks engaged in cor
recting. wrong or insufacienr address
es. Thousands OF apparently hope
less cases of misdirection are set Alright
by these employees.
Notwithstanding the efforts of the
department to lessen the amount of
dead matter by means of printed cir
culars and posted notices to users Of
the mails, giving advice as to means
of avoiding loss to mail matter by OBJ
serving proper care in addressing,
etc., the number of pieces received in
the division of dead letters continues
to increase, reaching total of H.
500, 900 in 1905. Letters and pack
ages bearing the addresses of the
senders are, under the rules, when
delivery is not possible, returned di-
rectly from the postofice of destina-
ton to the senders. 1t is surprising
that this important method of insur-
ing the return of mail matter. au-
thorized half a century ago, is not
more generally employed in CORE.
SpOnuSuCe'
Of the letters and parcels opened in
1905 there were enclosures of money
in 6,oS3; drafts, etc., in 7o,4o4 !;
photographs in S5,3I5 and postage
stamps in 316,557. Those contain
ing merchandise numbered 33I,426.
The actual money found amounted
to $50, IoI. I6, and the face value of
the commercial paper found was ST.
Goa, 187. .36. The last annual sale
of undelivered merchandise included
11s,ooo articles, made up into 8,I62
lots, and the proceeds. excluding all
expenses, netted $7,o54.o3.
The benefcence of the service is
illustrated in small degree by the dis
tribution from time to time, among
the benevolent institutions of the Dis.
trict 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 cards,
etc. Washington Star.
WHAT SHE GRAspRD.