The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-27
MAIL is HELD UP.
Fifteen Hundred Pieces Under
Ban of Postal Rulings.
Seven Hundred Post Cards Bear
Unmailable Decorations.
DELIVERY NOT OVER.
About a Ton of PackagessYet to
Reach Destination.
Christmas Rush Nears End at
Topeka POstOffice.
DELIVERY NOT OVER.

With the cleaning up of the Christ
mas rush at the Topeka postoffice,
there were found 1900 post cards, 200
letters and nearly 100 packages, drop
ped there by Topekans.' but unavailable
or unmailed for various violations of
the postal rules.
OF the postcards, 700 are unmail-
able because of tinsel or mica decor
atoms which will brush off in handling.
These decorations are of bright colors
and beautiful, but the clerks and post
men in handling them are subject to
poisoning and the government prohib-
it's their carriage. Patrons, who have
dropped them will never hear of them
because it is the SuppoSition that
should the carrier return them, he
would be as liable to poison as if they
were sent on through the mails.
Just why manufacturers are permit
ted to make that class of cards and the
retailers to sell them is a matter not
clearly decided. PostmasterS have
brought the situation to the federal
authorities with the result that the
cards have been declared to be mail
able if enclosed in envelopes or tissue
and that their manufacture need not
be hampered. Most purchasers, how
ever, upon seeing the cards for sale
buy them, supposing that they are
mailable.
Three hundred cards were held up
because of insufficient address and zoo
more Were thrown into the drop boxes
with no postage whatever. Where a
return is written on these cards of in
sufficient address, the sender is notl-
fled. Where no postage is found, the
addressee is notified to send postage if
he desires the card forwarded.
Stamps the Reverse Side.
In addition there are dozen or so
cards on which postage stamps were
placed on the reverse side, or picture
side, of the card Clerks are forbidden
to cancel such stamps because in so
doing they would mar the picture or
decoration. In that case the stamp is
entirely ignored and not considered
property of the government.
One hundred letters were held on
account of insufficient address and the
senders, if their names are obtainable,
will be notified. One hundred others
are held for postage and the ad-
dressees will be notified.
For letters and cards where no pos
tage is found, the government really
makes additional postage-twice or
three times as much as the original
postage. The addressee is notified. He
| buys a two cent stamp to send postage
for the waiting letter or card, one or
| two cents, and the government has col
| lected double rates for the delivery.
|
to the boxes without postage and
without even an address. These. be-
ing unsealed matter, are opened, and
| if the sender's name is found, he is
notified.
Red Cross Stamps Used.
Quite as peculiar as this forgetful-
ness is the belief by some half dozer
persons that red cross stamps would
| do for postage Several packages have
| two of these tuberculosis stamps or
them, but no postage stamps. The ad
dresses are plain and ultimately the
packages will be delivered.
! About a ton of mail remains at the
local office to be delivered. These
slightly belated Christmas greeting.
came in Monday afternoon and las
night. Two express wagons with two
sub-carriers to each one will complete
! the delivery this afternoon. The wag-
ons made their trip this morning the
! same as for Friday and Saturday OF
| last week
That the swollen mails of Yuletide
have just about resumed normal size