The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-08-03
ARTICLES ALWAYS ARE FOUND
( The Articles Which Disappear in the
Mail are Never Taken by Clerks but
are Held by the Government Pending
the Finding of the Owners.


is broad statement, but nevertheless
it is so nearly absolutely correct that
it. may be taken as fact. 1t is true
that apparently many articles are lost
in the transmission of the mails, but
in reality they are not lost, for they
are turned into the inquiry depart
ment where they are tagged and list
ed, dates of finding, on what train,
by what mail clerk turned in and
other data that might possibly lead to
the Identification of the articles
There are approximately thirty divi-
sions in the mail service in this country
and once each month the superinten-
dent of each division complies list
of all the articles turned into the in
quiry department. of his division.
These LISTS are printed and distributed
to postofices throughout the country.
OF course many articles are never
recovered by the owners, but there is a
reason for this. Lin the first place, if
the article gone astray is a present to
some friends or relative, there may be
mo inquiry concerning it. If a note of
thanks is not received by the sender of
the present, it is taken for granted
that the article did not suit, or failure
to acknowledge the present an over
sight on the part of the person the
article was sent to.
Then again there are many people
throughout the country who are not
aware of the inquiry department ;"
maintained by Uncle Sam. This class
does not make inquiries for articles
lost, as they suppose in transmission
through the mails. When an article
goes astray they take it for granted
}hat it is lost and that ends it. A
little inquiry at the local postoffice
might, aud nine times out of ten does
lead to the return of the lost article.
How the System Works.
A few words will explain how the
>ystem works out A few days before
Christmas, a present, watch for in
stance, is sent to relative living at
y distance, in California for example.
Before sending the watch the initial of
Tie future owner is 10 doubt engraved
upon some part of the case. The watch
Is included in small case and proper
" wrapped, but for some reason it
never reaches it's destination.
This fact is learned two or three
weeks after Christmas, and the sender
being aware Of the inquiry depart
ment, notifies the local postofice.
Many questions are asked, and the
more clearly they are answered the
greater the assistance is given the
postal authorities in locating the
watch.
How it was lost out of the original
wrapper is another matter The send
er himself may be responsible for that.
The package may not have been wrap
ped in sufficiently strong paper or the
string may have become loose, or many
other things may have happened to it.
AT any rate it is lost and now comes
the task of locating it.
Among the questions asked is the
exact time, or as near the exact time
that it was mailed, also the date and
if possible also description of the
wrapper.
Ii this inquiry is started three weeks
after Christmas the local postoffice will
have received the lists from all the di-
visions by that time. The proper Of
fetal win first map out the route over
which the watch would 90 to its des-
tination. He knows through what
divisions mails pass and this eliminates
lot of unnecessary work.
Selecting the lists received from the
districts through which the package
must pass, he goes over these carefully.
Perhaps nothing is found that would
indicate that the watch has been turn
ed into any Of the inquiry departments,
lie must then search further.
Mail cars do not always remain in
the same division. They are often
transferred from one division to an
other, particularly through the Christ,
mas rush.
Knowing this the tracing officer ex-
amines the lists of the adjoining dis
tricts, and the watch is located, and
returned to the owner, br forwarded to
the original address at the option of
the sender. This notation may be
found on the tag Found behind steam
pipes, U. P. mail car SAG, Omaha, Chey,
Div. by Mail Clerk Jones, 12-23-1o. =
That one sentence tells the whole
story. Mail Clerk Jones found the
watch behind the steam pipes of his
car, Union Pacific mail car No. $40
on his run between Omaha and Chey-
enne on December %.
Many Articles Turned III.
In tie Chicago division alone, from
November p, 1910, to December SO,
FOLLOWING 1850 separate articles were