El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-28
QUEER THINGS
FOUND IN
MAILS
Dead Letter Office a Clear
ing House for Misdirected
Packages.
EACH YEAR SALE OF
ARTICLES IS HELD

Washington, D. c., jan 2s--There
is no department. of the United States
government that is so replete with
genuine human interest as Is the dead
letter division Of the postoffice de-
partment There IS an indescribable
rpathos in the thought that so many
messages and kind remembrances fail
to reach the persons for whom they
were intended. while there is unlimited
amusement to be derived from an in
spection Of the heterogeneous collec-
ton Of articles which pass through tho
hands Of Uncle Sans mail carriers.
The division of dead letters was eS-
tablished as a branch OF the postoffice
department as far back as 1925, but
there was no record kept OF its work
until 1860 It's object is TO dispose OF
the various kinds Of unbelievable
mail sent TO it from the $4,000 pOstof-
fees in the United States This in
cludes letters and packages unclaimed
at the destination addressed, many that
are mailed without any address and
those that cannot. be dispatched for va
rfous reasons, such as the nOnpayment
of postage misGirectiOn, etc The first
effort of the department is to deliver
as much Of this material as possible
either TO the sender or addresse. the
y
has the work of this division increased
that it is now the busiest division OF
the pOstoffice department, 176 persons
being employed continually. Last year
there were 13,145.172 pieces Of mail re-
ceived at the dead letter division The
task Of opening all these is stupendous
and engages the services Of Is persons
who each average opening 1000 to 5000
daily.
Record Kept of VaIuabIes.
A careful record is Kept OF all Valu-
able enclosures including money, COM
merciaI papers, wills, deeds, ETC. Last
year there was SOS. 900 in actual money
received Of this only $4,000 could be
returned 10 its owners, which shows
that there is practically an average OF
over $500 per day lost in the mails.
This is turned into the United States
treasury after every possible means OF
discovering its owner has been ex-
hausted-
Last year $4,000 misdirected letters
and packages contained photographs
A few years ago a pretty romance
grew up in the dead letter division
from a instructed photograph
young lady cut west sent her picture
TO her brother who could not be found.
But the clerk who opened the package
fell in love with the sweet face of the
ana Win SOLlC tAdCC0
the sender. A correspondence followed
which soon terminated in happy mar
riage.
Uncle Sans Package Party.
Each year the general public is in
vited TO attend Uncle Sans package
party at which thousands OF articles
that have accumulated at the dead let
ter division are sold at public auction.
Usually this sale is held shortly be-
fore Christmas so that there IS pos
sibility of articles sent as Christmas
presents. one year being received the
following year by totally different per-
SONS than those for whom they were
first intended It takes six months TO
prepare for a package party. Twelve
clerks are engaged all this time in
catafoging and arranging the articles.
The packages are arranged in bundles
averaging five articles each, and are
listed with their contents. They are
classified as miscellaneous, books, and
jewelry, and are auctioned to the
highest bidders. The results of these
auctions average $4,000 annually.
which is put in the United States
treasury.
The auction parties are full of in
terest. Generally the bargain fiend
finds it worth while TO attend. al
though often of course the articles are
Gus list may include any conceivable
article which is small enough to go
into a mail bag. Some things are valu-
able, as fine laces, embrOideries, Mex
lean drawnwork, silks and beautiful
waists. Children's clothing Of all kinds.
with silver table and toilet articles,
cosmetics and even liquid drugs. ra-
zors, tOOthbrushes and firearms are
only a few of the articles listed. The
book list is a long one and includes
volumes in every language. The Jew
elry schedule contains watches, dia-
monds, pearls. rings, brooches. pins.
bracelets. chains, lOckets; in fact ev-
erything likely to be found at a first
class jewelry store.
Attended by All Glasses.
The auction continues several days
and is attended by every class Of So
ciety. 4 well chaperOned party Of young
girls from an exclusive school will