The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-17
Mail Handlers Work

side a writtenf or printed request
for it's return in case of non delivery.
Even If these letters are opened at
the dead letter office with the idea OF
returning them to the sender, few
contain the names and addresses OF
the writer's. Then people fret and
fume because the mail service Is SO
poor. 1t would be a simple thing to
train ones self to write Return at
ter three days" over ones name and
address, so that mail could be re
turned to the sender within the time
specified If the name and address of
the sender are alone affixed, a pack
age is held for thirty days and is re-
turned to the sender from the post
! office to which it was originally sent.
The request that 1t be returned in
five days saves time and expense.
J Many persons do not know that un-
cancelled and unserviceable postal
cards are redeemable in postage
stamps by the original purchaser at
| rs per cent OF their value and that
stamped envelopes spoiled in address,
| ing can be redeemed at the stamp
window at the postoffice. Sometimes
letter is posted that is insufficient
| ly prepaid and addressed to a point
outside Of the delivery Of the office
of mailing In such case the letter
is held and the addressee notified of
the number Of stamps necessary to
forward it. Immediately on receipt OF
these stamps the mail is sent on.
A recent change in the postoffice
regulations which is a great conven-
fence, especially to the travelling pub
lie, is that special delivery" letters
can be sent by attaching 10 cents
special delivery stamp. This saves
time, and if the words special deliv-
cry" are written on the envelope the
letter or package is delivered imme-
diately within certain limits. The
hours for free delivery are between Z
a. m. and 10 p. m. Upon delivery the
messenger procures receipt from
/ the persons addressed or some one
authorized to receive the letter.
/, If people understood the value of
registering letters they would more
often do SO. Several years ago there
was prejudice to this method on
the ground that the word register
ed" on letter simply induced the
, postoffice employees to take it. This
J was unfounded, and for the last thir-
ty-hve years the registry system has
gradually been reaching perfection.
, AS matter of fact, the routine is
so perfect that absolute safety is as
sured If registered package is lost
J the government pays an indemnity
and it is as safe to send in this way
, as to dispatch by express. This In
/ demnity cannot exceed the value Of
! the contents, but may run as high as
5 s25, and it is paid if the lost regis
! tered package is addressed to any
ipostoffice in the states or island pos
/ sessions.
! Many persons think that II a let
|. ter is mailed it is impossible to recoy
s er it, but il it has not already beer
( put in the mail or pouch for the train
d the postmaster will recover it, provid
y ed proper Identification is made. If
9 has been dispatched and the case 1
e urgent the postmaster may telegraph
a to the postoffice to which 1t is ad
/, dressed stating that it is to be re
turned on receipt This Is sometime
8 done where large business transaction
Q are involved and where news arris
n ing after the dispatch Of letter rer
It ders its delivery unwise. Often tn
/, similarity in names in different state
d confuses the postofflce employees, an
t. poor handwriting Is distracting.