The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-07-30
az EXISTENCE.

Since last year the number OF en-
pioyes in the dead letter office has
been reduced more than half. Then
there were $50 employees; now there
are about 80.
Five reasons are assigned for the
disma1 clement of the dead letter Of
fee. First, the establishment of the
parcel post system, not more than a
year old, which has diverted a large
volume of the former parcel business
done in the dead letter Office, The
business once handled in Washington
has been turned over to the several
post offices at division railway eenters.
Second, letters from foreign coun-
tries have been diverted to the post
Office exchange agencies at the ports
of entry of this country Then there
are two mammoth machines, which
stand for efficiency and can cut 5000
letters an hour, when formerly the
work had to be done by hand.
There is similar machine for seal
ing the letters once opened, identified,
and returned.
Last, but not least, the increased eff
ticiency of trained readers and de-
cipherers Of the queer letters that
come to the Office from everywhere
has developed a capacity for produc-
ton that can "croWd OUT the lesser
and perhaps more supepannuated
clerk.
In connection with the dism9ssalvof
so-ca3led 'guperannusted'' clerks, an
official yesterday defended the depart
ment's stand. He said: There has
been great hue and cry against dis
ntssals from the post Office depart
ment In our division, althoughethese
dismisseIs have been frequent, i can
say that we did everything In oar
power to find work for the employees
ousted We have referred them to
the several branches of the service
where work was to be had. and when
they did not want to accept work
outside of the city we have found 1t
necessary to drop them, retaining
only those who were the more eff
ficient workers.
There may be7a false notion in the
popular mind as to the function of
our so-called dead letter Office The
world believes we concern ourselves
with the dffhcult: manuscripts that are
written by nliterates and by wee
childrenzwh0 write undeciphepable adj
dresses. They think ore staff has
nothing to do but develop experiences
in reading that which no mortal can
read. Such is not the case.
We have no longer the dead let
ter Office Of fifteen years ago. We
have evolved and are now an efficient
machine. To us come the unclaimed
letters, misdirected letters, unad-
dressed letter. or letters tofraudulent
concerns, as well as letters bearing
prohibited mail, such as lotteries and
the like. We are not working to de-
cipher the iilegible. ALI that is now
left to the railway mail service, an
organization with fifteen branch Of
fees, which hires expert readers.
I'VE handle at least $4,000 pieces
Of malta day, and each of cur so en-
ployes returns 500 letters a day, or a
total Of 10000 day.
The dead latter Office of fifteen
years ago represented a similar out
put of return mail of about ESQ pieces
of mail day for each emDBoye, and
they employed twice the number OF
clerks we now carry.
There has been some talk, it is
true. Of consolidating the division Of
dead letters with another division. 1t
is certain they cannot do away with
the work altogether. Whether this
consolidation will ftake place car
not say"
The dead letter Office was estab-
Hshed almost 80 years ago, and is one
Of Washington's oldest and most
widely celebrated institutions. 1t tsas
established. as far as Is known, in
1895. when it was installed IN an old
room in the building In Seventh
street, now the general land office.
Unlike. many Of the divisions Of
the department It was not created by
statute, but became an institution re-
suIting- from regulations that letters
be sent to the dead letter Office"
It's functions, or part Of them at
least, may have antedated its estab-
hsnuaent here, IL is said. A similar
branch of post Office administration
vas known at the time OF BENJAMIN
Franklin when the federal capital was
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