The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-28
Postal Clerks Find Varied Assert
ment, From Halrpins to Bags Of
Beans and Set Of Naturali-
zatlon Papers.
LIST CAREFULLY KEPT
This is Preserved for an Entire Year
in Hope Of Locating Own
ers-Arguments for
Careful Mailing.

Sixteen hundred and thirty-nine
loose articles were dumped out OF
mail bags on the Chicago division dur.
ing the past month. This constitutes
just that many arguments against In
ferior wrapping Of articles for mail
ing.
In the Chicago postoffice a force OF
clerks is kept busy listing and films
| in alphabetical order the articles
which are turned in from the various
postofices which constitute the divls-
ion. The miscellaneous nature Of the
wanderers OF the mail lead one to the
belief that these clerks must be walk
/ ing encyclopedias as every article is
listed and described infinitely in the
list.
There are also many coins found in
the mail pouches each month and the
amount turned In each month amounts
to considerable sum. Occasionally
paper money is found. A dollar bill
was recently found loose in a pouch
in the Keokuk postof1ce.
These articles and the money found
are held at the Chicago Office for
year and at the end Of that time If un-
claimed are disposed of by sale. Oft
entimes valuable merchandise Is re-
covered and the office Is kept busy
comparing tracer5 and the articles
listed in the unclaimed department.
The list which shows the nature OF
articles found during the past month
is exceedingly cosmopolitan in nature.
Automobile parts, clothing, shoes,
hats, athletic goods, food, staple
groceries, in fact a small sized depart
ment store could be opened with what
is turned in by the postofices Of the
division.
A few excerpts from the list are
given below showing the goulash va
riety Of lost and found and the ex-
ceeding care with which postal en-
ployes send in the articles found.
Probably the smallest and least I'm
portant thing on the list during the
past month was hairpin which was
discovered wandering around loose In
an unsuspecting mail bag. 1t was
listed with as much care and time as
diamond solitaire
Other articles found were 1ngersoll
watches. 1914 pound bag Of beans, "a
lzors, scissors. combs and brush, In
surance policies and mans old
slippers, and they were old. A splash
er was also submitted. A can OF
pineapple and two cans Of beans also
meandered into the lost department
A crank hanger (new knocker execu'
tioner) and a set OF naturalization
papers are mourning the loss Of the
owner.
Kimonas, pair OF mems blue serge
pants, blue sox, neckties, five stog1es
(don't blame the clerk for sending
them I'M. shoes, overalls, razor blades
are also on the list. Books are listed
by titles such as THE House OF
Dawn" The Suspected Wife" etc
Rubber hose, photos, castings and
meat hooks were caught in the net
"A statue entitled "The Hellydid.7 ar
Ieight-day alarm clock and three bags
Iof -four, egg separators, baseball
gloves, straw hats, brier pipes, hote
keys and a box of cooked brains keel
the Chicago division on the Jump. The
list goes on ad infnitum, including
noodle cutters, nest eggs, hot water
bottles, etc. About the only article
not listed is "what-not." At any rate
the list shows the care that Uncle
Samuel uses in preserving article!
which are lost through carelessnes:
on the part of the senders in usins
inferior wrapping material.