Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-20
Amazing Variety
Articles Lost by
People in the Cities

New York. Jan. 19.--(AP)-Absent
mindedness is increasing among city
folk. 1t is partly a result OF the
feverish race of the city's lie ana
the Kaleidoscope, ever changing
scenes of the teeming streets that
rival the sideshows of colossal cir-
Gus in distracting the mind
This Is reflected in an array of fig-
ures obtained today from New York
police officials whose duty 1t is to
find the owners of hundreds of arti-
cles lost daily in the streets. IN sub
way stations, in taxicabs and WHERE
ever New Workers move in their daily
life. Figures show that the NUMBER
of lost articles is increasing annually.
A bass drum, a bag of live snakes,
five-foot wreath intended for
funeral, artificial arms and legs
these are some of the items among a
list of articles retrieved by the police.
Recently a $4,000 diamond ring was
found in city dump after Az tons
of refuse had been sifted.
Probably the most absent-minded
man was found By the 1nterborough
Rapid Transit Co., In whose subway
trains scores of articles are left daily
by passengers. The man recently APP
peared at the companys lost and
found window and inquired for a
brief case which he said contained
important legal papers. A search was
made but in vain. Then he was ask
ed when he lost the case.
"Oh, somewhere about the middle
Of 1919" he replied.
Loss children continue to make a
big job for the police, but with the
use of the radio in broadcasting des-
criptions, most of them are returned
to anxious parents without great de-
lay.
Jewelry leads all other articles in
the lost list and here taxicabS figure
prominently. A recent announcer
ment by one taxicab company said
that approximately 1900 articles were
left in it's cabs each month. This
company's record show the finding of
such articles as leather case con-
tanning 100000 worth of jewelry," as
we'll as more prosaic appurtenances
such as bass drums and even coffee
grinders.
But for variety, the lost and found
departments of the subway offers the
most interesting collection. Recent
accumulations include a part of a
human body, an indiscriminate col
lection Of guinea pigs, white rats,
canaries, monkeys, parrots, cats and
dogs, tools, umbrellas, eyeglasses,
keys, mons and women's wearing
apparel, jewelry, and enough guns,
pistols and blackjacks to fit out the
police department"
Day after day stream of the
forgetful wind in and out of the Of
fees of the transit companies, seek
ing lost articles. 1t has been noticed
by those n charge of the lost articles
that since the war the quality of the
jewelry lost has fallen considerably.
Much of the jewelry found today is
imitation, they declare, and here the
owners fear of the hold-up man is
seen.
Loaded pistols are daily left in the
subway trains and officials believe
that gunner carrying weapons and
fearing that detectives are on their
trail, drop the pistols in the trains
and fee" Pickpockets also use the
subway trains and taxis to dispose
of wallets from they have removed
all valuables.
A rainy day always brings a flood
of lost articles. and the increased
traffic of Saturday and Monday never
fails to show itself in the volume of
articles turned in by train conductors