Evening star., 1947-07-05
By Richard l. Disney, Jr.

Lost and found is a big business.
# you think it's q headache when
you leave sonny's new roller skates
on the streetcar and have to retrieve
them, multiply that by 1000 month
and see what Capital Transit Co.
has.
Wherever people move from one
place to another, they leave trail
Of umbrellas, gloves, wallets, tools,
keys, eyeglasses, books and what
have-you.
The small personal items aren't
the only ones, however. A look into
Capital Transit's lost and found
ofice showed a lampshade that
would have been too big even to
set on a streetcar seat, among the
newest acquisitions.
Baby Carriage Lost.
Mrs. Mary Ward, clerk in charge
of the office, said that less than a
year ago a baby carriage was left
on a streetcar. On different oc-
casion it was bathinet.
Recently a passenger even brought
in a lost youngster. The girl, about
7, became confused, got on the wrong
car. She didn't remain unclaimed
long, however.
A red railroad lantern, plasterer's
equipment, brooms, suitcases, q
butcher knife, well-used, and the
miniature bride and bridegroom
meant to decorate some wedding
cake-these were some of the items
seen in the packed backroom Of the
Capital Transit lost and found office
Typewriters, lunchboxes, cameras
occasionally a blackjack, watches
diamond rings, purses, radios, ice
skates, roller skates-these are some
of the things Mrs. Ward and the
three clerks with her expect to see
come into the Office.
Secret Papers Found.
Also legal papers. During the wal
secret and confidential papers ap.
peared with regularity. More thar
once, Mrs. Ward said, a harasseo
GI has paced the outer office until
an examination of the latest received
articles would show whether his
sealed orders had been found.
What is lost depends considerably
on the transportation system ir
question. With the Washington
streetcar and bus lines, it's um.
brellas.
We've handled about 1000 um.
brellas since January L." Mrs. Ware
declared. When it rains they poul
in, she said. Then next day there
is a flood of telephone calls. Next
time it rains lot more people dis
cover their loss for the first time
and there's another gfoup Of calls
Gloves are about the next most
popular item to drop. And there
always are wallets, purses, empty
and full. ~.
With inter-city transportation sys.
TENS highest on the loss list are suit.
cases and handbags. At Union Sta.
ton, George H. Thomas, in charge
of the Washington Terminal Co.!
lost and found office said about
third Of the 80 or 40 items he sees
each day are suitcases. All kinds o1
articles of clothing join the collec.
ton he receives from the station
and from coaches Of trains which
end their runs here. In one bin Lay
a District automobile license plate
Luggage Tags Advised.
i At the bus stations unchecked
handbags and suitcases are the mair
headache.
"If people only would tag theil
luggage" said S. A. Wampler, Wash
ington Terminal manager for Ma
tional railways.
Aside from the outright question
of loss, there is the chance Of mixur
i A short time ago Mr.. Wample
said, a woman travelling to Miam
for a stage engagement with
suitcase full of gowns, costumes
jewelry. She opened her bag here
TO find it full Of mems clothes