Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1891 — MAIL MATTER. [ARTICLE]

MAIL MATTER.

Ed. Republican: —l desire through the columns of your widely circulated paper, to give a few hints in regard to the mail matter. It is the desire of the Postmaster General that the best possible service attainable may be rendered to the public; and by observing the following precautions in addressing mail matter, the public can greatly assist: Write the address plainly with ink; do not use a pencil as it is often entirely obliterated by constant handling in the mails. Write the town, and state, and if a small place, the county, also; when mail matter is addressed to cities, or free delivery offices, the street, and house number, or postoffice box number, of the person addressed, are important, and should always be given when it is possible to do so. The name, and address of the sender either printed, or written, should be placed upon the upper left hand corner of the envelope or wrapper, of all matter this will secure its immediate return to the sender from mailing office for correcA4Ou,Tf improperly addressed, insufficiently paid, or otherwise defective; or from office of destination in case of non-delivery from any cause. Matter sent to the ‘‘Dead Letter Office,” which can not be delivered to the person addressed is required to be opened in its treatment, for the purpose of return to Ike sender; and if the name and address of the sender, be not shown, or cannot be ascertained from the contents, must be destroyed. By observing the above rules the number of letters sent to the Dead Letter office would be greatly diminished. Postmaster General J. Wanaraaker in his annual report, states: ‘‘Over six million pieces of mail matter, are sent annually to the Dead Letter Office, by reason, of incorrect, illegible, or deficient address, insufficient? postage. insecure enclossing, whereby matter, mailed becomes separated from the envelope or wrapper; or the failure to be called for, or delivered to the person addressed. This is a daily average of over twenty thousand pieces. Of the unclaimed, and undelivered mail matter received at the Dead Letter Office during the past fiscal year, twenty-eight thousand contained money amounting in all to $48,620.00. Twenty-seven thousand were found to contain drafts, checks, notes, commercial paper etc., in the sum of $1,471,871,007 while forty-eight thousand contained paid, and cancelled obligations, receipts evidencing payments of money, deeds, mortgages, general miscellaneous papers, &c. tfcc.” Therefore to avoid this delay, and loss, in mail matter it is very essential that greater care should be taken by the public.

E. D. Rhoades, P. M.

Fresh Grah&m flour and fresh corn meal at Dexter <fc Cox.