succeeding the one during which they were advertised, so that many letters became five and some nearly six months old before reaching the Dead Letter Office. I invite attention to the annexed list (marked B) of the principal offices now making such returns, showing the number of letters from each. This improvement has entailed additional duties on two clerks who were before too heavily tasked, and it cannot be generally applied without more assistance. Misdirections tend more largely than any other cause to swell the number of dead letters, and many errors of this sort are now corrected by postmasters who exchange their advertised letter lists. Such exchanges have, however, only been made to a limited extent, between some of the principal cities, at the will of postmasters, whereas they should be regularly systematized and required, not only of the larger class of offices, (those of towns and cities,) but of all offices bearing similar names. Recent experience has also shown that other salutary reforms may be effected by proper instructions to postmasters, all, however, having reference rather to a more systematic and frequent return of dead letters to this department than to any material reduction of their number. As to "any further legislation," I can merely suggest, in case it should please Congress to provide for the return of a greater number of letters to the writers, that the present law, (section twenty-six, act approved March 3, 1825,) requiring them to remain three months in post offices, should be changed so as to shorten the period to two months, except in the case of letters at seaports, intended for persons on board of ships expected to arrive. It will then also be proper to change the designation of "Dead Letter Office" to Returned Letter Office. In this connection it may not be inappropriate to state what amount of labor is required in the Dead Letter Office, and what is the regular, clerical, and other force allowed for performing such labor. More than 28,000 separate accounts of postmasters are received each quarter, making about 114,000 in the year. Each package must be carefully opened, and the dead letters separated from post bills and transcripts. This heavy labor falls on two clerks. Then the letters from each office are compared with the accompanying bill; those originating in foreign countries are separated and transmitted to the countries in which they originated, and the domestic (American) letters are opened, their contents of value registered, and the letters returned to their owners. The registration involves the entry of the name of the writer, the name and post office of the person addressed, place whence mailed, and description of contents, besides filling up a circular letter of instructions and blank receipt in each case, and filing and entering returned receipts. Upwards of 20,000 letters a year are thus disposed of by only four clerks, while the task of comparing all the dead letters (2,500,000) with post bills, and separating and forwarding foreign letters, (over 130,000,) devolves on two clerks. The regular number of clerks allowed for opening letters is only three, which being, however, entirely insufficient, assistance has been obtained by requiring a laborer to open accounts, and transferring a clerk to the more responsible work of opening letters. Even four persons cannot possibly take time to examine letters further than barely to look for money and other inclosures. In addition, there are miscellaneous duties, such as examining daily for lost letters and packages, and attending to correspondence, which might well occupy the time of two clerks, whereas but one is allowed. Another clerk prepares for registration and forwarding the letters containing money, has exclusive charge of those which cannot be delivered and of special correspondence in reference to the same, and generally supervises the details of business. It is impossible, by description, adequately to convey an idea of the amount of labor performed. It cannot be appreciated except upon actual observation in all its details. The constant pressure is such as to allow no time for careful examination. Everything must be hastened; and so far from attempting to make material improvements in the service, with the present force employed, it is found impossible fully to keep up the current business. Attention is invited to the annexed tables (marked C and D) showing the operations of the Dead Letter Office each year, from 1855, to 31st March, 1860, so far as concerns letters containing money or other valuable inclosures. In addition, hundreds of packages remain in the office for want of information as to the owners, there being now an accumulation of over three thousand daguerreotypes, besides other articles. The dead letters in California, Oregon, and Washington Territory, are examined in San Francisco, agreeably to section three, act approved July 27, 1854, entitled an "Act making provision for the postal service in the States of California," &c., &c. (For the last annual report up to 30th September, 1859, see statement, marked E, hereto appended.) The chief causes of the accumulation of dead letters are clearly traceable to the restless lives and careless habits of the American people. Thousands of letters are directed to persons who are moving from place to place, and can therefore only be reached, as it were, by chance, and still more are imperfectly or improperly directed. As many as twelve hundred of this class have been received at one time. from one small distributing office, and it must be more from inadvertence than ignorance of the law, that fifty thousand letters annually fail to reach their destination for want of prepayment of postage. As a still more convincing proof of carelessness, it may be stated that hundreds of letters are found entirely without addresses. Such causes are of course beyond the control of legislation, and for their removal we must look to time and to the people themselves. So far as there may be a lack of solicitude and vigilance on the part of postmasters, every possible measure will be adopted in the administration of the department to affect the necessary reform. I have the honor to be, &c., J. HOLT, Postmaster General. Hon. JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, President Senate United States. A. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, July 21, 1859. SIR: Your letter of the 25th June, as well as the communication to which it refers, was received, and have been carefully considered. The vast accumulation of dead letters in the post offices of our country, has attracted the attention of Congress, and in compliance with a resolution of that body, many minds in the different branches of the postal service are now occupied with the question as to what can best be done to remedy this acknowledged and growing evil. Among the many valuable suggestions which have been submitted to me, none has been more thoroughly and patiently examined in its detail, than the plan devised by yourself, and so elaborately explained and impressed in the communication alluded to. It is ingenious and feasible, but I have not been able to resist the conviction that the results which it would accomplish would not justify the expenditure of money and of labor which the practical enforcement of the systems would involve. To a nomadic population, your plan would be admirably adapted, and therefore in the mining districts of our Pacific possession, its introduction would no doubt lead to the delivery of many letters which now fail to reach their destination. But it possesses no special adaptation to a population of fixed homes, and its advantages, if adopted among such a people, would be slight, as compared with the cost at which they would be purchased. The list which you propose shall be prepared (quarterly I presume, as at present) by the department of the dead letters, and permanently exhibited in each of the post offices of the State or Territory whence the letters have been forwarded as not delivered, would probably give much less practical publicity to their existence than you suppose. Take for example the State of New York, in which there are upwards of 2,500 post offices. In the city of New York alone there are near 70,000 dead letters returned per quarter. If to these be added those from every other office in the State, the list would assume a magnitude that would discourage all inquiry. The very vastness of the field to be explored, would lead rather to the concealment than the disclosure of the letters sought to be delivered. Again the prevailing similarity of names in our country would present great, if not insuperable obstacles. The directory shows that in the city of New York alone there are 200 John Smiths, 132 William Smiths, 100 James Smiths, 100 John Browns, 70 William Browns, 50 James Browns, 90 John Murphys, 50 James Murphys, 90 James Sullivans, &c., &c., &c. When you add to these all the similar names found throughout the entire State, you can at once perceive how formidable the list would become. You would probably find not scores, but hundreds of letters addressed to the same name, and yet not intended for one, but for hundreds of different persons. How would such letters be delivered under your system? If claimed by individuals bearing the proper name, to which of the claimants would they be sent; or in what proportion, or upon what principle would they be distributed? The hopeless embarrassment and interminable correspondence which would result from this aggre gation of all these letters at a point where there could be no personal knowledge of the persons to whom they are addressed, must be manifest. An occasional letter would of course be thus saved from destruction, but the play would not be worth the candle. Under our present system almost all the dead letters really valuable are delivered to the writers, if not to those to whom they are addressed. Those not valuable in the sense of the statute would scarcely justify the bestowal of the labor and money for their delivery, which your system would necessarily require. The accumulation of dead letters results in part from a lack of solicitude and vigilance on the part of postmasters, and in part from the careless habits and comparatively restless lives of the American people. Every possible measure will be adopted, in the administration of the department, to remove the cause first named; for the removal of the latter, we must look to time and the people themselves. For your communication, which manifests much thought and an earnest and laudable desire to coöperate in the attainment of a great public good, you have my sincere thanks. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Mr. OLIVER EVANS WOODS, Philadelphia. J. HOLT, Postmaster General. |