Rutland’s Missing Mail Mystery
June 1975: The post office in Rutland, Vermont was receiving numerous complaints about mail not being delivered. So what was happening to the mail?
"Patient observation" revealed the culprit to be a new trash basket recently donated to the city by the Kiwanis Club and placed outside the post office.
Many people were apparently mistaking the trash basket for a mail box and putting their letters in it. Although one resident noted, "I can't understand it. It doesn't even look like a mail box, except it's blue."
"Patient observation" revealed the culprit to be a new trash basket recently donated to the city by the Kiwanis Club and placed outside the post office.
Many people were apparently mistaking the trash basket for a mail box and putting their letters in it. Although one resident noted, "I can't understand it. It doesn't even look like a mail box, except it's blue."
The Hays Daily News - June 5, 1975
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - June 9, 1975
Comments
The PO & the Kiwanis Club are lucky that didn't happen in today's world they'd both be in court so fast it would make 13 lawyers happy! I mean, seriously, like just how was the general population supposed to KNOW that the new item next to the old mail box wasn't there in the event of overflow. Was the alleged trash receptacle clearly marked as "NOT A MAIL BOX" and carry a precise and clear warning that any mail deposited in it would NOT be collected by the PO?
Why would ANYONE place a trash can next to a mail box in the first place. How inconsiderate and totally racist!
Why would ANYONE place a trash can next to a mail box in the first place. How inconsiderate and totally racist!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/24/16 at 11:14 AM
All I get is junk mail so it hits the trash the moment I take it out of my mailbox. Having a trash can at the beginning of the process would just make things more efficient!
Posted by Anastasia Beaverhausen on 02/24/16 at 11:49 AM
People (me included) just do not pay attention most of the time. We float through the day to day stuff by rote while mentally jumping ahead to all the other stuff we have to get done. So, its not all that surprising that the more distracted of the bunch would drop their mail in the wrong blue receptacle and go on with their day.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/24/16 at 02:25 PM
I wonder if anyone put their trash in the mailbox
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 02/24/16 at 06:20 PM
Good point!
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/24/16 at 07:37 PM
I laughed out loud in the office at this one. Now they're all on to me.
We have a mailbox for the Lions Club to collect glasses. It is painted in the Lions colors (purple and gold) and has the double lions head emblem on all sides. It is clearly posted "Used Glasses Deposit, Not For Mail Delivery". This box has been located at the same spot in town for over 40 years. We run advertisements in the local paper 3 times a year to inform people to drop their glasses off there. We still get mail deposits all the time.
We have a mailbox for the Lions Club to collect glasses. It is painted in the Lions colors (purple and gold) and has the double lions head emblem on all sides. It is clearly posted "Used Glasses Deposit, Not For Mail Delivery". This box has been located at the same spot in town for over 40 years. We run advertisements in the local paper 3 times a year to inform people to drop their glasses off there. We still get mail deposits all the time.
Posted by GFinKS on 02/29/16 at 04:29 PM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Category: 1970s