Posted on 01/08/2007 2:29:40 PM PST by DogByte6RER
Post office delivers letter 52 years late
BY FRANK SOJAK
The Tribune-Democrat
— Whoever sent this letter with a 3-cent stamp was overcharged.
The missive to a young man in Ferndale just arrived – 52 years late.
The letter, postmarked Oct. 26, 1954, presumably was lost in the mail.
Brian McAteer, who resides at the Ferndale Avenue home now, said he was shocked when the letter, encased in a large, United States Postal Service window envelope, allowing the address to be seen, arrived at his home a couple weeks ago.
The letter had a return address of Fieldstone Avenue in Richland Township but not the name of the sender.
Peering through the larger envelope’s window, McAteer said the letter appears to be sealed and does not seemed to have been damaged through the years. He says he will not open it.
McAteer said he has not had any success in finding the intended recipient, Frederick Zane Yost.
He got in touch with people with the same surname in the Johnstown area looking for Frederick, but hasn’t had any luck. He also spoke with neighbors who have resided in the vicinity for many years. Again, no luck.
McAteer said his daughter, Sarah, searched for Frederick’s name on the Internet but came up empty.
“I haven’t given up trying to find him,” said McAteer, road foreman for the Ferndale Borough Street Department, on Friday afternoon.
The Tribune-Democrat archives indicates that Frederick Zane Yost is the son of the late Fred A., a former sports editor for The Tribune-Democrat, and the late Betty, who resided at the Ferndale address at that time.
Efforts to reach the younger Mr. Yost, who has moved to Florida, were not successful.
Too bad the family can't get back a refund from the Postal Service, with interest accrued...
It certainly has its UPS and its downs.
Would love to know where that letter has been for 52 years. Where was it found and under what circumstances? Why does the post office not have to account for such a long delay in delivery?
Take your choice
http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=frederick%20z%20yost&state=ALL&ref=&se=&doby=&city=&name_style=1
Wouldn't it be ironic if the 52 year-old letter was the Postmaster General's paycheck?!?!
I wonder if it's the same Frederick Zane Yost pictured at this link...
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambr2/WHHS/WHHS6908.html
A normal, somewhat routine article that is interesting and entertaining. I expected to find bland comments and the usual one-liners.
Until I saw your post. And I have to say thank you. You are a fine freeper, indeed.
A google search also turns up a high school picture of Frederick Zane Yost from 1969--assuming it's the same guy.
Post 2 gone.
Dangit!
DogByte6RER giveth, and the Moderator taketh away.
I'd already saved it however, so it will get put in a place of honor. Namely, the new wallpaper on my work computer,
(at the US Postal Service.)
I looked for that pick after it was removed and found it.
On another note, DO NOT GOOGLE "UPS GIRL" WHY YOUR BOSS IS BEHIND YOU.
Yup...
I guess I was pushing that envelope too far (pardon the pun!)
It's been done before though.
Check out this link and scroll down...you might find what you are looking for:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1756878/posts
Those people lead limited, unexciting, boring lives I tell you.
Single-piece rate First-Class letter mail can be and is misrouted, and sometimes for as long as 52 years!
Heh... well, thanks for the link. I was really a bit surprised that the pic was pulled - it's not *that* much more provocative than the pics of "Belly Girl" which even grace some of the Freepathon banners.
Maybe the mods prefer FedEx, eh?
Yes, easy enough to find anyone now days.
If the US Post Office would offer delayed delivery, to both senders and recipients,for an additional fee, it could erase the national debt. Think about it..."The check is in the mail.", or "Your invoice hasn't arrived yet."
How much would it cost me to have all my bills held till after I'm gone?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.