Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-05-15
Postal Cards.

a recent Washington dispatch gives the
following information relating to the new
Prostal Cards:
The card adopted is five and one-eighth
inches in length and three inches in width,
and is made Of good, stiff paper, water
marked with the initials L. s. P. o. d. in
monogram. The face of the card is en-
graved, surrounded by "a border in scroll
work, one-eighth of an inch in width. The
one cent stamp printed on the upper right
hand corner is from profile bust of the
Goddess of Liberty, looking to the left, and
surrounded by a lathe-work border, with
the words 'U S. Postage" inscribed above,
and "One Cent below. On the upper left
hand corner are the words United States
Postal Card" with directions to write
the address only on this side, the message
on tive other Underneath, and occupy
ing the lower half of the card, are ruled
lines on which to write the address, the
top line being prefxed with the word
TO" The back of the card, intended for
the communication, is entirely plain,
being devoid even of ruled lines. In
color, the body of the card is light cream,
the printing velyet-brown. No variation
in size, shape, color, or in any other par
tcular, will be made from the regular
SlNlt ~ dCtOlllllOtldtt SI)tCidl casts, llDi
will the Department do any printing on
the cards beyond the engraving specified
in the description.
Postal cards will be sold for cent each,
neither more nor less, whether in large
quantities or in small
The objeCtsof the postal cards is to facil-
itate letter correspondence, and provide
for the transmission through the mails, at
reduced rate OF postage, of short com
municatiOns either printed or written in
pencil Of ink. They may, therefore, be
used for orders, invitations, notices, re
ceipts, Acknowledgements, and other re-
quirements Of business and social life,
and the matter desired to be conveyed NAV
be either in writing or in print, or partial
ly in both. In their treatment as mail
matter, they are to be regarded by Post
masters the same as sealed letters. and not
as printed matter, except that in no case
will unclaimed cards be sent to the Dead
Letter Office.
An ordinary printed business card NAV be
sent through the mails when prepaid by a
1 cent postage stamp attached but such
card must contain absolutely no written
matter except the address, otherwise il
will be treated as not fully prepaid, and
refused admission into the mails
All cards different from those herein
described bearing embossed or printed
postage stamps, and purporting to be
United States postal cards are counterfeit
and the manufacture OF such cards, or the
attempt to use the same, will subject the
offender to fine of $500 and imprison-
ment for five years. (Sec. 17S Postal
Code)
Postmasters will not, under any circum-
etnr 10
change postal cards that may be mis-
directed, spoiled in printing, or otherwise
rendered unfit for use, in the hands of
private holders.
The Department will not furnish less
than 800 cards on the order of a Post
master. individuals desiring postal cards
will purchase them Of Postmaster, as in
no case can they obtain them upon appli-
cation to the Department