The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-06-05

of Postal Cards-The Demand undated,
and Considerably beyond First Esti-
mates-Thc Figures FOR the Year.
TFrom the Springfield Republican, May ISL
The first postal cards were placed on
sale in Washington year ago yester-
day. The first cards were issued from
the mandatory in this city May II,
1863. and the demand then begun has
continued with undated vigor through
out the wear. 1t was estimated that the
country would demand 100, 900, 000cards
the first year, but Superintendent
Tyner's report, May IL, 1874, gives
liz. O43, 500 as the number of cards
shipped the first year, and 2,019,000
were sent off the day after the closing
of the year. The demand has held
its own through the last three quarters
of the year, although it was believed
that the first furious demand for postal
cards would soon spend itself. The fig
ures are Shipments to January, 1874,
50, 5S5, 500 for the first quarter in 1874,
1914, 100, and since April l, 12,043,-
000
The difficulties in the way of making
the cards have been gradually over
come, and for several months, there has
been no complaint of the work. The
chief difficulty has been with the paper,
which Hudson a. Cheney, the con-
tractors, at first found themselves una
bic to make of the required excellence.
They remodeled portion of their mill
at an expense of $40, 000 however but,
Just as they were ready to begin opera
tons, their orders for banknote paper
increased upon them to such an extent
that they gave up the idea of making
all the postal-card paper, and, for the
time being, Lawrence firm took por-
ton of the Job. Hudson & Cheney
still made some of the paper, but III
August 5000 pounds of papera daywe
wanted and its manufacture was sur
rendered to the Lawrence parties. They
ship it to this city in sheets in a case.
Arriving at the mandatory, the cases
are reweighed and the sheets recounted
and exarsned as to finish case mt a
time is then given to the printer, who,
receiving 9, 200 sheets, is obliged to re-
turn 30 cards, perfect or imperfect, for
each sheet received. From the printer
the sheets go to the slitter-a machine
which divides each sheet into nine
strips-and then beautiful little cross
them into hoppers, and, when each
hopper has % cards, a bell rings, the
hopper turns over, and girls, sitting in
front of the machine, catch up these 20
cards, examine, recount, and band them
in packages of % each. Thence they
go to the boxing table, where 20 packs
900 cards-no more, no less, are put
in pasteboard boxes ready for ship
ment.
About forty persons are employed at
the mandatory, many OF them girls.
Boys run the machines, while the girls
assert, inspect and band the cards. The
utmost accuracy is required imperfect
cards are carefully destroyed, and
daily balance is struck between the
cards shipped, on hand or destroyed,
and the number manufactured. None
of the employees are allowed to take
away an imperfect card, and III every
department the utmost care is taken TO
protect the Government from fraud.
The machinery for doing the work has
been greatly improved during the year,
and the system of the work bettered by
Superintendent Tyner. The mailing
department was a difficult one to organ
ize perfectly, but il has been SO care
fully done that of 30, 600 packages cards
shipped during the year, not one has
been lost and only two have gone
astray. This, in view Of the fact that
cards have been sent to about 20, 900 of
the 33, 600 Postoffices in the country,
shows extraordinary care. Not less
than 800 cards are sent to any one Post
office, while four cities in the country
have called for million at time. The
demand for cards is now sufficient to
keep the presses running eighteen
hours a day, and about 5000 pounds,
or !, 700 cases, of paper are daily used
III their making.