, 1877-08-12
POSTAL CARDS.

The Manner in which They Arc Got Up,
and How They Affect the Sale Of Stamps
Aeo FORK tribune
The paper upon which postal cards are printed
comes in sheets about twenty-five inches By
twentY-eight inches! in size, and is packed in
boxes containing about 1000 sheets, and weigh
ing $50 pounds each. After the boxes are M
packed, the first thing in order is the printing.
This is done by two Hoe cylinder presses each
Of which prints forty caros ut d single in-
preston. The printed sheets are then placed
in order to prevent auy blotting or defare-
1nent. Now they: are ready for the cut
ters, Of which there are three, at present. BY
tue trst, Which is rotary cutter, the sheets are
divided crosswise IN ten strips, containing four
postal cards each. The sheets pass through
this machine as rapidly as one can follow
another. The strips are then collected In pack
ages Of 100 each, the edges are made exactly
cycn and The packages are then placed on the
iron tables Of the cutters, WHICH sever them
tiers there are Two, both known as tht
Cranston s'undcr-cut Lever Is pulled
which sets the machinery in motion,
and up CONES a heayy knife with q diagonal
motion, and there are 400 postal cards complete
in twinkling+ 4 bit Of brass Is removed, a.
lowing the uncut packages to be moved up
proper distance under the knife, audthe process
is repeated The cards are then taken in
punches convenient to be handed, and the
edges arc carefully brushed to remove all dust
and ts feather" They then pass into the hands
OF eighteen girls, BY whom they are counted
out into packages containing twenty-fv cards
each. Twenty packages are placed IN paste
heard boxes, which again are packed in wooden
boxes, containing from GOO to 5000 cards
apiece.
The presses are now printing about l,0D,00
cards a day. The contract requires that eco.
0JO cards shall be made in a day, it the deman'%
is so great. -. ~
It Is not expected that many visitors wil
enter the rooms in which the cards arc made,
but precautions are taken to prevent the loss
or abstraction OF cards Every sheet printed
is registered BY the press, and the Company Is
compelled to give an account OF every one. II
few cards were lost it would cost considerable
trouble, although the loss itself might be
| tridipg. ANY cards that are spoiled in the cut
| ting or defaccd in any way are retained and
destroyed by the Govern1ncna Inspector
The Post-Oficc officials in this city do not re-
| gard pos;aI-ca1us with favor. Postmaster James
expressed the opinion the other day that they
| were emphaticuIly a nuisance, and one Of she
subordinate officials asserted that .postal-catus
| caused q falling off in the sale Of stamps Of
| $1,000 day. The daily sales OF cards, he said
! would amount to 80, It'll on an average; on soE1f
| days Us many as 1oo,GO) had been sold. Thest
was gradual increase in the sale Of cards, and
| this had been the case since they were first in
| troduccd. Other causes besides the defnane
I for pustai~cartls had affected the sale OF stamps
the daily falling OIL In which amounted to about
| $1,000 The causes were the hard times ans
the sale Of stamps By country Possmastcf:
which had recently been exposed. Postal-arf1
in this country could not fail to be loss to ths
| Government, BECAUSE they were carried 50 far
| At trl1ing cast. In England they had met
| with more SUCCESS on account Of the limited
territory over which they had TO be distributed