Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-09-05
9listellaneuns &eadima
POSTAGE STAMPS.
THE PROCESS OF MAKING THEM-AN INTER
EsTING DESCRIPTION.

THE PROCESS OF MAKING THEM-AN INTER.
EsTING DESCRIPTION.
The process of making postage stamps for
the government, as seen at an establishment
in New, York city, is thus described by re.
cent visitor. After the paper is "wet down, u
as the printers say-every hundred sheets
being counted, and the number marked by a
projecting tag-it is taken up to the printers.
Each sheet is of the right size for making 200
stamps, Of the ordinary size. Curiously
enough, none of the gentlemen of whom ! in.
quired, seemed to know what paper mill makcd
the paper; but it is made especially for the
purpose. The printing room is crowded with
presses used for printing the stamps; no fewer
than eleven presses being in operation. Each
press has three persons in attendance-one to
"tend press, zone to ink the plate, and one
the "printer" ITO brush of all the ink Gin a
wonderfully swift and dexterous way), from
the surface as soon as it is put on.
The reason of this, which otherwise would
be a piece of selfstuti6cation, is that the
stamps are "counter-sunk,' or cut in, and the
ink is not wanted above them, on the plane
surface. 1t would cost too much and take
too long to prepare separate steel engraved
dies for every stamp; so case.hardened steel
die is made, down at the Continental Bank
Note Company's, all carefully engraved and
cut away to perfection, and then a steel plate,
softened Cor. the purpose, is, by machinery,
rolled over the die, which leaves its impress
every time, until the entire plate is hardened
and ready for use-one for every printing
press in the room. These are hand presses,
and the cylinder that makes the impression is
merely turned by a single whirl of the wheel,
obtained by the leverage afforded by the pro
iecting spokes or handles. 1t is all done in a
surprisingly quick way and there is no "lost
motion" Of wheel, cylinder or elbows.
The ink varies according to the kind of
stamp. Some of the presses are printing the
red 2 cent stamps, some the cent green ones,
and others different colors. Two.thirds of all
the stamps, says the superintendent. are the
cent green ones. The "ink," queer sub
stance in bulk, and queerer still when seen on
the ink table and roller, is made by the note
mpany, and its secret is theirs. All they
know at the printing room is that some kinds
have "laundry blue in them, and that all
kinds are made with reference to canceling-
to the effect of the dauhy cancelingstamp
used in the post-office. For the orange toned
80 cent stamps (these are the highest denomi-
nations l saw }, and also for one of the ver-
million stamps, peg or two below that, the
materials are imported from Europe, and
mixed in New York. All the others are
wholly made here The different colored inks
are apparently about the consistency of some
styles of newspaper ink but not by all means
so sticky. The "printer" who brushes off the
plate the moment before it goes into the press
does it all in six swift motions-three with a
sort of cloth, and three (to concude) with his
bare hand. The operation, for deftness and
celebrity, is like one of Heller's, the magician.
The ink is rolled over the plate with a roller
made of Canton flannel.
The printers are paid by the hundred.
! Precisely how much they earn 1 could not
find out, but it ought to be good wages, for
they worked like beavers" There is no
idling or play in that room-nor anywhere
else in this busy establishment. The blank