Nebraska advertiser., 1881-08-11
Facts About Postage Stamps.

It is only thirty-four years ago that
the first postage stamp was used in this
country. Prior to 1917 postage was
charged by the mile, and the postman
received the price of the letter on de-
livcring it TO the person to whom 1t was
addressed For instance, in 1870 let
ter was carried from Savannah to New
York for thirty-siX and three-fourths
cents, and from Boston to New York
for about seventeen cents. Between
the two points last mentioned the mails
were carried on horseback, and the
time occupied in going from one point
to the other was three days in winter,
and two days in summer In King
James time the rates of postage in
Great Britain were two pence for
letter for u distance less than eighty
miles, four pence up to l4O miles, six
pence for any longer distance in En-
gland and eight pence to any place in
Scotland. Our stamps were issued on
the first of July, 1917, in denominations
of five and sixteen cents only In July
1851 new series was adopted, con-
sisting of one, three, five, ten, twelve,
twenty-four, thirty, and ninety cents.
These continued in use till 1861, when
another series of the same denOmina-
ton as the foregoing, but of different
designs and colOrs, was adopted. The
two cent stamp was first used on the
first of July 1868, to accommodate the
local rate of postage. In the month of
March, 1869, the six cent stamp was
substituted for the five cent one, but
the change was not considered wise
one so that in May, 1870, the following
one, two, three, five, six, ten, fifteen
thirty, and ninety, cents series was
adopted. The following is descrip-
tion of these stamps:
One cent Franklin; profile bust,
after Rubricht; color, imperial ultra
marine blue.
Two cents-Jackson; profile bust,
after Powers; color. velvet brown.
Three cents-Washingt profile
bust, after Houdon; color, morii green.
Five-cent stamp-Adopted 1875; pro-
file bust of jackson, color, dark blue.
Six cents-Lincoln; profile bust afte.
Volk color, cochineal red.
Ten CentS-JetferSOn; profile buS5
after Powers statue; color, chocolate
Fifteen cents-Webster; profile bust,
after Clevenger; color, orange.
Thirty cents-HNmilton; profile bust,
after Cerrachi, color, black.
Ninety ccnts-COmmodore o. II.
Perry; profile bust, after Wolcott'
statue; color, carmine.
The seven cent stamp which con.
contained the bust of Edwin M. Stan
ton, the twelve cent stamp, which had
Henry Clay's picture, and the twenty
four cent stamp, with the bust of Gen.
Winfield Scott, have been discontinued.
The postage-due stamp is q recent
invention. 1t came into use on the
ninth of May, 1879. 1t is used for cgl.
| lecting short paid postage. These
| stamps are of the following denomina-
| tions: one, two, three, five, ten thirty
and fifty cents. Their color is red.
dish brown, and the figure representing
the denomination is placed in the
center of the stamp, surrounded by an
oval of delicate lattice work. On the
upper border of this oval are the words
Postage DUE in white letters, and on
| the lower border is the denominational
letter in the same color. On each side
of the oval are the letters "U. 81 in
small white shields.
The highest price paid for stamp iJ
twenty dollars. These stamps are
only used on newspaper bundles they
are not often called for; nor is there
much demand for ninety y-cent lette.
stamps, only one having been sold as
the Brooklyn Office during 1890.
The number of postage stamps issued
to Postmasters in the United States for
sale to the public during theyear ending
July first 1880, was S7j, ,6Sl,97O, valued
at S22,4l4,92S; and of postage-due
stamps 6,2S4, 800 were issued, valued
at 1921, ,S36.-Brooklgn Eagle.