Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-22
THE NEW POSTAL NOTES.
What They Look Lil1e-Copying
the Head of q POstmasIOr's
Pretty Daughter.
New York Tribune.

The new. postal notes, which are Il
be used after September 3 in the
transmission of small sums of men y
through the United States mails, are
being printed rapidly in this city, and
they will be ready for shipment to all
the postofhoes in the country on Wed.
nesday. Books of notes for the post.
offices in the far West were com.
plete6 yesterday. Every book con,
tains five hundred postal note forms,
with the address of the postofice
printed on each note. The pages OF
the books are perforated, SO that when
the notes are torn out stubs remain
to show the amounts for which
they were issued. A note can be filed
out by a postmaster for any amount
not exceeding So, at a cost to the
sender of three cents for each note.
The notes are made payable to "the
bearer" and they can be used as frac-
tlonal currency in any place to which
they are sent. To guard against the
use OF the notes before the law aus
.horizing their issue goes into effect,
.. +. Macdonald, superintendent of
the money order system at Washing
ton. has caused to be pasted in each
book of forms the following notice:
the postal note business will com.
mence on September 3, 1888. Under
no circumstances whatever are any
postal notes to be issued from this
book before that date"
The notes are printed on pure linen
bank note paper OF the best quality,
chemically prepared in such manner
as net to be affected by moisture or ex-
pOsure to light, while it is sensitive to
the action of acids or other liquids
often used by forgers. The color Of
the paper is pure lemon and the
front surface is printed over with an
underlying tint Of golden brown, "a com
bination selected by Superintendent
Macdonald, as being the safest and
most suitable for the purpose. The
water marks in the paper, twisted in
the form of the figure 8, have the
words ~. s. Postal Note" in dupli.
cate-reading from both left and right,
These water-marks can be seen only
when the note is held bp be-
tween the light and the eye. Three
pfintiDgs are required to complete the
note. In the underlying tint is a Wig
nette consisting of classical female
head wearing helmet, which wa!
engraved from the portrait of post
masters pretty daughter. Much o.
the tint is made up of miniature pho
tographic designs, containing thu
words listed States Postal Note
repeated many hundred times, anC
engraved SO finely that one can reaC
the words with the naked eye, while
it would be difficult to make coun,
terfeit. Winged wheels, with a hale
from behind, make up a portion O.
the tint.
The back of the note is elaborate
and is printed in dark gree. In TIT
center is the monogram u. s." en-
graved with a geometrical lathe. TIT
monogram is imbedded in an intricat,
cyclOidal lace work Of white line cut
Ting, the tracings for which we're don,
also with g geometrical lathe.
The contract for engraving anC
printing the several millions OF posta
notes which will be required BY tn,
pOstoffice department in the next fou
years was awarded to the Homer Lee
Bank Note Company in June, and tn
Postmaster General obliged the com
pany to give bonds to the amount 0
&,0OO,000. About 200 skilled artisan
were employed by the company t
complete the first part Of the contract
and they have been at work in relay
day and night for a month.
The notes are received by + Ray
mond, the United States Postal Not
Agent, and by A. G. Lathrop, of tn
Postotice Department, who have thei
offices in the printing rooms of tn
bank note company, Broadway an
Prince streets. A FIRE proof metz
vault, about fifteen feet square an
! eight feet high, has been constructe
IN the building in which duplioa,
notes, not needed for immediate US
and all the engraved plates are to
stored.