Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-17
THt NEW POSTAL LAW.

Getting Ready for the Change-The
Postal Notes-How They are Engraved
and Printed, and What They Look
Like.
The Savannah post office and offices
throughout the country are decreasing
their stock of postage stamps in view Of
the new postal law. which goes into effect
October 1. 4 new schedule of postage
rates has been received, and preparations
are being made for the change. The new
postal notes to be used after Septem-
Der Sd in the transmission of small
sums of money are printed in
New York, and are ready for shipment to
all post offices in the country. Every
book contains 800 postal note forms, with
theaddress Of the post office 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. 4
note can be filled out by Postmaster for
anv amount not exceeding 50, at a cost to
the sender of three cents for each note.
The notes are made payable to 1.-THE bear
err and they can be used as fractional cur
rency in any place to which they are sent.
To guard against the use Of the notes be-
fore the law authorizing their issue goes
into effect. c. F. Macdonald, Superinten-
tendent of the money order system at
Washington, has caused to be pasted in
each book of forms the following notice:
..The postal note business will commence
on September ,, 1883. Under no circum-
stances 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, chem
ically prepared in such a manner as not
to be affected by moisture or exposure to
light. while il is sensitive to the action Of
acids or other liquids often used by fOrg-
ers. The color of the paper is a pure lem
on. and the front surface is printed over
with an underlying tint Of golden brown
"A combination selected by Superintend-
ent Macdonald as being the safest and
most suitable for the purpose. The water
marks in the paper, twisted IN the
form of a figure 5, have the words
~. ;. Postal Note in duplicate-read-
ing from both left and right.
These water-marks can be seen only when
the note is held up between the light and
the eye. Three printings are required to
complete the note. In the underlying
tint is a yignette consisting Of classical
female head wearing a helmet, which was
engraved from the portrait of POstmas-
ter's pretty daughter. Much of the tint
is made up of miniature Photographic de-
signs. containing the words Omitted
States Postal Note" repeated many hun
dred times, and engraved so finely that
one can read the words with the naked
eve, while it would be difficult to make
counterfeit. Winged wheels, with a halo
from behind, make up a portion of the tint.
. The back of the note is elaborate and is
printed in a dark green, In the centre is
the monogram 81. s." engraved with
geOmetrical lathe. The monogram is i'm
bedded in an intricate cyclOidal lace
work of white line cutting, the tracings
for which were done also with the geOme-
trical lathe.
The contract for engraving and print
ing the several millions of postal notes
which will be required by the Post Office
Department in the next four years, was
awarded to the Homer Lee Bank Note
Company in June, and the Postmaster
General obliged the company to give
bonds to the amount OF $2,O00,0OO. About
two hundred skilled artisans were en-
plOyed by the company TO complete the
first part Of the contract, and they have
been at work in relays day and night for a
month The notes are received by +.
Raymond. the United States postal note
agent, and by a. q. LathrOp, of the Post
Office Department. \ freprOof metal
vault about fifteen feet square and eight
feet high, has been constructed, i'm which
duplicate notes, not needed for immediate
use, and all the engraved plates are to be
stored