New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-02
THE NEW POSTAGE STAMPS.
AIJyELY DAY AT THE POST OFFICE.
SIXTEEN HUNDRED THOUSAND TWo-CENr STAMP
snLD-INCIDENTs OF TIE DAY.

SIXTEEN HUNDRED THOUSAND INOCENI SIANio
soLD-INCIDENTs OF THE DAY.
The lower corridors of the Post Office were
crow ded yesterday with buvers of tie new 2-cent
STAMPS The reduction IN letter postage may nave
had some effect In increasing the number OF buyers
but AS lar as could be judged, the majority OF the
purchases were moved Ian gely by curiosity. me
new stamps had been kent carefully from inc view
of the public until Midnight on sunday. Ohtl
that dav none of the packages contain ug the stamps
had been opened. The clerks themselves ga h.t
soc the stamps until they we're delivered 10 JheI! 10
be sold and none OF the employees was a1io"tu %
purchase and take away any OF them. Ihe Pu"lC
curiosity she we'd Itself even IN the carry hours OF
the morning. when the Post Otice IS usually almost
deserted. here we've purchasers VINO soeueu 20
have Geen unable e sleep easily until they could
1nok on the new represent alton OF tho features OF
the Father of his Country. As the CAV advanced
the small boy, anxious 10 aud immediately 10 MS
collection of stamps, drew his pennies slowly from
ms pocKat aud deposited them at Jhe WINDOW glH-
ing Wistfully after them a he saw the 0rce OF so
much tafy quickly disappear. Inc new Z-Gent
stamp also found many purchasers among thiS class.
The men who came wlth more DpsihesS-llhe ilteo
were much annoyed by the ignorant or lnqulSltNe
purchasers hut thedeavs most part borhe
with patience. There were signs OF lmpatleACe'
however, when a tall, lank young man suck ms
head ms far as BILE into tho window and slowly
draule ont a request Tor one OF them new =
cent stamps" lie tried to take 1t IRON the CLERK
but the latter waited for his money Tho young
man reached first IN pocket and then IN another
and finally fshed dine out OF one OF the reGesses
of his trousers. He laid 1t down slowly and got
possession of the stap,whlch he eyed curlouSS LOT
q minute.
Am I II pretty" ne drawed
"Take your change and move on" SAID the clerk
Whose head Is that y continued the Young man
But the patience of those behind MN was eH-
hausted and ne f. und himself propelled suddenly
$4,000 over the sIppery door. Three purchasers
had been accommodated before he recovered hun
self sufficiently to go back for hls change =
Five clerks we're kept busy selling the stamps IN
sums less than one dollar and three Others we're
employed in dspUsing OF larger amounts. AIter
the early morning hours the number Oh nose v I no
bought large amounts OF stamps increased rapidly.
The receipts from the retail sales have averaged
about $3.50. Yesterday they amounted 10 o9pO
before o'clock IN the afternoon.
A short lTishman with "a stubby drOWth OF Deard
was a representative OF several purchasers VINO ana
not know of the reduction IN postage; lie ap-
preached the window with letter IN ohe.haHu anu
3 cents IN the other.
On want shtamp, he SAID. - ~
Where DO YOU want TO send your letter 7" asked
aIo Paddy Ryan, me cousin, shure."
"Buy wnere-tO what place I persisted the CLERK
Why to his home, of course" said Tn" lrishman.
where does he liveG" asked the almost dlspalr-
ing clerk. ..,.,,orn
GThen you only need 2-cent stamp sald tho
clerk and before the customer could realize the SIT
nation he had the stamp and had been puzzled by
10 make room for Others. po9lly GleS'Ss g en-
several DAYS waiting Tor cheaper postage t0ok Z
cents carefully out from knot IN the corner ol ner
aprOn and received stamp In her tIemDlng IN
GERS UpstalIs where the larger sales OF stamps
were made there were crowds OF once boys anu
clerks passing IN and out all daV' several huhuIt d
J.
MANY merchants who wished stamped envelopes
marked with request TO return the letters II not
delivered rave theer orders 10 Postmaster Pear
son last month and he agreed to have them ready
for delivery yesterday. No es- than oOO'Ooo Oh
these new rs ueSt ENVELOPES with the Impressions OF
2-cent stamps were delivered Yesterday. ihey
repre.ented a value of $4,000. New 2-cent
slammed envelopes to the value OF - 900 were also
sold and delivered over the counter The total
sales OF the new z-cent stargp mp TO D. H. was
100000, representing value, Of - 600 New
2cent stamps to the number of 100000 and
worth 81, 900 were also sold. The total receipts
Yesterday were S37. 900. The average receipts nave
been ABOUT 81 1000 when the rates OF postage were
higher. -,
Postmaster Pearson was grstifed that he had
been able TO handle the large amount OF business
with comparatively little delay. Hs said i
think "a large amount of the purchases have been
ma G out of curiosity. There have also been many
persons with large correspondence who have de-
iayed buying stamps until to-day. IL VIII lie
some time before we will be able to determine
what effect the reduction In postage will have on
The revenues OF the Office what changes will be
necessary IN the service"
The tlIst to buy the new two-cent stamp al inc
BROOKLYN Post Office Yesterday was the venerable
Rev Dr. T. A. Farley, who rs eighty -four years old
No new stamps could be secured IN the afternoon