The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-05-13
FACTS ABOUT postal. CARDS.
rhe Machine Used in etampipg Them.
Rules to be Observed.


Have you ever seen the machine used
for stamping postal cards 2" asked Mr..
Stahl superintendent of the mailing divis-
ion of the Post Office, of friend who call
ed at his office.
No" was the reply; !" supposed they
were all stamped by hand"
Why we should have to have large,
building than this and ten times as many
clerks as we now have if we attempted to dc
that. Let me show you the machine"
The way was led into the mailing room
The busy scene which the visitors eyes took
IN as the door opened was q sort of kaleid.
oseopic conglomeration of clerks, boxes,
pigeon holes and all kinds of mailing mat.
ter. In and out, through this bustling
mass, the two gentlemen went, bringing up
at last in front of queer looking piece of
mechanism about the size of an old fashion
ed silk (alias plug y hat.
"This is the machine" said the superin-
tendent, as he proceeded to showits method
Of operation. Putting package of about
three hundred postal cards into a small,
tilted box, he turned little crank wheel
and out into receiver flew the cards, one
after another, all stamped with the round
date die, and every head of the Goddess OF
Liberty striped with black lines. little
investigation showed that the cards were
fed from the tilted box through very mar
row slot; they wero then caught and stamp.
ed by cylinder, on which were fixed two
dies-one with the date and the other with
the stripes AS soon as the cards passed
through the second die they dropped into q
large receiver.
" How many cards can you put through
in n minute ~ asked the visitor.
g That depends upon the speed at which
the crank wheel is turned" was the reply
On an average we stamp, l should say
about five hundred per minute"
at is true that a large number of posta
cards are thrown into the waste basket be
cause the senders have not complied with
the law in some particular or other?''
Not so many as there were in the early
days of the postal card. People are begin
ming to learn the laws regarding them"
Are you allowed to forward cards which
have printed matter on the message side ?"
"No; it is allowable, however, to paste
on the mailing side the address of the per-
son to whom the card is sent Anything
on the mailing side which does not pertain
to the address renders the card unavailable.
Sometimes large business house will send
out addressed cards to be returned to them
m tla - l.
number of letters referring to page or Sec
ton on the books of the concern, where the
accounts of the customer who remails the
card is kept Large business concerns have
done this and been surprised that the cards
have never reached them"
Is 1t against the law to send dunning OF
abusive epistles on these cards?p
There seems to be popular belief that
It is violation of the law to send a scurril
lous message of any kind through the mails,
but 1t is not SO. Judge Benedict imposed
nne OF $4,000 in such case several years
ago, but the law is not now in force, and
man can cuss another through the Post
Office to his hearts CONTENT
Can postal card be remailed to the
person to whom it was sent if it does NOT
reach him in the first instance ?"
Yes; by putting ON one-cent stamp.
If it is to be returned to the person who
sent 1t twc-cent stamp is necessary"
Gould Canadian postal card be sent
from this country to Canada T'
Mo- postal cards can be sent only from
The rOt1ptry xph;ab ,oc,,a a &l.o,., Do1x.1a -
graually becoming acquainted with the Pos
tai laws, but it has taken remarkably long
time to teach them. n-Roston Globe.