Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-08-27
STAMP PAPER,
How It Is Made Under the Eye of Federal
ga q 70 Agents. 81 A.

How It Is Made Under the Eye of Federal
xa d Agents. e.
The work of manufacturing $50, 600
pounds of paper for internal revenue
stamps for one year. in accordance
with the contract just obtained from
the Government, Is in progress at the
paper mill of Alexander Balfour, at
Richmond and Tioga streets. This is
the first time that such work has been
attempted in this city, and every effort
has been made to give satisfaction.
After the mill had been in operation
for short time it was found that the
paper was being rolled off in salts
factory manner and the work of pre-
pairing it for shipment began. The
paper used does not differ in quality
from ordinary fine paper. 1t is made
from rag pulp. chiefly of cotton stock,
with a sufficient portion of linen stock
to, give proper strength clay or any
other authorizations being excluded.
Entire freedom from thread knots,
grit or other foreign substances
is required, and the paper is
calendered sufficiently to ad-
NIT of wetting down for plate printing
and of subsequently writing freely
upon it with pen and ink. With all
these conditions it is required that the
paper shall possess no greater strength
than will insure its printing and neces-
sary handling. The quality of the pa
per is, therefore. necessarily of high
order. That which, apart from the
familiar ight-green tint of revenue
stamps, distinguishes this paper from
all other paper material is the letters
U. 5. l. Il. water-marked upon it SO
thickly that every square inch must
contain some portion of this sign. This
marking is done by means of dandy
roller" which is placed among the
series of rollers through which the pa
per is passed on its road from the pulp
tub to the receiving rollers. The paper
passes over this roller while in wet,
pulpy condition. and the impression of
the letters is then made. This roller is
furnished by the Government, and
was sent on under charge of q
Waterman. 1t is never out of sight
of some of the officials. and will be
returned to Washington as soon as the
contract IS completed. The whole OPP
Grafton is under the supervision of the
Government officials. who keep an eve
on the paper from the time it receives
its matchmaking. which makes it
revenue paper, until the perfected
sheets are packed and shipped, and the
waste pieces are returned to the pulp.
No one is admitted except under their
care. This precaution is taken tospre-
vent the Government from being de-
frauded through engravers securing
paper under which stamps of high de-
nomination could be printed. To have
even a small piece of this paper in
ones possession will subject one to
criminal prosecution.
The paper is wound into rolls about
four feet long and weighing 800
pounds. After being trimmed and cut
by two cutting machines into sheets
12xl4 inches it is handed over to the
counters.
j. III. Lichliter. of the Internal Rev
enue Department. represents the Gov
eminent, and has twenty-five ladies to
act as examiners and counters. and six
men employed as laborers and watch
men. These all receive 50 per day,
bearing their expenses themselves.
The ladies who were selected for this
special work, are from Washington
under the charge of Mr.. Lich!iter. in
private houses and near the mill.
The sheets are first counted by the
employees of the MILL and are then
passed to the examiners, who care
fully inspect each. sheet. rejecting all
containing any blemiSh. The Gov
eminent counters then count the
sheets. arranging them in bundles of
1000 sheets, each girl attaching a tag,
with her name. On reaching Wash
ington the paper will be again
counted, and the counter held re-
sponsible for any error The COM
pleted bundles are placed by the mill en-
ployes in shipping cases, holding about
400 pounds each, when the Govern
ment officials seal the cases and receipt
for the paper. 1t is then out of the
hands of the manufacturer, and the
officials see to its safe shipment to
Washington, where it will be printed
in the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing. A package of 1000 sheets weighs
about twelve pounds, and each counter
will count and arrange fifteen pack
ages daily.
Mr.. Balfour has contracted to com.
plete the order in two months. To
the paper requires one
machine, or one-halt the capacity of
his mill, which turns out 10. 900 pounds
day. The contract for this paper
has been given to the Fairchild Paper
Company, of Boston, for seven years
past, but this year there was tie in
the bids of that firm and Mr.. Balfour,
at seven and one-fourth cents pound.
The contract was finally awarded to
Mr.. Balfour, because he agrees to fin
ish the work in two months. The
Massachusetts Company runs by water
power, and has taken as long as seven
entailing a heavy additional expense
for the pay of the counters and watch
men.-Philadetphia Cor. Chicago Her.
aid.