The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-03
THE NEW STAMPED ENVELOPE
And Letter Sheet OOmblnsd-N None yet Re
ceived here.

$3.50 A7NNhNA NANNN
Ceived here,
A number Of letters have been received
in this city written on the combined en-
velops and note paper ready stamped
which the Government has put on the
market, Inquiry at the postofice yester-
day developed the fact that none have yet
been sent here for sale. Postmaster Simp'
son expects to receive q supply about oc-
tober /. AS an experiment 100000 OF
the stamps have been distributed among
the twenty-eight frst-class postottices, II
the demand there for them proves to DO as
great as was expected, the smaller offices
will at once besupplied with them. 1t is
possible that curiosity has heightened the
demand to an unnatural point during the
past few days, but the envelopes are 80
handy and clever OF ContriVanCe that the
popular verdict can hardly fail to be favor
able to them,
There Is serious objection urged against
the device In one quarter, and that Ia
among the stationers. They do not see
the Justice in the Government fayoring
one CONTRACTOR by going into the whole,
sale and retail stationary business and
acting as his agent exclusively,
1t Is curious fact that these letter.sheet
envelopes were authorized by act Of Con-
gress as long ago as 1879, An attempt was
made by Postmaster General Howe to
carry out the law, but the contractor who
was to have provided the letter'enVelopes
did not fulfill his contract, and nothing
was done. ltwas not until Mr., Villas came
into the Cabinet that any notice was
taken OF the law which had been
q dead letter since Its passage,
Mr., Villas was sanguiue Of the
schemes success and the contract for the
supply Of letter envelopes was given to
Mr.. l., II, Rogers, Of New York, who had
taken out a patent for the device, which
Ia in use to-day, on July /, 1870, The
company which Mr., Rogers had formed to
manufacture letter envelopes was author
lied by Postmaster General Villas to sup
ply the people with them through the
possibilities, The Government carefully
avoided shouldering any risk in the ven
ture. According to the terms Of the con-
tract the paper is to be made under Gov.
ernment supervision in New York City or
Hartford, Conn.,, where Government in
spectors are already stationed. The ex.
pense OF creating new inspecIorships was
thus avoided,
The die OF the stamp was made by the
Government at the contractors expense,
aud II the contract Is not carried out this
die will return TO the Government, The
contractors are bound tosupply the sheets
to the pOstoflies free OF all charges for
transportation. The Government gets a
very nice slice Of the profit made by the
sale OF the letter.enyelopes, The public
pays 500 for each thousand sold, and out
OF this $40 goes to the Government for
postage stamps in full at 2 cents apiece,
and Is cents additional for putting the
letter-envelope on sale. The contractors
have to get their profit out OF the remain.
ing So IS. Still further to guard the Gov.
eminent against loss 1t Is provided that
the contractors are to be paid only for the
sheets sold.
1.-THE letter.sheet envelopes come into
general use, they cannot fail to give the
Government another and an Indirect
profit, by curtailing the printing OF stamps
and postal cards upon which the Govern.
ment makes nothing like the profit
assured toit on letter.sheet envelopes. OF
course anybody beBides Mr.. Rogers can
manufacture and sell o combined letter
sheet and envelope which does not in
fringe his patent, but they would not have
the stamp affixed, nor would they have
the advantage Of an agency in every post.
office in the land.