Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-04-30
UNCLE SANS POSTAL SUPPLIES,
Enormous Increase in the Demand fol
Stamped Envelopes.

Stamped Envelopes.
boston Herald
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Hazen has completed the proposals for
bids for making stamped envelopes for
the next four years. On the first of Nav
every four years these bids are advertised
for, and the competition is more active and
hair-splitting than for any other govern
ment contract, as it is the largest single
contract which the department makes For
IL years the Plimpton Envelope Company
of Hartford, Conn, and the Morgan En-
velope company of Springfield Mass,
have had the making of the stamped en-.
Velopes. Since the government began in
1851 to sell stamped envelopes, there has
been a steady Increase in the amount re-
CURED each year, until now the govern
ment has for several years been selling
more envelopes than all other producers
combined. Last year 219, 900 stamped
envelopes, worth S5,17+,O00, We're sold
With every letting the size of the contract
increases Iltan ana the price OF. enye!-
in 1869 cost $3.50 per thousand
can now be sold for $3.50 per
Thousand, and the extra letter size that
then cost So are now sold for 81 40. The
proposals this year provide greater va
rlety OF papers and number of new
grades. 1t was found that people pre-
I =.
father than the medium sorts, while no
cheap grade was provided This time a
PLAN, ungummed MANILA envelope has
been called for, which can be sold for 40
cents thousand. This will meet the de-
mand of circular advertisers which is n
large one, monopolized hitherto by private
dealers: Two sizes, called baronal, about
3X4 inches, have been added for the benefit
of ladies who like to use fancy note papers
The size most used is the PLAIN white or
amber known as No. ), 315XG ) 10 inches
OF this, for the year ending March 81. 1870 20
10000 were required, more than twice
as many rs any other kind used. Bidder,
are required to give Il bond Tor $500. COO
that they Will 90 on with the contract if it
is awarded to them. The contractor is re-
quircd To do the work under the super
VISION OF a government agent. The com
position of the paper must he according
TO government formula; rags must he
Kept III the heater engines not less than 10
hours, and Jute not less than 10. The
water-mark, which has been large mono
gram, "U. :. r. O. d. will be changed to
small PLAIN "U $" The reduction in
cost for the supply OF stamped envelopes
by this years proposal is 20 per cent In
lss2 the reduction WAS per cent, and in
in 1873 20 per cent.
The proposals for department supplies.
in which tor years Il general right and left
stealing went on, have been completed by
Chlet Clerk Nash, and make reduction
of S250OO in the total, which is about Il
quarter of Il million. The three appro-
prations for the department., the Offices
and the postal service have heretofore
caused three separate lettings. They
are now consolidated in one. The
loophole through which much of the
stealing has been done was eXiecucy
buying. Whenever Il sudden demand
came up which the contractor could not
meet, the law authorized the postmaster
general to 90 right into open market and
buy. In this way some firms had fat
trade. Postmaster General Villas has in
serted clause in the contract this year by
which, if he is compelled to 90 into the
open market, all excess in price over and
above the contractors bid shall be deduct
I'd from what is due him on his contract