Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-04
STAMPS AS MONEY.
Currency That Was Apt to Stick Together
and Adhere to the Fingers.

Currency That Was Apt to Stick ToSeshe
and Adhere to the Fingers.
postage stamps were used as cur
rency in this country shortly after tn
last war was begun, remarked vet
Gran financier to a reporter the othe
day. '.All coin was withdrawn from
circulation, and there was nothing tt
make change with. StOrekeepers Is
sued shinplasters in the shapes OF piece
of cardboard On which We're printed
the words: Good for ten cents. OF
such other sum as might be needed fol-
the purpose, with the name Of the per-
son issuing them also printed. Othe,
houses had an imitation of a bank bill
printed, of different denominations,
from Eve cents to fifty. All these things
passed current, and the stOrekeepers'
promise to pay circulated as freely as
a bank note. Storekeepers had their
credit to preserve and honored their
shinplasters whenever presented.
There was a hotel on Fulton street that
issued notes or bills Of twenty-five and
fifty cent denominations. They were
well executed by bank note printer.
and cost large sum to print. The
name of the hotel appeared in the place
of the usual bank name. Beneath were
the words: The proprietOrs of the
above hotel agree to pay on demand
twenty-five Tor fifty) cents in meals or
accommodations, or in current funds
if presented in sums of five dollars or
more The notes were signed Rib
ardson Il Green. proprietors of the
hotel, now both dead. The first named
told me, long after the war closed, that
the firm had made enough in de-
stroyed or retained notes, not present
ed for redemption, to pay for the cost
of printing. besides gaining the accom-
.modation in being cable to make ready
change"
But what has all this to do with the
postage stamp"
- am coming to that. There were
times when smaller change was neces-
sary, and the postage stamp was then
given. As there was some response
bility in the shape of the National
Government for the issue of postage
stamp, the people began to have more
confidence in them than in the private
shinplasters. 1t was also stated that
the latter were issued in defiance of
law. and no court could compel a
stOrekeeper to redeem them. Even cit
les had issued these shinplasters, max
ing them redeemable in the payment
of taxes. and altogether the number
became great, and many irresponsible
persons put forth mass of worthless
paper on the market. As soon as dis
trust arose the working classes pre-
ferred postage stamps, and storekeep-
ers found them useful in making small
change In a short time there were
thousands in circulation. and work
ing-men were often paid by their en-
plOyers in stamps done up in
envelopes like those used to-day on
the One-hOrse cars. the envelopes
having printed on them the amount
of money matter inclosed. Often
man would on Saturday have from
$40 to $50 N his pocket in postage
stamps. In warm weather they often
stuck together. Then, if change was
wanted, there would be trouble. Damp
fingers in handling would also cause
the same annoyances. and while as
change the stamps were considered
convenient. yet as currency they were
pronounced Il nuisance. The National
Government, therefore, hit on plan
for the issuing of Il postal currency of
the color of the stamps. A five-cent
postal bill had the representation of a
fve-cent stamp on It's face, and a
twenty-five-cent bill had five tive-cent
stamps lying side by side and tapping
over each other. The color was orange
yellow. A ten-cent postal bill had the
representation of a ten-cent postage
stamp. and fifty-cent bill five ten-cent
stamps. arranged rs before mentioned.
The color was green. These small
bills were "edeemable IN legal tenders
or gree;:bac.ls when presented in sums
OF five dollars or more. After awhile
these bills drove out the postage
stamps except fer sums less than five
cents. But during the time the stamps
were in general use the National Gov
eminent must have made large sum
OF money. as there We're many postage
stamps destroyed in more ways than
one. but principally by adhesion. After
.while the postal bills were withdrawn
sud the fractional currency issued in
its place. These remained in use until
The restoration OF specie payments in
the shape of subordinate silver.'-N
J. Nail and Express.