Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-11-23
TEE CAPITAL JOURNAL.
AMERICAN POSTAGE STAMPS.
A Brief History Of these Useful Lit
tie Articles.

Tie Articles.
The proposition to change the siz
and colors of tn" prevailing postag
stamps makes short history O
these useful little articles very time
ly.
1t is now half century since th,
first postage stamp was issued in thu
country. In 1910 England began us
ing stamps, in 1916 the issue of pos
tage stamps was authorized by Con
gress, and in 1S47 the first stamp.
were issued.
Before that time the postage was
paid in cash, sometimes by the send
er and sometimes by the receiver OF
the letter, and the schedule of rates
varied with the distances.
The charge for transmitting a let
ter thirty miles was cents, and the
tariff increased in gradual ratio until
maximum charge of 25 cents for
800 miles or more was reached. This
method was in vogue for two years
after the issue of stamps was author
lied by Congress-.
The first stamps issued were of the
denominations of 5 cents and 10
cents. The 5 cents stamp had pic
ture of Ben Franklin and the 10
cents the head of Washington as the
principal figure in the design.
Those heads have continued to
adorn the postage stamps of our
country from that day to this. The
stamps first issned We're a little larg-
er than those now in use.
In 1851 the carrier system was in
troduced in all large cities, and
stamp of peculiar design, costing l
cent each and known as carriers
stamps, were issued for the purpose
of providing prepaid delivery.
In that year the letter postage was
reduced to 3 cents, and the old brick
dust red Scent stamp came in. AT
the same time the issue was enlarged
to eight stamps, the largest denom-
inatlon being so cents.
The portrait Of Jefferson was in
troducedeon the scent stamp, but
the other seven bore the heads of
Washington and Franklin in differ /
ent designs. n
These stamps were the most popu-
lar ever issued by the department.
They remained in use for ten years.
The new Scent stamp issued in
1851 was of light red, and it re-
manned in use until 1869, when there
was decided innovation in the de-
signs of the entire issue. The new
stamps were square instead of oblong,
and many of them were printed in
two colors, the central design being
in one tone and the border in an
other.
The principal figure IN each design
was in almost every instance a repre-
sentation of some mode of carrying
the mails instead of the head of some
departed statesman.
The Scent stamp was printed in
blue, and the principal figure in the
design was a locomotive. That issue
of stamps lasted about ten months.
The people clamored so against them
that in 1870 return was made to
the old. designs, which were printed,
however, in different colors.
The 3-ceut stamp was then made
green, with the head of Washington
in the center of the design. That
stamp is of such recent date that its
design is familiar to every one.
The green Scent stamp which was
adopted in 1870 continued in use
longer thar any of its predecessors.
It was used until October l, 1888, and
it might have continued in vogue
much longer had not Congress re-
duced the rate of letter postage to 2
cents. Under the new law brown
2-cent stamp was issued. 1t contin-
ued in use until 1887, when its color
was changed TO the green now in
use, to which the public seem to
have taken a strong dislike.
Among the rarest American
stamps are some which are not issu-
ed by the Government. When Con-
gress, in 1885, authorized the use OF
stamps it neglected to make such
provision as warrented the postal
authorities III their estimation in
the issue of stamps.
During the period of twoyears pre-
ceding the issue of Government
stamps the principal cities OF the
United States issued what were
known as postmasters' stamps. They
were intended for the convenience
of husinaoo man UhO desired to mail