The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-04
4 WEI CONE INNOVATION.
The Nick ell In. the.Sl0t Stamp Seller Saves
DruggIsts Much ThnnkIess Trouble.


There have lately been placed in a good
many drug storos about town nickel n-the-
slot" machines which respond to the fructi-
tying f~ve-csnt piece. not with chewing gum.
not with q ortuna-telling chart. MOI with a
hand-organ production OF "Boom-ta-ra," but
with q pair Of two-cent postage stamps.
These stamps are folded. printed face out
ward. with q square OF tissue paper s%eparat-
ing the gummed surfaces. Ostensibly these
machines are designed to save the druggists
time and patience. and. incid. ntally, they
yield o 20 per cent. income to their owners.
The sale OF postage stamps has long been a
very annoying thorn in the side Of the average
pharmacist. Ii. to remove it. the sale were
discontinued. a vigorous remonstrunce was at
once encountered on the part of the public.
The machine has solved a more or less per-
picking problem. The public. deharred from
o preteXt for actual complaint. pays its 20 per
cent. tariff on tho accommodation or COOS
Grumblingly tot hi postal station. An Amster-
dam avenue druggist said t. u reporter the
you've no idea, Of, the ANNOYANCE, to say
nothing OF valuable m that is saved for us
by tina machine. Here we nre some ten blocks
from u postal station. and the people here
a6oHt 81 ma come e ed dS SrPssn upon us for their
fSh iacs' We're trisdf to DO ouii i. BIZ d th tAS av stare;
demand to be waited unon at once. NO. m M
how busy the clerks might be. to STAMPS, and
to tot tie biz d low nssSpi fiu.bbra,s aflK T ior ssc or
medicines. very likely passing the doors OF
two or three postal stations on their way. THO
s elsrk " ts lick T iao sta MSpsa i Hsk h t99
r rsiso hor v vsihh Nis:Rhff RE- calls f fos sta tp1aI ,isss to
ar Sd me r 81 bali frantic but this was not
Iuently, would drive upto the curt, bcrkon TO
t,Y male "iSrH m ,s eS% W,, Gpt iS and hand hi%% ShH"aIe
the requisite stamps, and carry it 10 The boz
on the corner and mail it.. or course "" darc,l
Of All influential woman. and, possibly. lo,in.:
an occasional customer. But tho asSiirnnce.
IN other words gall. OF some people is aston
Don't people object to paying the extra
Money Hoe to get stamps from the machine ?" was
Before the druggist, could reply a richly
tg t + %r %S1nH" sn ns5 S.t nstdad l'ntromiI,psly
hnye two two;cent stampsy'
Certainly" was the replyr lust drop. n
ana sou IN viii VII mas tMo stS sSnac%%' t"r" The crank
The woman stared at the machine blankly
does 1t return tho CHANGE"
cent for tho Accommodation"
Then YOU will. not sell INC tho stamps %
sle, sharply calculated.
has w Sss ito int NIT G iScsa thhG nm since ,pGc,e The mashins;
tho woman ,swcit haugLtiiy from inn store.
turning as she reached Iho door, To- observe:
VOL. ] Just think this il tho wrrs 81 imposi- |
ton Ivo yet met with" and sno staiked
anErily down the avenue.
There. | guess that practically answers |
your wn question laughed mo druggist. as tho
How came it that druggists over sold
stamps rather than any other class Ut trades.
people I the reporter nskcI.
many timcH. and can hs answered by any onn |
Who has teen in the business us long as
Rave. Away back in lSi.!, | think It WAS. Tho
toftrnHlcnt charge on letters for city delivery
WnS iNn s"n',, oid DR.. Boyd, who l,nd An ,onlc,
efort To secure n postal reduction. Failing In
ms. ne set Mn IN inlepcndsnt d~eliyory eys-
tenn. which was known ms the Pony Xprcss,,
i,oSSS for the RECEPTION 9. letters were placed
wnro collected and delivered twice daily Iv
lno l"ny EXpress' for u charge of 2 cents
na,innerat.ns expenses AMI sIyodrugglIstsalib-
pony EXPRESS was finally abolished people HAD
nerome 20 accustomed to associating the drug
store with posting a letter that drlggists be-
GAM Keep stamps as an accommodation to
general VIVA