Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-08-25
A Yankee Invention.
The Drop-a-Nickle- Slot
Machine Utilized for Post
al Purposes.
1t Distributes Stamps 90 the
Public and Does Away with
Government Agents.
Will Save Loss of Time and
inconvenience Attedant on
the Old Method.


that two or three well known postal
officials contemplate leaving the Sc
vice of the government with him to
enter that of the Boston company
which is about to begin q new method
to distribute postage stamps to the
public. 1t is nicllle-in-the-slot arrange
ment, says the st. Louis Globe Demo-
Gratis Washington correspondent, but
| it differs from all others used for this
purpose in that it give full value for
the money deposited. Col. Whitfield
| has expressed the belief that this
| scheme will revolutionize the sale of
| postage stamps. and some go so far as
to say that it viii do away with all
government stamp agents. They re-
ceive but S24 a year and are required
| to keep large sum of money invested
in stamps. 1t is estimated that per-
son selling but so cents worth of stamps
a day by this method viii make a profit
of S1Oo a year, and the loss of time
and annoyance attendant upon the meth
cd of selling stamps Yer the counter
viii not figure in the calculation, either
The device is a Yankee invention,
controlled by New Englanders. Col.
Carroll D. Wright, commissioner of
labor, is president of the company and
ex-GOv. Oliver Ames 10 the principal
hacker. The business of the company
consists simply in the sale of postage
stamps by means of, a coin-operated
machine, which will be located in every
WI
The. cOin-Opcrated machine or delivery
box is a case 20 inches high, 8 81
wide and 5-S deep from front to back,
and is usually made of highly polished
QUaItcred oak; or it can be made of
mahogany, cherry OF other ornamental
woods to match store fittings It's
mountings are of nickel. The box is
exceedingly simple in construction, and
with ordinary care will not require any
repairs for years. 1t is intended to rest
upon a counter or shelf, occupying a
space Ski inches, easily accessible to
the public, is under the observation of
the agent or custodian, and may be
fastened to the counter or shelf if de-
sired.
The box contains two magazines, one
for 1-cent and the other for 2-cent
stamps, covered with glass apertures,
through which a person desiring stamps
can at once see before depositing his
coin, whether there is a cartouch in the
box. The back of the box presents
only the panelad door and the back of
the cash drawer, which is principally
glass, so that the bottom of the drawer
is inclined from back to front, every
coin which drops upon it is brought di-
rectly against the glass, and the custo-
dian can see at a glance just what coin
is dropped in, as Il bell calls his atten-
ton to each deposit.
The two magazines contain each fifty
cartOuches 600 being the full supply
for each box and every part Of the
magazine can be detached and exam
ined and replaced in five minutes with
only the aid Of a screwdriver and
pair of pliers. Each piece OF the box
is described and numbered so that in
case of accident (the only means by
which renewals are rcQuired) any of
them can be ordered and sent by mail
or express to any part of the country.
1t is believed impossible to beat or rob
the box by any of the devices employed
for that purpose upon other coin opar-
ated mechanisms, except, of course,
with bogus coins or disks the use of
which is now punished by law.
Four cents worth of stamps are
placed in a cartouch, together with Il
coupon, good for 1 cent; so that when
a person drops Il nickel in the machine
he gets + cents in stamps and acOupon
for one cent. Other machines have
been patented and operated for the sale
of postage stamps, but the purchaser is
required to pay cents for cents.
By this new Yankee system the pur-
chaser pays only for what he gets, the
advertising on the coupon, which is
good for 1 cent, being the source of
profit to the company. The cartoufh,
which contains stamps and coupon is
a small cylindrical box, 1 3-S inchez long
by 5-S of an inch in diameter, with
slightly rounded ends, made of wood or
paper, and opening exactly at it's center
transversely. One half has thin inner
projection, over which the other slides
like sleeve, as the two halves fit to-
gether. A groove is cut entirely through
and entirely around around this inner
projection where it joins the thicker
part, and, as drop Of glue united the |
two ends Of the cartouch when |
packed, the twisting motion necessary
tn los Ior, loI
which seals and encircles it, breaks off |
and destroys this lip or projection, so |
that no further use can be made of !
either cartouch or label. Inside the |
cartouch, snugly rolled, but with their |
ends projecting from the half in which |
they rest when it is opened $50 that |
they can be easily remOvedD, are two |
2-cent postage stamps and four 1-cent |
postage stamps, and the demand draft |
Tor coupon) is good for one cent in |
any Of the goods of either of the thirty
two advertisers whose commodities are |
named upon it. The contents are re- |
moved and used, the fragments of the |
broken cartouch, which has now served |
its purpose, being thrown away. The |
label is of paper, just long enough to |
encircle the cartouch and is firmly glued |
to it. 1t serves to seal the cartouch, |
covers its joint, gives directions for
opening it and show quickly by its col
Ors. 1t is registered at the patent /
Office.
The coupon or demand draft, which |
is the cornerstone of the whole bust
ness and the element of profit in the |