Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-11-25
Az INTERESTING YARN
How Some Valuable Stamps Were
Brought to Light at Providence.


Brought TO Light at Providence.
An interesting story OF The finding Of
some old posfage-sumps which were
engraved way back in tie 40s. comes
from Providence, i. The postmaster
OF that town was Welcome b. Sayles
bright, progressive lineal descendant
Of one Of the first Of Rhode Island
families. The United States had no
postal system as IL has nowadays
There was not q general postage
stamp in use, and for this reason
Postmaster Sa-les % Providence con
sidercd the idea Of q stamp for the
Providence postotficc an excellent one.
He went 10 work upon the new
scheme. and in q very short time q
coppe-playe VISA produced. 1t was
an excellent engraving, and the plate
would priIfJ IL stamps, 10 tive-centers
and one 10-cent stamp. Ills was the
proportion Of high and low stamps used
in those days The stamps We're
great novelty when they appeared and
they were the finest issued IN this
county from any p0st-otiice Soon
after ST. Louis, Baltimore, New York
and Brattleboro fell into line and
issued their own posUgc-stamps The
stamp looked like an ordinary steel
engraving, was printed on strong
fibered paper and held its adhesive
powers much better than do the
stamg@ of the present day. Tie
groundwork was black with the words
Providence post-oftce, Five-ceDr
stamp showing IN white.
One morning not long ago Lawyer
Lycwgus Sayles whose Office is on
College hill, spied some children about
the door, and, being fond Of little
ones, he called them into the office and
began 10 hunt in the dusty pigeon
holes Of his big desk for something
10 amuSe them. Finally he pulled out
q roll Of the ancient stamps, the sheets
being good and complete. He took his
shears from the Office table and cut
of stamp after stamp from the roll
One by one the stamps were mOistened
and plastered onto the forhelds and
checks Of and chins of the children and
then they thanked the lawyer and ran
ont to play. Soon after the little cpl
sode of amusing the children and him
self by their antics Lawyer Sayles
went down town TO a brokers' Office
10 learn the news of the day and TO
ascertain what the senate was doing
To relieve the financial depression
lie left the children playing about the
doorway. an In the greatest glee over
the fashion i'm which they were stamp
cd up He had been gone but a few
moments when q man named Bhven
walked down College hill, and in mo.
ment Of curiousity stopped to see what
I all the frOlic among the children was
about. Bljven looked at the little
black spots on the children's faces,
and he stood amazed. He was 4 stamp
collector and an authority on such
matters. ANA a close examination re.
vcaled 10 him that the stamps SO reck-
lessly stuck all over the faces Of those
children had regular value Of from
$40 to SD apiece. The children inform
cd Blivem where they secured the
stamps. aud while Bliyen was knock
I in. at the office door of the absent
I Iawyer, the children with the stamps
ran away. becoming alarmed over the
+ evident excitement and agitation OF
+ Bliven. BHven was agitated when he
reached out his hand to shake that Of
/ lawyer SayleS, and the latter plainly
saw that something was going ON OF
much concern 10 him How about
! those stamps" said Bhyen, have you
got any moreT' Lawyer Sayles asked
/ for an explanation, and Blyen went
on TO tell in detail the very singular
I occurrence of his trip downtown; how
/ he had found out from the little ones
/ who decorated them with valuable
stamp souvenirs, and how to his great
/ sorrow the children had fed while be
/ was trying 10 yet access to Lawyer
{ Sayles's door. Those postage stamps
are very valuable. worth many hun
dred times their weight in gold said
\ Bliyen. Didn't YOU know that? Why
they are worth $40 and $25 apiece and
. / have one which cost me $25. Il have
a lot Of them" said Lawyer Sayl3s,
whole sheets of them, and they are
as good as new. And. come TO think
Of 1t. have the original plate which
printed those stamps" Bliven wanted
TO buy Lawyer Sayles's ancient stamp
supply-plate and all-for a good round
I figure. and for a starter he offered 500
/ for everything the lawyer had in thai
line. The oHer was soon raised. and as
the news spread, stamp dealers from
an over the country sent in their bids
The stamps were finally sold TO q
Philadelphia man for 5000 in cash.