The morning call., 1893-12-24

that lie source OF supply would never be made
secret.
For the said 10000 sets | will nav the sum
Oh $4,000 cash on delivery OF the stamps or
VIII deposit that amount in the Sub Treasury
mere SUBJECT TO your order, upon the assurance
mat the stamps would be forthcoming and
that the department Will not grant any other
similar privilege TO any other party or parties
Out would destroy the balance of the remaining
stock on hand.
Ii appears TO me that this would be more adj
Vantageous TO the department than To spend
money to destroy the stamps. This would at
ieaSt Orlng into the department sufficient
amount OF money 10 destroy the balance OF IN.
stamps ire of cost, and the department could
certainly lose nothing by the transaction, if
lhey see mat the stamps are all Cancelled and
useless for postage.
As for my responsibility, l can only say that
money talks, and if the cash be deposited here
10 your order before the stamps are sent, you
certainly can nave no doubt of the genuineness
OF This offer. Hoping you Will give this matter
your earliest attention aud let me hear from
you regarding the same a; the earliest possible
GATE, you VIII very greatly oblige.
Though the reply tn this was exceedingly
prle1 IL settled three distinct points. They
were: That no more Column bian stamps
would be sent out from Washington after
December 81 of this year; that the Gov
eminent had no intention of taking in an
outsider as a partner in its philatelic
specu alton, aud, by Inference, that the
"remainders" OF the Columbian stamps
are TO be destroyed. Here is the answer
in full. which was signed by Third ASSIST
ant Postmaster General Kerr Graige:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 90. 1898.
- -, san francisco, CdL.-SIR: Your
letter dated the 18th inst, addressed TO the
PostmaSter-General,ha has been referred To this
ONCE. The proposition you make to purchase
10000 sets OF Columbian postage stamps al the
END OF The present year, at 81 a SET is reSpect-
fully declined. The department does not in
tend AT any time TO withdraw the Columbian
stamps from use. IL will cease TO issue them
TO pos masters after The 31st proS., but all that
nave been sent out up TO that date will be kept
on hand for sale until they are exhausted.
Had the San Francisco collector sue
ceeded In making the deal as proposed by
him he would certainly have made good
sized fortune. Complete sets of the Column
bian stamps now readily bring S15 each,
so that the party in question would have
found no difficulty In turning over his
stock so as TO net him clear 100000.
AS showing the disfavor In which the
Columbian stamps are now held by the
general public and the means adopted by
the Pos.ofiice Department TO force their
sale the following circular. issued NOVem-
Der IS, from the Office of the Third Assist
ant Postmaster General, is here given:
1T is found necessary to fill all orders
for ordinary postage stamps for some time
to come, beginning this day. with those of
the Columbian series.
SHOULD the Colum Dian stamps herewith
sent not have been desired the postmaster
is thus advised of the intended change in
his IeQuisitiOn and the reason therefor.
The apartment expects that these Column
bian stamps shall be exhausted before any
orders are sent for additional supplies.
THE Issue of the old series, exclusively.
will be resumed on the 1st of January
next"