Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-21

spected. counted and tagged In packages
OF 100 sheets before being sent out Each
package Of 100 sheets holds 10000 stamps.
But stay! There are one or two more
prelminaries yet. After receiving the per-
forations the sheets Of 100 are put under O
press to remove the 'burrs' around the
little holes, otherwise these would greatly
increase the thickness Of q package. Then
they are counted and arc placed in steel
clad vaults. from which they are drawn
as the Post Office Department may want
them. The bureau Of engraving has not
yet begun to furnish stamps to the govern
ment. but II Is ali ready to do SO. In re-
sponse to orders received from the Post
once Department 1t will put the stamps
up In packages. address them to ostmas-
tiers who require them, and deliver them at
the post office in Washington for mailing.
The Inks Used.
The Post Office Department now has an
agency at the bureau of engraving When
a postmaster wants stamps he makes out
reQuisiticn upon the department. The
latter will communicate with its agent in
the bureau, who Will draw upon the bureau
every day for as many stamps as he re-
quires to fill the orders thus transmitted
to him. All this business used TO be done
in New York city, where the stamp agent
received the stamps from the American
BANK Note Company In bulk, his business
being TO put them up in packages and send
them on by mail. The inks used for print
ing the stamps are manufactured at the
bureau and engraving. The materials are
bought In the shape Of dry coiors and lin
seed OIL The colors come I'm the shane OF
powders. The only stamps turned out thus
Iar are the 2-cent red and the l-cent blue.
For the former carmine is employed and for
the latter ultramarne. Both colors are
toned by the admixture OF other ingred-
ients-the carmine with paris white and
knafll
costly.
Cltramarine IS not very expensive. but
II is too strong" I'm the printers phrase
That is to say. too dark. 1t used to be the
costiiest OF colors, being made from the
precious lapis lazul. But in recent years
chemists, having analysed the lapis lazuli
have produced I'm the labora tory a sue
cessful imitation Of the color-stuff For
making the ink. the color powder is COM
bined with linseed OIL and ground between
rollers. Each printer receives every morn
ing his allowance of ink and sharp account
is kept Of every bit used. Uncle Sam will
save about $4,000 a year by printing his
own postage stamps. Congress has given TO
the bureau of engraving 100000 for the
purpose for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
Out of this appropriation some machinery
must be bought. The expense used to be
saos,0O0 per annum. OF course, the govern
ment had nearly all the required plant
ready at hand. About fifty new people
have had to be engaged to do the extra
work. The plates used by the American
Bank Note Company for printing the
stamps were the property of the govern
ment
The Post Office Department. has made re-
Gently five hundred sets OF fac-simile stamps
for distribution among members of Con-
gress and high officials. Each set includes
specimens of all Of the issues from the ca RI
lest to the latest. They are printed on thin
cardboard, being intended for curiosities
and not Tor the payment OF postage.