Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-02
MBUS PLENTIFUL
The Dear Public Will Use the Big Stamps
or Go Without.
Postmnsters to BE Supplied With
Christopher Affairs and This City
Not an Exception.

Columbus. in all the phases of his re-
nowned act OF discovering America, is 20 tie
given still another Washington audience.
1t may be his last appearance on the local
stage. but of that it is hard to propnesy.
Prophets are taking great chances in these
days, anyhow.
But 1t Is true. nevertheless, that WASH
ington Is to have a lot of Columbus tor a
time. In fact, for four or five days past it
has been difficult to get anything but Co.
lumbus. Washington-that is, G. w. not
Washington, ID. C.-has been sheIved for the
time being by Christopher. There are thous-
ands OF the latter where there are not
scores of the former
This is all in reference to stamps Last
week the Postmaster General, as noted in
The Star, issued an order to the effect ttat
up to the last of the year the postmasters
OF the country should be supplied with moth
ing but the large Columbian stamps This
affects Washington, of course, and today
the stamp windows at the local branch OF
MI Blsselfs enterprising emporium are
showing forth huge slices of American bis
tory at one cent apiece and upwards
AT the city post office this morning it was
ascertained that the department Will within
day or two forward stamps enough to
cover requisition made some DAYS ago to
the extent of Sll5O0O worth of stamped
paper Counting the wrappers and other
stock on hand. by the time this reuuisition
is filled, there will be between $l65 800 and
SlIO,OOO worth of material on hand There
are not many of the small red stamps in
stock now; not enough, surely, to supply all
those who would really prefer them to the
proadsfdes So no effort will be made to
discriminate between the lovers of history
and the admirers of small mucilayed sur
races There are those in the post office
VINO nave heard people express decided
preferences in favor OF the Coumbians but
they do not seem to be numerous When
these cases are related the persons who
nave given this choice are always named
while the opponents to the Columbian
stamps are alluded to Others" 1t is
evident that there has crept into the minds
of the officials very little encoura cement
LOT TINS venture into history.
Last year the business of the office, ex-
elusive or the free matter passing to and
from the government departments which
amounts to % per cent of the total appre
gated SJO4,WO. This gives an average for
the 800 days of little over 81 ,3S2 worth of
business each day. Calculating that there
Will be in all something like $40 600 worth
OF the Columbiads on hand when the reoui-
sltion arrives, including those in stock now
this should last upward of 100 days.
50 there Is ample reason to believe that
the populace of Washington that has the
habit of writing to other people or whose
duty IT Is to stamp the letters of other peo-
pie, Will be called upon to liquidate the
BROAD surfaces or the ChriStophers for over
three months to come, with no hope of re-
hef'in the meantime. 1t is sad, but it is
necessary, for the department finds itself
at the close of the year 1893 with over
l6o,OOoOO stamps of this variety on it's
hands. No one can really blame the de-
partment for wanting to begin the new
year with a clear record-to turn over a
new stamp, as ii were. So II is turning
over this very unpopular new stamp to the
postmasters CT the. country in millions
ana washing its hands of Columbus and his
hirsute antics and his poses. 1t Is starting
out In 1891 with a clear conscience
AT the stamp windows of the office there
are many complaints to be heard as these
slices OF art are passed over the shelf But
when the folks learn that there are no pink
Washingtons and that kicking does no good
they are prone to accept the drab Column
biads and to wonder at the cruelty of the
government. The trade just now is run
ming a little short of 81 800 a day. but this
is heavy business, owing to the Christmas
and New Year pressure, and IL is expected
that IL Will soon drop down to its normal
level Perhaps the onrush of the Column
biads Will cause it to take still further
drop. But there is no telling whether they
will bull or bear the market.
But Uncle Sam Is getting l, 2 3 cents for
his goods just the same. He has not cut
his prices in the least. owing to the gen.
eral depression in trade" as so many re-
tailers are apt to do at present He is car
rying on mis- business at the old stand, and
he doesn't give a snap of his fingers
whether the dear public ticks Washingtons
or COlumbuSeS