The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-16
Prevalent Postage
Stamp Swindle.
The Endless Chain Amounts
to q Good Deal in the End.
From the Pittston Gazette.

rIOHl tHe illlStOIl tfdZeltt.
Have you ever been roped in by the
latest scheme? A number of people
hereabout have. Others should read
and take warning. A letter is sent out
by Miss Edna Brown, Kaneville, Kane
county, Ill.," requesting the receiver of
same and send them to friends. One
letter is to be returned to Miss Brown
with ten cancelled stamps therein. The
persons who receive the three letters
are to address a similar number of let
ters to as many friends. Each person
Is to send Miss Brown ten cancelled
stamps, million of which are desired
says the letter, to secure free treat
ment for a cripple. The scheme, at
first thought seems very small thing,
but In reality II Is stupendous. 1t cost
Miss Brown a two-cent stamp to start
the "chain," and the one who received
her letter 1t cost six cents to send ou,
the three. Then 1t cost each of the
three to whom she sent letter six
was also expended by those who got in
the "chain" on previous numbers
Those in the chain who had No. /
circular bought one stamp; No. 9, 3
stamps; No. 8. bought stamps; No. 4,
q stamps: No. 5, 81 stamps; No. 6, 243
stamps; No. Z, 729 stamps; No. s, 2,1S7
stamps. No. g. 6,56l: No. 10, 1858: No.
II, 59,O49; No. IL, 177,147; No 13, 53l ,441;
No. IA, 1,594,323; No. 10, 4,6S2, 500; No. 16,
14,O4S,9O7; No. II, 42,146,721; N. 1S, 12G,-
440, 1863; No. 10, 379 ,320, ,4S9; No. 20, 1,137,.
9Gl, ,467; No. 81, 3,413SS ,4O1; No. 90, TO-
241 1853, ,203; No. %, 3O,724, 1853 GO9; No. "a,
92,174,S7S,S27; No. 25 276, 6,524, ,636, ,4S1: No.
26 29,573,9O9, ,443; No. 81, 2,4ss 721, 72S, 800;
No. 2S, 7,466, ,165, ,1S49S7; No. 30, 22S, ,495, :
55496l; No. 80, 67,l95, ,4S6 66l, ,SSS, etc.
Twice the last number will give you
what Uncle Sam takes in for the sale
of stamps or 81 ,343 ,9O9, ,733, ,2g7. .66. Ten
times the amount of stamps used by
senders of circular No. 30, would give
you the amount of stamps Miss Brown
would receive, or 671, ,954, ,S66, ,64S, $50
this is, six hundred and seventy-one
trillions, nine hundred and fifty-four
billions. eight hundred and sixty-siy
millions. six hundred and forty-eight
thousand, eight hundred and thirty.
A Pcrplexed Postmaster.
The chief sufferer by the scheme is
the postmaster at the place to which
the letters are directed. One report
says that If an end is not put to the
business soon he will go crazy Kane
VILE is crossroads township on the
prairie, five miles from a railroad, and
has about thirty houses. Twenty-Five
letters day would be big mail for
the town. Since Miss" Browns
scheme has been working they have
kept increasing. They soon filed a
bushel basket daily Then they filled
several baskets. 1t rained letters. In
stead of the usual small pouch the
Kaneville required several. Not only
letters came, but boxes and bundles
of cancelled stamps from well inten-
toned but deceived people. The stage
coach became so crowded with mail
bags there was no room for the pas
sengers. The postmaster was obliged
to hire an assistant to help him handle
the stuff. One day the number received
was 1900 and another reached $4,000
Some of the letters even contained
money orders sent by sympathetic per-
sons. Often whole sheets of stamps
We're sent just as they came from the
postotiice, except with an ink line
drawn through. The one million mark
was passed long ago and there seems
to be no way to stop the avalanche.
The much-abused postmaster of a