The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1896-05-21
A UNIQUE ENTERPRISE.
The Paying Investment Of a Smart
Chicago Man.
He Buys Postage Stamps at Wholesale
Rates from Big Houses and Sells
Them Of at a Neat Profit
A Bright Idea.

Melted $500, 900 a year and the business
has had d 1~7-years' history in Chicago.
The publication OF hundreds and hum
dreds of papers OF all sorts and circula-
ton gave birth to this absolute neces-
sity-the cashing of postage stamps in
all quantities.
Consider for a moment: In one day,
when the worlds fair picture coupon
craze was at it's craziest, one of Chica-
COS morning dailies received $4,000 in
postage stamps. What could be done
with them? They were not good at the
banks. The paper had no time to ped
ole them, and the cash must be realized
at once to run business or at least to
save interest.
Such a state of affairs, only of some
what milder character, happening
daily, nearly a score of years ago, came
to the knowledge of one George Ii.
Owens, who vas looking for something
easy. Sweeping together some bits of
capital into a bank account, Owens
quietly circulated among the heavier
stamp receiving business concerns of
the town and bid all the way from 95 to
81 cents on the dollar for all the odd Job
lots of vault stored stamps that he could
get track of.
At first the tedious recount of the
great quantities of stamps at the time
of purchase was made with the aid of
the merchant selling them. This, how
ever, proved a torment - detached,
wrinlled up and stuck together as most
of the big lots were. After wasting of
much valuable time on the part OF their
cashiers over what was everywhere con-
sidered IN utter nuisance. the banks,
newspaper Offices and business houses
gradually shifted the count on him al
together-save a cursory sizing up Of
the 'pesky torments"'as they came in.
Owens simply called around, picked
up the bundles of little government
photos. gave his check for the count in
Dictated on the bundle, and when he got
home, if there was a mistake, he
charged it up to the customer, and it
went as a discount on the next deal,
without a question. The same thing
ruled, after a time, in the matter of the
packages retailed. They we're paid for
unh~esitatingly, and any mistake his
customers might afterwards speak Of
finding Owens would cheerfully allow.
Thus absolute confidence was estab-
lished. ,
Chicago mail order houses and news
paper counting rooms were not slow in
advising their other city friends of the
Chicago cure for the stamp curse, and
thus the stamp broker was freely and
without expense advertised from Maine
to California, until after years of much
profit the "old man" retired on his pile, |
to be succeeded by his son, who in his
stock exchange Office the other Gay
showed the writer an order he had Just
received from al eastern brewing COM
pany for 100000 two-cent stamps
($S,G00 worth) at n per cent. discount.
Most of the stamps handled are ones, !
twos and threes; other denominations
only as the broker has customers for
them. Great quantities of Canadians
are trafficked, showing an immense
mail order trade for Chicago with Can
ada.
Many counting rooms in Chicago and
over the country cash 81, 200 worth of
stamps every few days at either SO cents
or SO cents, and are glad of the chance.
After reaching the brokers' hands
there is but one feature of interest con-
nected with the r~epacking of stamps for
retail delivery. This is absolutely Won
derful counting by sight that is done
by the girls who attend to this part of
the work.
Opening upon the table before her a
big envelope stuffed with all sorts of
stamps, as they are brought from the
merchant, the girl with one deXterous
dash Of her right hand sweeps the heap
to a single stamp level; an instant, not
more, she looks at them; then one fin
ger darts through the broad layer with
evidently no more system than a streak
Of lightning, but that leaves the carpet
OF stamps looking like a colored map of
the United States. Another pass or two
Of the infinitely dexterous fingers, and
the stamps are gone. Not 20 seconds
have elapsed. /
What did she do? In that 90 seconds |
she counted, sorted, piled and re-
wrapped 5000 unattached, mixed-up
stamps of three denominations. TWAS
without question the most marvellous
feat OF counting the writer yer wit
nessed-and he has seen many CT the
famous United States treasury finger
counters. The counting OF the stamp
instance was done entirely with the eye
"a fact that only increases the mys-
terry, considering that the stamps were
all in a crazy-quilt tumble. = Chicago
Tribune.
Prize Poker Story.