The morning times., 1896-03-04
MIR. OWENS EASY JOB.
1t Has Melted Him About S3OO,6OO a
Year Since Finding It
Chicago Tribune

1HlcdgO
A wholesale brokerage in stamps has
netted 100000 a year and the business
has had a seventeen years history in Chi
cage.
The publication OF hundreds on hun
dreds of papers OF all sorts and circu-
lation gave birth TO this absolute neces-
sity-thc caShing of postage stamps in
all quantities.
Consider for a moment: In one day,
when the World irpicture coupon craze
was at its craZiest, one OF Chicago's morn
ing dailies received SO, 500 in postage
stamps. What could be done with them?
They were not good at the banks. The
paper had no time to peddle them, and the
cash must be realized at once to run buSi-
ness with or at least TO save interest.
Such state of affairs, only of some
what nlildcr character, happening daily,
nearly score of years ago, came to the
knowledge of one George II. Owens, who
was looking for something easy. Sweep
ing together some bits of capital into a
bank account, Owens quietly circulated
among the heavier stamp receiving busi-
ness concerns of the town and bid all the
way from 50 to 81 cents on the dollar for
all the old 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, however,
proved Il toTment-deta chel, wrinkled 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 considered as an utter
nuisance, the banks, newspaper offices and
business houses gradually shifted the count
on him altogether-save a cGTsory sizing
up of the "pesky torments,' As they came III.
Owens simply called around, picked up
the bundles OF little government photos,
gave his check for the count indicated
on the bundle, and when he got home, il
there was mistake he charged itup TO the
customer and it went as a discount on the
next deal without a question. The same
thing ruled, alter time, in thief matter
of thep packages of stamps he retailed. They
We're paid for unhesitdtingly, and any mis-
takehiS customer mightafterwardss pea OF
finding Owens would cheerfully allow.
Thus absolute confidence was established.
Chicago mail order houses and newspaper
counting-rooms We're not slow in advising
/
for the stamp curse. and thus the stamp
broker was freely and without expense ad-
vertised from Maine to California, until
after years of much profit the old man.
retired on his pile. to be succeeded by lis
son, who. in his stock exchange Office the
other day, showed the writer an order he
had just received from an Eastern brew
ing company for 400 600 2-cent stamps
| 4. A,+ ,f;u
Most of the stamps handled are ones,
twoS and threes; other denominations only
as the broker has CUSTOMERS fItr them. Great
quantities of Canadians are trafficked,
showing an immense malt order trade for
| Chica go with Canada.
Many counting-roons in, Chicago and
over the country cash in 81 900 worth OF
stamps every few days as either SO cents
or 80 cents. and are glad Of the chance.
| After reaching the brokers' hands there
is but one feature of interest connected
with repacking the stamps for retail de-
livery. This is the absolutely wonderful
counting by sight that is done by the
| girls. who attended 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 tine
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 finger
darts through the broad layer with evil
IDENTIFY no more system than u streak OF
| lightning, but that leaves the carpet of
stamps looking like Il colOred map of the
| United States. Another pass or two of
the infinitely dexterous fingers, aud the
/ stamps are gone. Not twenty seconds
| have elapsed.
What did she do? In that twenty sec
onds she counted, sorted, piled, and re-
wrapped 5000 unattached, mixed up
stamps of three denominations. II was
without question the Most marvellous feat
| of counting the writer ever Witnessed
and he has seen many of the famous
United States Treasury finger counters
The counting in this stamp Instance was
done entirely with the eye-a fact that
only increases the mystery, considering
that the stamps were ali in crazy quilt
! tumble