The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-13
THE POSTAL CONGRESS-
Magnitude of Uncle Sans Mail
Business.
II IS THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD

Some of the Big Items of Supplies-A New
Lightning Talker speaker Reed and
Congressman Jerry Simpson Fire Hot
Shots.
WASHINGTON. May 12.-[Special 1.-The
delegates to tho international postal con-
gross hovo oil been amazed mt the magni-
tudo of our American postal service. They
had heard good deal about it and knew
tho statistics which indicated its enormous
extent, but they had not been impressed
by 1t at long range as they have been since
they have had an opportunity to see it
with their own eyes. 1t is something to
the credit Of the people of the United
States that this young nation has tho
greatest postofiicc system in tho world. AS
chance would have 1t, just MS the foreign
delegates met here our postoffice depart
mcnt issued Its annual proposals for sup
plies for the ensuing ycar. Copies of this
advertisement fell under the notice of tho
delegates, and they did good deal of talk
ing about tho vast quantity Of stuff 1t
takes to run our postal system during
twelyemonth.
A Matter of Paper.
Tho first thing that attracted the atten-
ton of the delegates was u request for
bids on $3.50 rcams of paper. This paper,
all for tho use of tho postoflcc depart
ncnt, averages in weight about 25 pounds
to tho ream, and the weight of tho whole
therefore Is approximately 35 tons. Then
there Is the blotting paper. In his postal
operations Uncle sam must do u great
deal of blotting, for tho quantity asked for
is about 20 tons. Tho paper and the blot.
ting stuff arc only beginning He wants
1880 dozen scratch blocks, each of 100
leaves, and he is very particular as to the
manner in which they shall be made
Then no asks for 100000 blank cxamina
ton cards, each about by 12, inches
also $4,000 sheets Of cardboard 90 by IS
inches, tho total weight boing about 80
tons.
Ono Of tho biggest items in his list is
$4,000, 600 of printed "faoing slips" each
about 312 by inches. These arc used by
tho railway postal clerks and by clerks in
postoffice s in tying up punches of letters
There arc many other things in tho card
line which Uncle Sam has to have in his
business, but it would take too much SINCE
to cnumcrato them all A surprising
number of packing boxes mado of wood
arc used in tho postal service in tho course
OF year No fewer than LOGO of these
arc called for, and their average szo is If
inches wide, II inches deep and 90 inches
boxes Shall TO manufactured in Washing
ton.
Minor Items of Supplies.
Tho postal service is glutton for rub.
bcr bands. Four thousand four hundred
and twenty five gross of rubber bands of
various sizes are asked for of the larger
sizes. or the smaller binds 6, 900 pounds
arc wanted. A small item of rubber goods
Is 400 pounds of bowel crascrs ana com.
bincd pencil and ink crasers. An order of
S,426 gross of steel pens indicates that the
employees of tho postal service do vast
amount of writing, especially when we re.
member that this specification Is supple.
monted by the following: Five hundred
gross penbodors, '275 dozen pcnholdcrs,
300 dozen pcnholdcrs, $4,000 dozen blnck
lead pencils, 1900 dozen colorcd pencils,
20 dozen automatic colored pencils, 200
boxes lead for automatic colorcd pencils, 600
dozen indeliblc automatic pencils, 6, 600
boxes of lead for tho sainc and !, 500 dozen
colored pencils of another sort
or inks and mucilagc Uncle Sans post
al boys use enormous quantities, as wit
ness tho following items: One thousand
two hundred and ten dozen black inks;
l2O dozen carmino inks, 200 dozen quarts
OF mucilagc, best quality; 200 gallons OF
blue mucilagc, to be put up in 10 90 go
gallon vessels. Tho list of glass goods and
steel articles is formidable enough to suit
even tho contractors. Inkstands are want
ed to the number OF 500 dozen, and an
equal number of steel crnscrs arc asked
for Carbon paper, photograph paper, rub
Der stamps and stamp pads, facsimiles of
signatures, press copy books and such
things arc listed by the carload
Thirty-flvc thousand rcams of wrapping
paper weighing % pounds to tho ream is
one item; l 400, 900 pounds of Irvine is an.
other; 5000 letter balances and 1000 let
ter scales arc in tho schedules, ms well as
90 grocers scales and 100 larger ones. The