Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-13
POSTAL CONGRESS.
The Magnitude Of Uncle
Sans Mail Business.
The Greatest in the World Some Of
the Big Items Of Supply.
Speaker Reed and Jerry Simpson Indulge il
Firing Hot Shots.

gross have all boon amazed at the mAgnl-
tudc of our American postal service They
had heard a coed deal about it and knew
the statistics which indicated its enormous
extent, but they had not been impressed
by it at long range as they have been since
they have had an opportunity to see II
with their own eyes. 1t is something TO
the credit OF the PEOPLE of the United
States that this young nation has the
greatest postcfllcc system in the world AS
chance would have it, just as the foreign
delegates met hero our postoflice depart
mcnt issued its annual proposals for sup
plies for the ensuing year. Copies OF tins
advertisement fell under the notice of the
delegates, and they did good deal of talk
ing about the vast quantity OF stun 1t
takes to run our postal system during a
twelvenonth.
~ A Matter OF Paper.
The first thing that attracted the atten-
ton OF the delegates was request for
bids on 1880 rcains of paper. This paper.
all for the use Of tho posto1iice depart
mcft, averages in weight about % pounds
70 the roam, and the weight of the whole
therefore is approx imatcly 80 tons Then
there is the blotting paper In his postal
CIScfubbO1S lHCit s]tIfi itust Wv % SAsae
deal Of blotting, for the quantity asked fol
is about 90 tons. The paper and the blot,
ting stuff arc only beginning He wants
1900 dozen scratch blocks, each Of 100
leaves, and he is very particular as to the
manner in which they shall be made
Then he asks for 500, 900 blank examina
ton cards, each about by IL, inches;
also 55 go sheets Of cardboard 90 by 20
I,,;, b<,vrt
tons.
One of tho biggest items in his list is
ESQ, 900, 600 Of printed facing slips, each
about 8 u by 8 inches. These are used by
tho railway postal clerks and by clerks In
postoffices in tying up lunches OF letters.
There arc many other things in the card
line which Uncle Sam has to have In his
business, but 1t would take too much space
to cnulnerate them all. A surprising
number of packing boxes made of wood
are used In tho postal service in the course
Of year No fewer than 1900 of these
are called for, and their average size is Ia
inches WIDE II inches deep and 25 inches
long Tho department. requires that these
boxes shall be manufactured in Washing
ton.
Minor Items Of Supplies.
Tho postal service is a glutton for rub
Der bands Four thousand four hundred
md twenty-five gross of rubber bands oil
various sizes arc asked for Of the larger
sizes. OF the smaller bands 5000 pounds
are wanted. A small item Of rubber goods
is 400 pounds Of bevel erasers and com
.bined pencil and ink erasers. An order OF
SAYS gross of steel pens indicates that the
employees Of the postal service do vast
amount of writing, especially when we re
1Lember that this specification Is supple
1iented by the following: Five hundred
gross penbolders, 275 dozen penholders,
$50 dozen penholders, 1920 dozen black
lead pencils, 500 dozen colOred pencils,
go dozen automatic colored pencils, 20o
boxes lead for automatic colOred pencils, GOO
dozen indeliblc automatic pencils, 5000
boxes of lead for the same and 300 dozen
colored pencils of another sort.
OF inks and mueilage Uncle Sans post.
al boys use enormous quantities, as wit,
ness the following items One thousand
two hundred and ten dozen black inks,
120 dozen carmine inks, 700 dozen quarts
of mucilage, lest quality; 200 gallons OF
blue mucilage, to lie put up in 10 or 90
gallon vessels The list of glass goods and
steel articles is formidable enough to suit
even the contractors. lnkstands are want
ed to the number Of 500 dozen, and an
equal number of steel erasers are asked
for. Carbon paper, hektograph PAPER, rub
Der stamps and stamp pads, facsmiles OF
signatures, press copy books and such
things are listed by the carload.
Thirty five thousand rcams of wrapping
paper weighing 2S pounds to the ream is
one item; l AGO, 600 pounds of Irvine is an
other; 5000 letter balances and 1000 let
ter scales are in the schedules, as well a.
SO grocers' scales and 100 larger ones. The
specifications for postmarking and rating
stamps run up to the scores Of thousands,
and tho amount of canceling ink needed
for the simple purpose of spelling the nice
stamps which we put on our letters is 20,
600 pounds These figures have greatly
impressed our foreign visitors.
A Fast Talker.
In the house of representatives we have
o new lightning talker. His name is
James Hamilton Lewis, ono Of the new
men from the state of Washington Mr..
Lewis has already made his mark in the
house. 1t was he who offered the resolu.
ton instructing Speaker Reed to appoint
the committees Of the house. He made q
speech in support of this resolution and
while it did not have any appreciable effect
upon the votes Of his fellow members, i,
did make the official stenographers move
their pencils faster than they had evel
moved them before Mr.. Lewis talked a.
the rate Of about 265 words a minute fol
IL minutes, which constitutes a record il
the house. Until Mr.. Lewis had his ad
vent the record for fast talking was helt
by MIR. johnson of Indiana. The Wash
!ngton member speaks with great ease
The words do not come from his mouth il
torrent, but they slide out one after tn
other MS II they were creased. They ar
clearly spoken, too, though they follow
with stupcndous speed one upon the 9th
er's heels. 1t is said Mr.. Lewis has Otter
while making speeches in court reached
speed Of over 800 words q minute. Their
are few stenographcrs that can keep VI
with him at this rate.
Speaker Reed and Jerry Simpson like t.
get in shots at one another. One day
while the house was in considerable disor
der, Jerry thought to score point by call
Ing the speakers attention to the hubbu
that was going on. Standing in the mid
die aisle, he exclaimed:
"Mr. Speaker, lot us have order"
As soon ns gentlemen standing In tn
aislcs have taken their seats, - responde