The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-12
That Of Uncle Sam the
Greatest in World.
Some of igItems ThatFigure
in Supply Account.
A New Lightning Talker-Speaker
Reed and Jerry Simpson.


delegates 10 tho international postal con-
gross have all been amazed at the magni-
tude 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 IL at long range as they have been since
they have had an opportunity 10 SEQ it
with their osgn eyes IL Is something to
the credit of the people Of the United
States that this young nation has the
greatest postoffice system in the world. AS
chance would have IL, just as tho foreign
delegates met here our po5to;iicc depart.
mont issued its annual proposals. for sup
plies for tho ensuing year. Copies OF this
advertisement fcll under the notice Of the
delegates and they dfd good deal of talk
ing about tho vast quantity of stun II
takes TO run our postal system during
twelyemopth.
A Matter OF Paper.
The first thing that attracted tho atten
tion Of the delegates was request foi
bids on 2,s30 roams Of paper. This paper,
all for the use Of the pOstoflice depart
ment, averages In weight about 25 pounds
TO the ream, and the weight of the whole
therefore is approximately 80 tons. Then
there is the blOtting paper. In his postal
operations Uncle sam must do great
deal of blotting, for the quantity asked foI
is about 20 tons. The paper and the blot
ting stuff are only beginning. He wants
800 dozen scratch blocks, each Of LOG
lcay es, and he is very particular as TO the
manner in which they shall be made.
Then ho asks fer o00,0 600 blank examina
ton cards, each about 4 by -, inches,
also $4,000 sheets Of cardboard 22 by IS
inches, tho total weight being about 81
tons.
One Of Tho biggest items In his list Is
250, 900 Of printed facing slips, each
about 3 ~ by b inches. These are used ny
the railway postal CLERKS and by clerks In
postof!ioes in tying up bnnehes Of letters
There are many other things In tho caro-
line which L nclo sam has 10 have In ms
business, but II would take TOO much space
TO enumCrato them all. surprising
number Of packing boxes made Of wood
are used in tho postal service in tho COURSE
Of year. No fewer than 1900 of thss,
are called for, and their average size is n
inches wide, IA inches deep and 90 inches
long. Tho department. requires that these
boxes shall DO manufactured in Washing
ton.
Minor Items Of Supplies.
Tho postal service is n glutton for rub
Der bands. -Four thousand four hundred
and twenty-five gross of rubber bands o
various sizes arc asked for Of the larger
sizes. or the smaller bands 9, 600 pounds
are wanted a smell item Of rubber goods
is 400 pounds Of bevel erasers and com
bined pencil and ink crGserE. An order OF
6,425 gross Of steel pens indicates chat the
employees Of tho postal service do vast
amount Of wiring, especially when we ro
member that this specification is supple
mented by tho following: Five hundred
gross penboljers, 275 dozen penholders,
b50 dozen IcnholdCrs, 1890 dozen black
lead pencils, l,5CO dozen colored pencils,
20 dozen automatic colorCd pencils, 2OC
boxes lead for automatic colorcd pencils, 6Ul
dozen indolible automatic pencils, 5000
boxes of lead for the same and 1000 dozen
coiored pencils OF another sort
OF inks and mucilage Uncle Sans post
al boys use enormous quantities, as wit
ness the following items: One thousand
two hundred and ten dozen black inks,
100 dozen carminc inks, 200 dozen quarts
of muciiacC, lest quality; 200 gallons q
blue muoilarc, 10 bc put up in 10 or 2C
gallon vessels. The list Of glass goods and
steel articles is formidable enough 10 suit
even tho contractors. Inkstands are want
equal number Of steel erasers arc asked
for. Carbon PAPER, hcktograph paper, rub.
Der STAMPS and stamp pads, iacsimlles oi
signatures, Trcss copy books and such
things are listed by the carload.
Thirty.nyC thousand rCams Of wrnppinR
paper weighing cS pounds 20 the renm If
one item; J, 400, 600 pounds Of twine Is an
other; 5000 letter balances and 1000 leS
ter scales ere in the schedules, as well as
30 grocCrs' scales and 100 larger ones. The
specifications for postmarking and rating
stamps run Up TO the scores OF thousands,
and the Gmcv nc Of canceling ink needed
for tho simple purpose Of spelling the nice
stamps which we put on our lotters is go
900 pounds. These figures have greatly
impressed our foreign visitors.
a Esst ralker.
I'm the house Of representatives we have
a new lightning tGlkcr His name is
James Hamilton Lewis, one Of the new
men from the state Of Washington. Mr..
Lewis has already made bis mark in the
house. It wGs be who offered the rcsolu-
tion instrpctirP Speaker Reed TO appoint
the committees Of the house. He made
speech in support OF this resolution, and
while 10 did not hayc any apprCciable effect
upon tho Not5 cf his fellow members, 1t
did make tho official stenorraphCrs move
their pencils faster than they had ever
moved them before. Mr.. Lewis talked at
the rate of about 500 words minute for
15 minutes, which constitutes u record in
the house. CE.il Alr. Lewis had his adj