Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-07-07
UNCLE SANS NEW POSTAGE STAMPS
They Picture Lifo in the Western States
and Are Fine Specimens.


Hcnceforward most of the letters and
packages that will be forwarded through
the mails Will be adorned with diminutlve
representations of celebrated paintings or
drawings portraying features of the de-
NcOpmcnt Of the great western regions of
the United States. These are what the
new United States postal stamps are
They are now in circulation, and are to
be known as the Trans-M ssisslppi
stamps.
Tho stamps differ materially in size
from the ordinary series being about X
on an ich wide by Jas inches long. The
border, which forms in its inner line an
Irregular oval framework to each of the
scenes represented consists of n nutcd
figure on either side with interior cross
bars. beginning in a single line near the
bottom of the stamp, and charging until
II reaches Il shield in each of the upper
corners, wherein Is engraved in white the
Arabic mineral of dcnomination-thc dol
lar mark being also included in the case
of the one and two dollar stamps. At the
top. connecting the two shields, and uni
ted to the nuted framework on the two
sides, is curved tablet, on which is en-
gravod in small white capitals the words,
United States of America" Above this
on either side are heads of wheat and be-
tween these IA small scroll.
Immediately below the central scene Is
gothic letters on curved tablet. and be-
low this, on either side in scrolls, are the
words Of value. "Onc," Two" ana so on,
In white capitals, except in the case OF
The two highest denominations, when 81
and 81 are substituted for letters.
Above each of these is projecting ear
of corn, and at the bottom of all on
straight black tablet are the words
Postage one Cent" Postage Two
Cents" and so on, in white capitals.
No Trans Mississippi postal cards or
stamped envelopes will be issued.
Although this series of stamps will be
discontinued on the Dist Of December lS9S.
they will Ne good for postage at any time
afterward
The scenes represented on the stamps.
together with the colcrs of the several
denominations are these
Observation-Disclosures on the MISSISSIPPI
pi,' from painting by Lamprecht, now
In possession of the Marquette College of
Milwaukee. Wis. representing Father
Marquette In boat on the Upper Mis-
sissippi, preaching to the Indians. Color,
dark green.
Farming in the West" from
a photograph, representing a Western
grain field with long row Of plows at
work Color. copper red.
FOur-cent-"Indian Hunting Buffalo"
reproduction OF an engraving in School
crafts History of the Indian Tribes. Color
orange.
Five-cent--"Fremont on Rocky Noun
tains," modified from wood engraving,
representing the Pathfinder planting the
United States flag on the highest peak of
the Rocky Mountains. Color dark blue.
sht-cent-"Troops Guarding Train" re-
presenting detachment of United States
soldiers conveying an emgrant train
across the prares, from a drawing by
Frederic Remington, permission To use
was kindly given by the publisher. II H.
Russell of New York Color. dark lilac.
n-cent-"Eardships OF Emigra ton"
from painting kindly loaned by the ar
list A. G. Ileaton. representing an emil
grant and his family on the plains in "A
prairie schooner" one Of the horses haV-
ing fallen from exhaustion. Color, slate
Fifty-cent-"Western Mining Prospect
or" from drawing by Frederic Remlng-
ton, permission to use which has been
kindly given by the publisher. r. II. Rus
sell of New York; representing a pros
pcCtor with his pack-mules in the noun
tains, searching for gold. Color olive
ono Dollar-"Western Cattle In Storm, ="
representing herd of cattle, preceded by
the leader, seeking safety from n gather
ing storm, reproduced from Il large steel
engraving after n picture by ]. MacWhlr-
ter-thc engraving having been loaned by
Mrs. c. 49, johnson of Washington, y. c.
Color, black
Two Mississippi River Bridge"
from an cngraving-a representation Of
the great bridge over the Mississippi Mt
St. Louis, Color, light brown.
The following act of Congress, approved
May ~ 1898, authorizes the transmission
in the domestic mails of private cards
bearing written messages. at the postage
charges of one cent n piece
THAT from and after the LIST day OF July
1898, II shall be lawful to transmit by mail
at the postage rate Of one cent II piece
payable by stamp to be affixed by the send
er and under such regulations as the post
master general may prescribe written
messages on private mailing cards, such
cards to be sent openly in the mails, to
be no larger than the size fixed by the
convention of the Universal Postal Union,
and to be approximately of the same form
quality and weight as the stamped postal
card now in general use in the United
States"
The size must not exceed pa by 5is in
chos, and the quality must be same MS
postal cards. The color may be white.
cream, light gray or light buzz.
Previous to the receipt of this order no
cards except the postal cards issued by
the Government could be used for cor
rcspondence, unless letter rates were paid.