The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-28


Of the specimens being very crude those
now owned by Mr. beats showing four
different spacings, as many different
fonts of type. and numerous irregular
impressions in the border caused by mis-
placed fragments Of brass rules. One at
least shows bad proofreading. Mcconnell
the name OF the aDDear-
ing with three successive e's. The hand
stamps were made with wooden or metal
dies, rubber stamps not yet having come
into use a few Of these stamps show
that the postmaster changed his mind
about their value. or decided to have a
bargain sale, as second denominations are
stamped over the first figures. This sub
division is so extensive that Mr.. beats is
inclined to treat IL as a class by itself
although technically it belongs to the first
class. Regarding II as the second class,
the third consists Of the adhesive stamps
issued by the Confederate government,
and broadly known as Confederate
STAMPS" The unstamDed envelopes used
by the Confederate Postofffce DEPART
ment, corresponding to the penalty envel-
opes in use by the Federal government
nowadays, constitute the fourth class. Il
IS noteworthy that the Postofiee Depart
ment was the only department Of the
Confederate government that did not
have 10 use stamps
The beats collection includes an envel-
ope showing four Confederate provisional
stamps, the only four together in exist
ence. Four other envelopes epitomiza the
history Of the rebellion. The date Of the
first and that Of the last are less than
year apart, The fret, dated April, 1851,
bears a provisional stamp showing the
Southern flag; the second. under date Of
June Of the same year, the postmaster's
hand stamp; the next, date Of August,
the postmaster's engraved stamp. with
the Confederate governments stamp
pasted over it; the last. only a few
months later, the governments stamp
alone. The collection contains a Macon
stamp bearing no mark except its denoni-
nation. the usual one Of . cents The
collector paid 500 for il. He knows it IS
a Macon stamp, because there is no other
in existence, exactly like it. except for
the additional data Of time and place
The only Beaumont stamp known to ex-
ist he bought for $1,000. He has a pair Of
Spartanburgs with quaint records. A Fle-
mingt0n bookseller, a neigh0or Of his. was
a steward in the Northern army. and in
Arkansas during the war was one OF a
party that captured and rified a Confeder-
ate mailbag. Few persons saved stamps
in those troublesome times, but these
two SpartanbGrgs impressed him as
curiosities, and one he sent 10 his mother,
the other to his sister Afterward Mr.
beats bought one for s., and the present
catalogue price Of its companion is $50.
A couple Of New Orleans scent stamps
Mr. beats regards as his most precious
treasures. One is red on white. the other
red on blue. The first is the only one Of
its kind there is, so far as known: there
fore it would bring at least $500: but it Is
not for sale. Beyond price" is its
owners own phrase about it. There is a
single duplicate Of the red on blue. More
ornate and beautiful than either Of these
is a Livingstone. Ala, stamp, a blue
shield on a white ground, with cupids in
the corners. interviewer with delicate
tracery. It looks ike state seal 1t
cost 1926. Two very scarce stamps in the
collection are the scent and the Decent
greens, as they are called.
Then there are some interesting Baton
Rouge counterfeits- made in Philadelphia
after the war. They are four nilIimetres
across, while the genuine are only three
That is all there is TO brand them as
false, but that is enough.
The beats and the Institute collections
are oy no means the only great ones in
this country. II. J. Duveen Of London
and New York has a magnificent collec-
ton, his sDecialties being United States
stamps. British and French colonials and
and Old Europeans. altogether valued at
about 100000. The collection has been in
this country at various times. but is
now in England. Ex-Mayor Olney OF
Providence, R. T., has a general collection
eatalogued at $4,000. DR.. w. c. Bowers
Of Bridgeport. Conn, has the finest col
lection in the world OF early issues of
New South Wales. And H. H. Croker OF
san Francisco has an Incompatible col
lection Of the very rare Hawaiians.