New-York tribune., 1901-02-10
HAWAIIAN STAMPS BURNED.
THE ISLANDS POSTAL DEPARTMENT GOES
OUT OF BUSINESS

Washington Feb 9 (SpeciaD.-The Postal Depart
ment of the late republic OF Hawaii and all that
appertains thereto. far the United States
Government is concerned officially is a closed in
cident. The last vestge OF unfinished business
cleaned up at 10 O'Clock this morning. when
all the postage stamps hand at the time the
United States Government assumed control OF the
Hawaiian Islands were destroyed. The face value
OF the stamps destroyed amounted 20 $4,000 and
IT is said that even more than this amount IN
cash had been offered for these stamps by dealers
I'm New-York.
When the Hawaiian Islands were officially an
nexed the Postofice Department sent a man 10
Honolulu with instructions TO Introduce the Amer-
postal system IN the islands At this time all
postmasters I'm the Islands were instructed to in
voice all postage stamps on hand and submit re-
port to the postal officer. When the record had
been made stamps OF the United States were
sent 20 the postmasters and '-tter ordered
to forward the entire hOdir, pt Hawaiian stamps
20 the Postmaster-General Of the islands. who
turned them over TO the Treasurer. who in turn
forwarded them 10 the Postmaster General at
Washington.
They came in two large boxes. and have for sew
eral months been occupying storage room IN the
Redemption Division The stamps in sheets
of nifty. 20 sheets In a package the greater part
or the Invoice being yet in the original package
Honolulu by the American Bank Note
Company. Of New-York January "a was the date
fixed when redemption would cease. Previous to
this time Hawaiian stamps in the hands OF private
persons would he redeemed by the Postoffice De-
partment. current United States stamps being
given in their place. To George d. Scott who has
been chief Of the Redemption Division for nearly
thirty years. and his assistants the burning OF
$500 worth OF stamps was only an incident. Burn
ings OF this sort are OF weekly occurrence. To the
Unintiated. and more particularly several stamp
collectors who witnessed the destruction the affair
took on melancholy aspect that was a near ap-
pToach to tragedy.
The furnace IN which stamps burned was
pecialy built for this purpose 10 is similar IN
exterior outlines Ia the ordinary large sized fur
mace having an upper and lower door. The inside
Is bricked up. and at the top a is provided
tnat no unbUrned portions OF stamps may escape
through the Hue and thus Of doors The
stamps TO be burned are stripped OF their wrappers
ana thrown heterSkelter into the upper opening
When the entire Ot is ready for the bake the
match Is applied AT the lower door each door is
locked with a paddock and the flames do the rest
Formerly IL the custom TO burn stamps
slated for destruction In the fireplace in the Re
demptton Division. later they taken To the
bureau OF Engraving and Printing and run through
the macerator along with the mutilated currency
but the constantly increasing amount of this work
demanded netter facilities. and this furnace was
huilt SIX months or 50 ago. when the Department
came 10 destroy the newspaper periodical stamDs
made unnecessary nv order of the Department
three whole days were required To burn the stamps
the aggregate face value running into millions OF
dollars Fifteen minutes this morning sufficed 10
dispose OF the Hawaiian stamps.