Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-27

with the poor paper stock, poor ink
and fast presses, the contractor hav-
ing taken the job at a figure COMPEL
ing him to use a poor grade of paper
and push the presses to the limit. The
department finally condemned the
plates and ordered the bureau To de-
sign and engrave new die.
The First Die.
The first die. finally rejected, rep.
resented President Mckinley almost
full-faced, the photograph having
been selected by Mrs. Mckinley; this
photograph also being favorite with
the president while in life. The die
proof wasv very fine, the features com.
ing out clear and strong. Printed up
on steam presses. however, the design
became an indistinct blurred spot up.
on the corner of the card, the fine lines
filling up SO that one side of the fea-
lures could not be recognized.
Second Die Not Satisfactory.
| About April 1 the second die was
completed. This die was rejected at
once, even before electrotypes were
made. While free from the objections
raised against the first die, the second
| proof depicted the President as a man
mot more than forty-five years of age;
SO youthful that it did not at all por-
tray the President as he appeared dur
| ing his term of Office.
| Third Is Approved.
The bureau was instructed to pre-
pare another die, and this has Just
been approved. 1t represents the
President facing to the left and is a
profile, similar to that of Washington
upon the two cent stamp. The lines
of the engraving are not so close and
it is predicted the effect upon a card
will be fine. The portrait, while sat
isfactory, is really not all that could be
desired. There is an extraordinary
shagginess about the eyebrows, and a
turn to the lower lip which gives a
| hint of troubled or cross expression
that was not present in the original.
| The bureau experts say this cannot be
avoided under the process required to
produce dies for postal cards; that the
method of engraving is the reverse of
that required in making postage
stamps which is the particular special
ty or the bureau.
Also Contains Medallion.
| The new card has medallion at the
upper left corner precisely of the same
size as the oval containing the por-
trait of President Mckinley. This de
sign has the effect of giving the card
a balance" The medallion contains
a figure of an eagle with outstretched
wings and bearing in its claws a bun
die of arrows and an olive branch. AL
together the design is very attractive
and the card will be the finest ever
produced by this government.
connoisseurs Say Picture is Fine.
Connoisseurs in stamp matters say
4 that the new 13-cent stamp, the finish
ed drawing of which has been approx.
ed, will excel in artistic merit and con-
ception of design, any previaus stamp
produced by the bureau of engraving
and printing. A new series of postage
stamps is INDUCED in by the depart.
ment only about once in ten years
| that is, a permanent series, for unlim-
lited use-and, the present set having
1 been in use nearly twelve years. it has
been the ambition of Third Assistant
Postmaster General Madden to give
i the country a series superior to any
set of postage stamps ever produced
by any country. With this end ir
i view when the bureau was asked tc
I submit designs for the new series, q
4 special request was made that the new
set should incorporate the best ideas
and stand as an Illustration of the fin
est designing talent to be secured.
The New Stamp Superior Production
i Stamp experts assert that the draw
ing of the 13-cent stamp is superior
even, to the famous Columbian and
i Pan-American series.
1 The portrait Of General Harrison, Sc
lected by Mrs. Harrison, represents the
late ex-President at his best. He faces
Itwo-thirds front and there is kindly
4 depression of complete satisfaction
with just suspicion of a smile upor
his features. The portrait appears il
an oval, slightly smaller than that en-
closing Washington, in the current
itwo-cent stamp.
Description.
4 The border for the upper portion O.
the stamp consists of two females, who
seem to lean against the oval. The
one on the left represents Literature
holding in her hand a book Upon thu
right the figure typifies Art" holding
in her hands piece of sculpture. Jus
above. the heads of the figures, ant
forming the top of the border for tn,
design is an artistic panel. with scrolls
upon the ends, within which are tn,
!, words: United States of America,
and in very, small letters beneath, thu
words Series of 1902"
Immediately beneath the feet of th,
: females on either side are nearly
: square panels, containing the figure.
!, bold and clear, "13." Just below tn,
oval appears the word: Harrison,
land on either side running ohliduely