Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-30
ENGRAVING BUREAU is
WORKING NEW STAMP SERIES


ing has received instructions from the
postoffice department to prepare de-
signs for an entire new series of post
age stamps,
The question of new series was
discussed in the autumn after the
death of President Mckinley, and the
impression prevailed then that when
the new set was ordered the portrait
of President Mckinley would adorn
one of the denominations. Undoubt-
eddy that was the plan then, but the
department decided to place the por-
trait of the late president upon a new
postal card of special design. and this
removed him. in sense. from the list
of eHgibles.
y new face will appear upon one of
the stamps-that of the late Presi-
dent Harrison. In order that there
might be a place for his portrait
new denomination was created-a 49,
cent stamp.
There will be practically no demand
for a stamp of this value for domestic
use, but for foreign use there is
place for il. Thirteen cents is the
weighing not more than one-half
ounce to any country within the post
al union. Heretofore it has been nee
essary to use Il ! and an Scent stamp.
Mrs. benjamin Harrison has been re-
quested TO furnish the department n
photograph or portrait of Gen. Har
rison which meets her approval. for
the purposes proposed.
Aside from the Introduction of
Gen. Harrison's face into the postal
gallery of notables, only one other
change will be made in the series.
Commodore Perry, whose face has
adorned the 9O-cent stamp from 1870
down To 1894 and the one-dollar stamp
from 1894 to the present date. will be
superseded upon the one-dollar de-
nomination by another famous sea-
fighter. Admiral Farragut. Commo-
dore Perry disappears permanently.
As at present constituted. the full
set is as follows: One-cent, green,
face of Franklin; 2-cent, carmine,
face of Washington: Scent. purple,
face of Jackson; 4-Cent. dark brown,
face of Lincoln; scent. chocolate,
face of Grant; 6-cent, red-brown. face
Sherman; IO-cent. light brown. face of
Webster; 15-cent, dark blue. face of
Clay: 5O-cent. orange, face of ,IefTer-
son: one-dollar. black. face of Perry;
two-dollar. sapphire, face of Madi- |
son; five dollar. dark green, face of
Marshall.
The present series of postage
stamps has been in continuous use
for just twelve years. which is much
longer than the life of the ordinary
series. There have been some
changes since 1890. such as the sub !
stitutiop of the 5O-cent for the 30
cent, the one-dollar for the 9O-cent, |
the addition of the fwo-dollar and |
the five dollar values Ind some slight I
changes of interest To stamp collec |
tors. but the size. designs and colors !
of most of the stamps are the same |
rs in 1890.
True. there have been the Column |
bian, trans-Mississippi and the Pan
American series, but these were com |
memorative and i'm use only during Il |
limited period. These regular series |
stamps were always ON sale in con
nection with the special stamps.
The postoffice department has re-
quested the bureau to take special |
pains to make the new series partic-
ularly attractive and distinctive. 1t |
is suggested that the Pan-American |
stamps were extremely satisfactory |
from an artistic standpoint, and the |
hope is expressed that the new set |
may be equally fine specimens of
American handiwork
. j. baf .Nar.Ntbinn in
connection with the series shall be
new. New designs for borders will be
drawn, new shades of color employed.
and the new stamps may even be of
different size and shape. The postof-
flee department has requested the bu-
reau to secure if possible new por-
traits and better ones if obtainable.
1t may have escaped public notice,
but the faces of Franklin, Washing
ton and jackson ON the l. > and )
cent stamps are side views, as are
also Jefferson and Perry ON the so
cent and 81. 1t is the desire of the
department that new portraits for
these values at least. showing the
subjects facing three-quarters or
seven-eighths full shall be substitute
ed
II is proposed that above the face
the words ''series 1902" shall appear
in small type and below the name of
the subject with the date of birth
and death.
The Decent special delivery stamp
will be slightly changed in design and
the color will be orange instead of
blue.
Since 1861 but two presidents have
not been honored by placing their
portraits upon postage stamp
johnson and -Arthur-Cleveland, still
living. not being eligible.
In the first entire series i'm 1851
appeared upon all the
save two-Franklin ON