The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-05-01
CANcELING POSTAGE STAMPS.
An IndelibQe Fluid Produced by the
BureAA of Chemistry Answers
the Requirements.

Ink used in the cancellation of
stamps has been causing Uncle sam
considerable trouble, difficulty having
been experienced for years i'll obtain
ing a good quality of indelible fluid,
but the bureau of chemistry, agrlcul-
tural department, when called upon
in the emergency, came to the rescue
few days ago, and the post office
department will soon issue an order
containing new requirements de-
manded in stamping ink, reports the
Washington Post.
Upon the durability of paper de-
ponds the stability of the govern
ment. All laws, unlike in the an
cient days of Egyptian papyrus and
the man with the clay plinth, must
be inscribed upon some sort of paper,
and if the paper is of poor quality,
and written upon in ink which fades
rapidly, there is great danger that a
comparatively short space of time
would witness the loss of the nation
statues.
Great strides have been made in
the art of paper making since the
early days of the republic, when JEFF
ferson framed the constitution. and
Jefferson is not to be held RESPONSE
BILE for the fact that now, after the
lapse of but slightly more than lOl
years, the great charter of the Amer
lean people is almost entirely lllegi'
BILE
The necessity for durable paper
and indelible ink is pressing and none
Is more interested in the perfection
of the two arts than the government
of the United States.
The first 'intimation that the paper
used by the government was not al
it should be and that the inks were
apt to fade away and leave blank
space where an important document
should be came from the state de.
partment about seven years ago
when the introduction of the type.
writer into the official bureaus raised
an important question.
1t was thought by the state depart.
ment that papers written on the
typewriter would not be preservable
as it was not believed typewriter rib.
bon-inll was lasting.
While the department hesitated to
indorse the writing machine on
grounds based upon this reason, il
was deemed essential that something
definite about the matter should be
learned, and as early as 1896 the bu-
reau of chemistry was requested to
make q test of certain ribbons sub
mitted. The examinations were con
Quoted and report made to the Sec
rotary of state.
Ribbons containing pure carbon
were found to be good. Writing made
from them, the bureau stated, would
not fade, and the department of state
then sanctioned the use of the type
writer for the writing of important
state papers, which must be kept al
ways in the permanent records Other
ribbons which wrote clear ''copy''
were found to contain no carbon.
These were made largely from coal
tar dyes, and writing produced from
them, it was demonstrated, would
not wear well. An ordinary carbon
copy is almost absolutely perma-
nent.
These experiments were valuable
and other branches of the govern,
ment followed the example of the
state department. The bureau of
chemistry made experiments with
inks for the treasury department
the bureau of engraving and printing,
the interior department, and the ag-
ricultural department.
The patent office conducted it's own
tests and discovered permanent ink.
1t is now required by the office that
all specifications shall be presented
to the office written in permanent
inks.