Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-17
TO CHECK STAMP THEFT6S
The Post Once Authorities Arc Con,s
sidertua n Nesx plan

Thc fost ofnce Authorities Are Con-
sidcrtDs New Plan.
inspectors are anxious to have the
post office department adopt series Of
marks for stamps which will make ft
possible to trace stolen stamps with
less trouble. Department officials are
considering suggestions offered by
some of the oxpertglced inspectors.
1t would be possible to mark aiI,the
stamps sent to each first class DOT
Office in such q manner that they
could be Identified with ease. A slight
variation in the engraving which would
not alter the appearance Of stamps to
the casual observer could easily be-
made. One inspector has suggested
that darts, arrows, stars, circles and
other emblems be printed on the
stamps In such manner that they may
be seen only with the aid Of a micro
scope.
A separate mark could not be devised
for each Of the 5000 post Offices In the
United STAGES, and no attempt would
be made at any such complex gystem
of identification. 1t is not likely that
post offices below the first class will be
given an individual mark, as the nun
Der of stamps kept at the smaller Of
fees IS comparatively small and the
losses from such Offices Is not grea,
enough to justify the expense entailed
in providing them w;th stamps differ
ent from those used at other Offices.
It has been suggested that all tha
stamps for second class post offices ba
| provided with mark which VIII
designate the class of post Office from
which they were issued and'ttat a simt
liar mark be devised for al1+thei stamps
sent to the smaller Offices. This sys2
| tenn would narrow the scope of the in.
| spectors' work and might be adopted
at small expense.
One official Is Of the opinion that tho
best way TO mark stamps would be to
| print visible bars across the face of all
stamps excepting those issued to first
| class Offices He would have two bars
| across the stamps sent to second class
Offices, three bars on the third class
office stamps and four bars TO designate
| the stamps issued by the fourth class
Offices. This plan would probably meet
with much opposition, as it would mar
the artistic appearance OF the engrav-
ing
If the plan for the Identification OF
stamps had been adopted last year the
theft of $4,000 worth of stamps from
the Chicago post office would probably
not have occurred. No thief could dis
pose of such a large number OF stamps
so we'll marked that they could be iden-
tilted as coming from the Chicago post
Office. Until this time inspectors have
not found any of the stamps taken
from the Chicago office, and they be-
lieve the stamps are still held by
thieves. Among the property was $7oC
worth OF special delivery stamps. All
the two cent stamps taken were Of the
type in nse last year. If they have not
been disposed of before this time it is
not likely they will ever be sold, as 4
large quantity of the old fashioned
stamps in one part of the country would
Immediately arouse suspicion.
The governments loss in stolen
stamps is small considering the great
volume of business done by the post
Office department. Aside from the Chi
cago loss, the stamps stolen during the
fiscal year ending June 80 1902,
amounted to only $4,000. The report
for the past fiscal year has not yet been
compiled shington Times.