Milford chronicle., 1903-08-28
TO CHECK STAMP THEFTs.
The Post once Authorities Are Com
sidering n New Plan.

The Post once Authorities Are Con- |
sidering n New Plan.
Inspectors are anxious to have the |
post office department adopt a series Of
marks for stamps which will make it
possible to trace stolen stamps with
less trouble. Department officials are
considering suggestions offered by
some Of the experienced inspectors.
1t would be possible to mark all the
stamps sent to each first class post
office in such 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 ana
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 10000 post offices in the
I United States, and no attempt would
be made at any such complex system
/ of Identification. 1t is not likely that
post offices below the first class will be
given an individual mark, as the num-
Der of stamps kept at the smaller Of
fees is comparatively small and the
losses from such offices is not great
enough to justify the expense entailed
in providing them with stamps differ
ent from those used at other offices.
1t has been suggested that all the
stamps for second class post offices be
provided with mark which will
designate the class of post office tr'm
which they were issued and that sim
liar mark be devised for all the stamps
sent to the smaller offices. This sys-
TEN would narrow the scope of the In
spectors work and might be adopted
at small expense.
One official is of the opinion that the
, best way to mark stamps would be L
/, print visible bars across the face OF al
stamps excepting those issued to trs
class offices. He would have two bar
across the stamps sent to second clas
offices. three bars on the third clas
; office stamps and four bars to designate
the stamps issued by the fourth clas
/ offices. This plan would probably NEE
d with much opposition, as it would ma
the artistic appearance Of the engraV
= ing.
0 If the plan for the Identification O
stamps had been adopted last year III
theft of $4,000 worth of stamps troI
3 -, r,,;oe,ro most ofica would DrObabl
y not have occurred. No thief could ul'
nose of such a large number of STAMP
i so well marked that they could be ldei
a tilted as coming from the Chicago po'
e, office Until this time inspectors nav
not found any of the stamps take
h from the Chicago office, and they D
T lieve the 9amIss are still held 1
j. thieves. Among the property was 81
worth of special delivery stamps. A
ip the two cent stamps taken were OF u
It. +vne in use last year. If they have n
IN been disposed of before this time II
1y not likely they will ever be sold as
large quantity of the old tasllon'
stamps in one part of the country Wou
p) Immediately arouse suspicion.
The governments loss in stoi
of stamps is small considering the gre
in volume of business done by the pc
oaica department. Aside from tie Cl
he caro loss. the stamps stolen during |
ry fiscal year ending June 80 I9'
n amounted to only $4,000. The rep'
for the past fiscal year has not yet be
at d.-Washington Times.