Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-18

tHIt posi- chiuS. An equally happy 49,
sometimes more so--arc the scndcrs.
| For have not these plces of card
hoard proved boon 10 hich ana poor
Ialikc, and saved Il host OF trouble all
lmound?
An idea of the established place
th"y now occupy i'm the routine of life
may he had from tile fact that last
lsumniSr at one favorite resort 100
600 of these cards were sold in Il
isinslc day and that in Germany mil.
lions OF marks as spent monthly in
their purchase. In that country ne
bulk of correspondence Is now trans
acted by letter
That these cards appeal to the
world in general and seem To ill 1t
long felt want is cvlnced from the
ever increasing demand for them 1t
- said that even some scmi-barbarlc
lnatiops tolerate them.
DcVOtcs can find them in the most
remote portions of the globe-even
in the regions of the clouds. This may
seem startling. ana it is not due to
thcir having grown wings and llown
heavcnwArd, hut their having been
placed in mountain hotels by enter
prising proprietors who have Dccn
quick To recognize that neat profit
can he had from their sale To tourists.
who regard them in the category Of
modern convcnionccs.
Recently an amusing incident took
place in connection with these cards.
An enthusiastic party had success
fully climbed TO the summit of Pixies
Peak. they had but Il few moments
to remain, in order TO start tho de-
scent before dark. Instead of Selling
the opportunity to view the marvels
of the surrounding scenery each one
rushed frantically into small hotel
situated there. commenced writing
post cards To their friends ut Ia
rous rate and after anixing the adj
dresses to the reverse sides felt that
stern duty had been satated. The oc-
currence seems the more laughnbloI
as the cards mad TO be mailed at the
base OF the mountain.
a souvenir card from Elberneld
Germany. cXcitos the kcencst interest.
II is picture Of the "Schwebcbahn."
or literally. floating road" the only
one in the world. II is new marvel
Of mechanical skill. An iron structure
like trcstlc IS built midway over
and winds in the same direction mot
ncross) MS the stream of water which
flows boneath The supports are FAST
cned ON the banks OF the stream and
slant upward and toward the center.
The passenger cars, which look like
ordinary stree, cars. minus wheels.
)arc suspended from and carried along
underueat hthc trcstlc. This unique
continuance does not in any way inter
ferc with the thoroughfares.
Thus the little post card accomplish
es much toward education, besides
bringing Its message of love ana greet
ing.
\ glance over sample book OF
post cards reveals many other uses
TO Which they are put. Pictures of
pretty girls in bathing costume of
luctresses and many combinations of
innocent naughtiness and what not
Il seems the vast possibilities TO which
pest cards are eligible are llmitiess.
When inspecting collections and
stocks of them. it looks as though in
post cards. at least. there is nothing
new under the sun, yet the ingenious
manufacturers put forth new Ideas
continually
Perhaps it is interesting to know
something Of their origin. The quos-
ton of just who originated them is
Il matter of dispute. But meagre m
formation can he obtained on the sub
iect 1t is said that Nj. Leon l3ensar
deauX. bookseller and stationer. coil
ceived the idea IN 1870, during tie
Franco Prussian war.
There were forty thousand soldiers
in camp in his vicinity. The supply
OF envelopes was limited at the time.
being difficult to obtain. and this wide
awake stationer thought that the men
VI, ut,nrArfnfn nf intTlnp
their friends know of their environ
ment and life nthe camp without the
necessity OF writing long letters aud
the consequent hustle for envelopes.
He tried the experiment of having
caro-; engraved with cannon, tcats
and the various things which might
prove Of interest to far away relatives
land sweethearts. The soldiers prompt
~ took them up. The first supply was
soon exhausted and he issued a second
lsct. However, when the camp broke
iup the issuance of cards was discon-
tinued and forgotten at the time.
Some years later it was taken up
lby Germany and Austria. but attracted
little attention ut first One story
goes that the German was the first In
print an object of interest on card
with cordial greeting thereon and
send It through the mails, paying regi-
lar letter rates Some say the industry
developed from this simple beginning
Anyway it was not the Fertile brain of
a Yankee this time who devised the
real picture post card.
Gradually they came into use in
America They were not so readily
used here, except by proprietors in
town and pleasure resorts who rccog
nized in them advantages for adver-
Using purposes. But they finally be
came popular everywhere, as is well
known. Private mailing cards in the
United States was authorized by act
lof Congress. Nav 10. 1898. a penny