Willmar tribune., 1909-01-13

with the utmost care, and the admir-
able results are shown on the stamps
which are now being printed for issue.
Fortunately, the original Houdon bust
of Washington is, and has been for
many years, in the possession of the
bureau of engraving at Washington.
where the stamps are printed-the
manner of the acquisition of this valu-
able relic being in itself an interesting
story. But, to begin at the beginning.
it should be remembered that Benja-
min Franklin, when he returned to
this country from abroad, brought with
him the famous French sculptor Hou-
don in order that the latter might Sc
cure with his own hands a cast in
plaster of the head of the living Wash
ington. This was duly accomplished
and replica of the cast in bronze was
deposited at Richmond, where it has
since remained.
Up to about a dozen years ago all
cur postage stamps were printed by
bank note company under contract.
The government saves about $4,000
a year by doing the work for itself.
How gigantic is the task involved may
be judged from the fact that during
the last fiscal year there were deliv-
cred to postmasters 4,655, ,O34 ,22O
stamps of the two-cent denomination.
OF one-cent stamps during the same
period 2,646, SIG, ,O6O were issued. There
were printed in the twelvemonth 68,-
800 one-dollar stamps, 1855 two-dollar
stamps and 73O five-dollar stamps.
1t is not possible for the human
mind to grasp the figures so enormous
as those above quoted. But it may
help if one considers that a two-cent
stamp is exactly oneinch long, and
that, If all those issued of this denom'
ination during the year were placed
end to end the string of them would
enciccle the earth at the equator more
than nine times. If the entire output
of stamps for the twelvemonth were
stacked in pile in sheets of 100 it
would reach to height of about two
fifths of a mile.
The stamps are printed on small
presses, each Of which turns out 1000
a minute or about 100000 an hour.
They are gummed by passing them on
endless chains through machines
which first coat them with the gum
mixture and then carry the sheets
through boxes 80 feet in length which
inclcse steam pipes. They come out
of the other end perfectly dry and
next receive the perforations, the con-
trivance employed for this purpose be-
ling an arrangement OF many small
toothed wheels strung on a single
axle.
The sheets are delivered by each
fgumming machine at the rate OF IL q
minute In the middle of each per-
forating machine is knife which
cuts the sheet in two, so that the sheet
of 400 stamps comes out in two sheets
of 200 each. These are divided into
four sheets of 100 each by second
machine with toothed wheels, which
makes the cross perforations. After
being pressed to remove the "burrs
5 around the perforation holes (Which
would otherwise increase the thickness
of the packages), the sheets are put
up in parcels ready for delivery te
postmasters in response to requisi
tions by the post office department.
:, Of stamp books alone Containing II
:, ,, 20 OF 4S stamps) over 20,000,G0O
:, year are manufactured and issued, thu
time of so women being occupied il
> turning them out. So thoroughly sys
;. tematized is this branch of the worl
that skilled hand can make ZOO
books, each holding IL stamps, in al
hour. From first to last, every stam]
is counted 40 times before being is
sued, the precautions taken being sucl
i that it is hardly possible for a single
one to be lost or stolen-though re
Gently the theft of few, abstractet
in the packing room, was traced to tn.
guilty party.