Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-12-25
From the Brooklyn Eagle.

office window for a postage stamp do
you realize the infinite care that the
Government has exercised to bring
that little square OF gummed paper
safely to your
The safeguards thrown about the
transportation OF postage stamps to
the local postoffico OF the country
seem entirely out OF proportion to the
value and Importance Of the stamps
themselves. But the loss OF single
stamp to an individual IL a triflng
matter compared TO what II would be
TO the two branches OF the Govern
ment which make and deliver the
stamps used daily throughout the
United States.
The loss Of single one OF the 40,-
u 000,O stamps shipped out Of Wash
z ington each day would mean that
there is a hole somewhere In tho sys-
tenn OF protection, The boast Is made
n that there are no holes; and a study
of the interesting and complicated
methods adopted to Insure the safe
transit OF stamps from the manufac-
turing plants In Washington to the
s stamp windows OF the various post
offices in the United States is almost
enough to convince one that the boast
Is not Idle,
A small consignment Of 5000, 900
postal saving stamps has just been
completed by the Bureau OF Engrav-
Ing and Printing, ready for the open
Ing OF the new postal savings banks
of the country Director Joseph h.
Ralph dismlsses this with a wave of
his hand II Is n mere trifle to print
100000 postal savings stamps in the
daily routine OF tho postal banks, ana
their sale Of 10c savings stamps, will
mean the printing of millions more
OF these stamps, and they win join
the postage and revenue stamps as
part OF the valuable merchandise
around which the strong system Of
protection must be maintained.
Perfection is no trlfle, but trifles
make perfection is tho motto In
stalled into the employees OF the
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing,
where the stamps are made; and II Is
the principle followed throughout the
entire organization that has to do
with handling Of the stamp packages
until they are inside the doors of the
individual postoffices OF the country.
The care that surrounds the trans
portation OF 1c stamp is as great as
Is that thrown about n $4,000 bin
II the value Of the stamp would not
Heem TO justify this, II must be con-
sidered that stamps are not consd-
cred by ones or twos or even by
hundreds, at the point where their
Journey begins, They are talked Of
In fifty thousands, hundred thousands
and millions.
The values OF the Bureau Of En-
craving and Printing contains today
an almost inconcelvable number OF
stamps-over 100000, 900. Billions
are figures OF speech TO many people,
but In the stamp rooms they are exact
facts Every ono of these stamps,
considered In sheets OF 100, has been
counted and recounted by nimble-
fingered girls. over 40,O00,000
stamps are delivered daily to the reg
istry office In Washington, in busy
seasons, for shipment throughout the
stamps shipped out this year viii
propbably exceed $4,000, 100000,
Two weeks ago the postolflco in
Baltimore was the scene OF an te-
tempted robbery which well illus
trates the value OF the safeguards
adopted by the departments lnstrust-
ed with the safc delivery OF stamps
TO the postmasters Of the Nation. An
open truck OF stamps was being
wheeled through the postofflce work
room. Suddenly n man rushed to-
ward IT, grabbed ono Of the packages
and would have made n successful
escape had not alert employees been
close on his heels
There are no open trucks for the
valuable little postage stamp In those
stages OF its journey that reach from
the printing press through the regis
try service and out to the city and
country postofflces, AT no stage OF
that journey are the stamps whether
they be In 100 or 1000 lots, out from
under tho strongest kind Of super
vision and the most absolute OF safe
guards.
II IL system that takes every
thing into account, and provides for
every emergency, For instance, VI
was found number of years ago that
although strips might be put around.
n package OF the 100-stamp sheets so
that II was offectually sealed, Il
could stil be tampcred with, and a.
sheet sometimes abstracted. This
might be done IN the postofflco, whore
the package was received, and the
claim then made 10 the Bureau Of
Engraving that the package had
been short In count, when It was re-
eeiyod
SO tho idea was conceived OF put
ting n staple through the margins Of
every sheet Of stamps sont out by the
Bureau Of Engraving, tho staple go-
ing through the outside TO remove a.
sheet from one Of the scaled packages
without leaving a stub TO show that
fraud has been practcod.
The staple has worked so well that
no stamp leaves the place OF manu-
faoturo without II, orders oftonI
come In for one 81 stamp but Instead
OF sending Il out loose In larger
pntkage or IN loose envelope, the
single stamp IL tucked into the cor
nor of mn enVaiopo and n staple driv-