Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-12-25
Making Postage Stamps
Carefully Looked After
Uncle Sam Throws All Manners Of Safeguards About the
Stamp-Loss of One 2Cent Stamp Would
Cause Shakeup Among Employees.

paper zeal Is put on nv " this staple,
and the girl who does the work puts
her Initials on this top seal These
packs nre then assembled IN bundles
containing $4,000 stamps, and the
entire package wrapped and sealed
for the registered mail,
These safety devices arc all that
the Bureau Of Engraving can provide,
Up to the minute the package leaves
the cage of tho ahipplng division, Di-
rector Joseph Il. Ralph win make
oath that II contains exactly the num-
ber Of stamps It is supposed to con-
tain, Even after these packages are
opened in the local postoffice the al
rector of the Bureau Of Engraving
will vouch for the number of stamps,
and is responsible for any shortage
A package was returned at one
time with the statement that II had
arrived short ten sheets, each sheet
containing 100 stamps. The claim
seemed reasonable at first, until II
was observed that the broken seals
OF the package, when brought to-
gether overlapped; whereas they ex-
actly Joined over package that con-
tained the fun number of sheets
When this fact was made clear the
claim for shortage was not pressed. ,
Claims came in at one time from
several sections Of the country that
OF the Bureau Of Engraving worked
on the case for some time, and II was
finally discovered that one Of the
workmen engaged In putting up the
packages of stamps was practiclng
the clever dodge Of reaching into
each package and tearing off part
of a sheet. Now the packages are
counted at the corners after they are
put up,
The protection that surrounds the
printing, bumming, perforating and
counting OF the stamps, and their
preparation for shipment are of a
different character from those
thrown about them after they start
on their Journeys, long or short, to
the retail counters OF the city and
country postoffices. The protective
systems in the Bureau of Engraving
have been built up by long expert
ence, and are almost infallible -Four
times a day the stamp rooms are
balanced up" and the balance must
be true or the roomful of girls Is
held until the error is detected.
But after the stamps have been
counted into bundles sealed and pre-
pared for shipment 10 the local post
office, the men who are responsible
for them must trust TO other agen-
cies than their own supervision and
care. The eyes OF the Government
stlll follow the stamp, but II is
through methods OF safety adapted TO
the protection OF great values rather
than OF small individual items. The
single stamps have become parts Of
shipments OF greater value and Inn
portance,
Single shipments OF stamps for the
New York postoffice run TO 10000
600 stamps, or even more. The ship
ments going through the Washing
ton Registry office one day, when
RlpNVklhlHb vi Nllt hNAuAl OBNidAlp
were taken, embraced consignments
of stamps valued at over $1,000, 600,
for the postoffice at ST. Louis and
Cincinnati. The bulk of these ship
monts consist Of packages containing
100000 stamps and at no stage OF the
journey, from the time these stamp
bundles leave the vaults OF tho Blu
reau of Engraving until they arrive
at destination, are they exposed TO
danger OF loss or theft.
The trucks in which the stamp
bundles are handled are large wooden
cases mounted on wheels and stand
ing about five feet high. These
trucks are rolled into the cage at the
Bureau OF Engraving, where an or
der from somo postmaster In dis
trict has been prepared for shipment.
The countless checks and recounts
have made tho contents Of the sealed
packages accurate beyond the ques-
tiOn OF doubt.
Tho packages are thrown into the
tops Of the box-like trucks, each be-
ing checked off on list as II goes
In. When tho truck Is full, tho man
who has supervised the loading closes
tho top and puts lock upon II, the
key to which is held In tho registry
division OF the postofflce, or in his
own pocket The truck Is wheeled
out OF cage, across little platform
and itno a big Gagged wagon, where
guards stand by as II is rolled into
position. Four of these locked trucks
can be placed in the wagon at one
time.
Two men step inside the wagon
when the loading ls finished, and the
doors of the cage are locked upon
them and the load stamps, Two other
guards mount the rear OF the wagon,
and the representative OF the Bureau
OF Engraving, who Is to deliver the
load personally TO tho superintendent
OF tho registry division, takes seat In
front with the driver. few min
utes later the wagon brings up at
the receiving platform OF tho post
office where the wagon cage is un-
locked and the wheeled boxes rolled
out
Here again every possible safe
guard has been erected 10 protect the
stamps from loss or theft. The
Washington registry office, because
OF the valuable Government property
going through II each day. is prob
ably tho best protected registry office
IN the country. Under the eye Of the
reprosentatlve OF the Bureau OF En-