The Colorado statesman., 1912-09-28


ures the results of the manufacturing
business.
Furthermore, that business is car
ried on right here in the national
capital; is, in fact, one of its recog-
niZed establishments. 1t is only when
the above figures are given that the
bureau of engraving and printing Is
lost sight of and great temple of
wealth is brought to mind. But even
then 1t must be remembered that
those figures, appalling as they ap-
pear, represent only the cost of manu-
facture and face value of the postage
stamps printed by the government,
beside which are the revenue and Gus
toms stamps.
Reports of the bureau Of engraving
and printing, when taken as a manu-
factory, show some astonishing fig
ures. Take, for instance, the single
items of postage stamps; that is, with
out the revenue and customs, which,
by the bureaus own classification fall
under a separate head There are 81
kinds and denominations printed, rang
ing from the humble little green 1
cent stamp up to its stately, aristo-
cratic brother. which staggers under
the weight of a So valuation. Also 15
colors are used in printing the stamps
A pause here for reflection will prob
ably convince the most observant per-
son that he Is unfamiliar with several
OF these colors; that is, Of course, in
connection with stamps. We all know
hA
to be able to call to mind just what
those Is colors are means a wide OBJ
servation as we'll as a careful one For
the benefit OF those who fail to solve
this self appointed riddle the answer
is this: Four shades of blue, two OF
green and two of brown, red, yellow,
olive, orange, purple, lavender and
dark slate.
The stamps which leave the bureau
annually amount to more than s10.-
100000, the latest yearly report show
ing the number to be 10,003, ,265,14S
That brings the daily output down to
33.334, 900 odd. Taking the yearly to-
tai In connection with the latest CEN
sus report for the entire United
States, 1t is seen that each year every
man, woman and child in the country
uses approximately 110 stamps. The
paper on which the stamps are print
ed comes to the bureau direct from
the manufacturers in sheets nine and
one-fourth by ten and three-eighths
Inches, that being the required size
for printing 100 stamps. More than
96,500,000 sheets are used In a year,
while the daily consumption is about
$4,000.
The figures regarding the cost of
production are also interesting. The
total cost of production, as before
mentioned, is $511, 900. OF that amount
the greater portion is paid out in sal
aries to the GOO employees necessary
in the manufacture of the stamps.
The remainder is expended for paper,
ink, gum and plates. The cost of the
paper annually is $4,000 The amount
used daily amounts to about $167. This
paper for one year weighs 45O odd
tons, while ton and a half is used
every day. Both the ink and gum used.
the former In printing and the latter
on the back of the stamps, are made
at the bureau. The ink, purchased in
Its dry form, weighs more than 200
tons-enough for one year-while al
most three-fourths of a ton is used
daily. The cost of the dry ink is
$3S,500 year or SIPS every day. The
gum, purchased in the same form, is
secured In equally large quantities..
the amount sufficient for year weigh
ing 315 tons, with the daily consump-
tion amounting to one ton. The cost
of this, however, is less than the ink,
as the yearly supply costs $4,000; the
daily, $50
Working for Women.