The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-01-17

1919. special three-cent stamp was
issued to commemorate the successful
outcome Of the World war. It de-
picted figure Of Liberty victorious
against background of the flags OF
the United States, England, France.
Italy and Belgium.
In 1920 the Pilgrim Tercentenary
was celebrated with three stamps IL
Illustrated by the Mayflower, the land
ing Of the Pilgrims and the signing of
the Mayfower Compact aboard that
historic ship. The coming Of the
Ruguenot- Walloons to America was
celebrated in tercentenary series in
1924 and the arrival Of the first Inn
migrants to the United States from
Norway in 1895 was also the inspira-
ton for another series, known as the
Norse-American series.
During the past five years the one
hundred and fftieth anniversary Of
many Of the stirring deeds of the Rev
olutionary war has given the i'm
petus to large number Of patriotic
issues. The first of these came out
in 1925 with the issue Of the three
Lexington Concord stamps. Then came
the Sesquicentennial stamps with the
Bell Of Liberty in 1926, closely fol-
lowed by the White Plains Battle
stamp In the same year, the Green
Mountain Boys Of Vermont and the
Burgoyne Surrender in 1927, Wash
ington at Valley Forge, and Molly
Pitcher in 1928 and the George Rog-
Aers Clark and the General Sullivan
stamps in 1929.
During 1880 other events Of the
Revolution probably will be commem-
Grated and a movement. has already
been started for special series to
celebrate the tercentenary of the
Massachusetts Bay colony founding.
Two special stamps, honoring great
Americans. have appeared in the last
three years. In 1927 Lindbergh's epic
flight across the Atlantic was hon
ored in a special air-mail stamp and
during the past year Thomas Edison
was honored with stamp commem-
Grating the fiftieth anniversary of the
Invention Of the incandescent lamp. In
connection with the latter two, many
persons wondered why portraits OF
Lindbergh and Edison did not appear
on the stamps which bore the mes
sage of their fame. The reason was
that the law of the land prohibits the
use of the portrait of living Amer
lean on the postage stamps Of our
country. (And for similar reason
this article is not illustrated with re-
productions of any American stamp.
1t is 'agin the law to illustrate
United States stamps, the same as
United States currency or coinsD So
the Lindbergh stamp showed his IA
nous plane, the Spirit of St. Louis,
and the Edison Light Golden Jubilee
stamp showed a picture Of the first
incandescent light.
Another interesting fact about the
Lindbergh stamp is that 100000
Of this issue were printed. Virtually
all OF them have been bought up, CIV
ing Uncle Sam net profit Of $1,000
600, post office officials estimate.
Since only few Of the stamps have
been used, the officials estimate that
at least 100000 Of them will be re-
tanned as souvenirs. The fact. that
these stamps contain an error will ]
make them more valuable in later
years, it is predicted. The error is
that Newfoundland is shown as sew
eral islands instead of a large piece
Of land fringed with indentations
About 10.000,000,000 postage stamps
are printed for our Post Office de-
partment each year by the bureau of
engraving and printing at Washing
ton. Dies are made and stamps are
printed in sheets of 400 each. After
being printed and dried the sheets
are taken to the cumming machines.
Each machine is surmounted by a
tank from which a carefully regulated
stream of special gum is fed into a !
pan, at one end of which it comes
into contact with an adjustable. re
volying roller. After being gummed
the sheets pass into tunnel where
the temperature is kept at 100 de-
grees. This tunnel is 70 feet long and |
the stamps take minute and a hall
to traverse 1t.
Although the postage stamp Is Q
comparatively recent innovation in |
usage by mankind. the idea Of a postal |
service conducted by the government
for the carrying and distributing o:
the written messages between its PEG |
pie goes back to ancient times. The
first postal systems were in Baby
lonia, Egypt and China. but they were
little more than mere courier services
to keep the kings and emperors and
govern ent officials In communication
with + subordinates, |