Evening star., 1934-03-24


ut. MARYS CITY, first capital
of Maryland, yesterday expert
enced a taste of fame such as
~ it had not known since 1884
when the seat of the Colonial
government was removed to Annapo-
lis. For a brief span of hours the
relics of what once was the only town
IN the Calvert domain again enjoyed
the spotlight. The occasion was the
first day sale of the Maryland Ter
centenary commemorative stamp, au-
thorized by President Roosevelt and
approved by Postmaster General Far
ley.
The ordinary post Office of the viii
lage was abandoned temporarily as too
small to accommodate the expected
crowds of philatelists and stamp
dealers, and Mrs. Ethel Goddard, post
mistress, moved down the road to the
music hall of the st. Marys Female
Seminary, lent for the purpose by
Miss M. Adele France. principal.
There she had the expert guidance
and assistance of Robert E. Fellers,
superintendent, division of stamps,
Post Office Department, in charge of
a staff of clerks from the Philatelic
Agency and the Washington City Post
Office, all trained for the emergen-
cies of first-day events.
Eilenberger Represents Farley.
With Fellers was Third Assistant
Postmaster General Clinton B. Ellen
berger, who had supervisory direction
of arrangements and represented Far
ley personally.
The first customer to arrive at the
temporary post Office doors was Harry
Katz, Baltimore letter carrier. He
waited in the chilling landward breeze
from $50 until 8 o'clock, when, as
scheduled, the sale began. But the
initial purchase actually was made by
Eilenberger He bought from Mrs
Goddard complete sheet of the COM
memorativeS to be sent to President
Roosevelt.
At BIS Miss France appeared with
the Seminary faculty and student
body, too excited for breakfast. The
girls seized the opportunity to ad-
dress souvenir greetings to relatives
and friends, and joined in good hu-
mored competition with scores of vet
eran stamp enthusiasts for places
around desks and tables and opportu-
nifty to use limited number of pens.
Special Die Provided.
Meanwhile Charles F. Anderson, ex-
pert mechanician detailed to st.
Marys City by the Post Office De-
partment, was operating an electric
cancelling machine equipped with a
special die. He had as helpers in the
task Herbert Borchardt, John j. VAN
derschaf, Maurice B. Feimster. John
E. O'Brien and Herman G.. Lunsford
of the Washington Post Office mailing
room staff. BY 9 o'clock it was esti-
mated that 10000 envelopes and
cards had been received, and Fellers
ventured the opinion that at least
again as many still would come to
hand.
Among those to whom covers we're
sent were: King George v, President
Roosevelt, former President Hoover,
Gov Ritchie, Senator Tydings, Sena-
tor Goldsborough, Representative Ste
phen Gambrill. Right Rev. James E.
Freeman, Bishop of Washington;
Right Rev. Edward T. Helfenstein,
Bishop of Maryland; presidents of uni
versities and colleges, C. C. c. camp
stamp clubs, veterans hospitals, phila-
telic editors of American and Euro
pean newspapers and ambassadors and
ministers of long list of foreign
nations.
Eidsness Leads Enthusiasts.
Michael L. Eidsness. jr., father of
the Philatelic Agency and its di-
rector for u years, now associate
editor of Stamps Magazine, New
York, led delegation from the phila-
telic press. Clyde De Binder repre-
sented the Washington Philatelic
Society. Albert F. Kunze and David
H. Davenport the Washington Stamp
Club of the Air and Mr.. and Mrs.
Frederick R. Rice the Washington
Collectors Club.
included Rev. E. Nelson MacConomy,
Rev. j. M. B. woodward, j. Fenner
Lee Of Leonardtown and Henry Fow-
Ter of Mechanicsville.
1t is probable that the Maryland
issue will be the last to go on first
day sale outside Washington. In the
future, it has been indicated, all
stamps will have initial distribution
in the Nations Capital. Secondary
sales may be arranged for special
towns and cities as a concession to
local PRIDE" but the Post Office De-
partment officials are said to believe
that commemorative stamp Is a ma
tional and not a neighborhood affair
n.,d thaxa4ox.o slaa1ld ho ecld A,-ct