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Show POSTMASTER'S COLUMN Tlie month of March brings to mind the fact that it was just 110 years ago this month that Congress Con-gress enacted the law authorizing the issuance of adhesive stamps. This represented one of the most important single improvements in the history of the postal service ser-vice in America. Prior to that time letters accepted ac-cepted by postmasters for dis patch were marked "Paid" or "Due" by means of pen and ink: or hand stamps of various designs. de-signs. To facilitate the handling of mail matter, many postmaster. j provided special stamps or devices de-vices for use on letters as evidence evi-dence of prepayment of postage. These stamps of local origin were? known a3 "Postmaster's stamps" or "Provisionals." Certain . "Provisionals" r.re highly valued today and In many cases are collectors items. -Amy R. Snow, Acting Postmaster |