Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1907 — THE POSTAL CARD CRAZE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE POSTAL CARD CRAZE.

What Waa Originally a Fad Has Become a Great Baaineas. Three years ago souvenir or picture postal cards were on sale in about 109 stores or shops in the United States. To-day they may be had in 89,000 different places. What was originally a fad has become a great business. The picture postal card flourished for years on the continent. Every small town or inn had a pretty souvenir of this kind, while, in the big cities, every place of interest was reproduced on a postal.

Then the idea struck the United States. The eastern cities took it up.. Now it has spread to almost every village. Soincidea of the extent of the business may be gained when it is stated that a man who has a booth at a seaside resort near New York sells $45 worth of postal cards a day. It is estimated that as much as $200,000 a day is spent for picture postal cards in the United Slates. _ = bo large 4s the number of picture postal cards passing through the mails every day that special regulations have been adopted for them. It was only recently that permission was given to write a message on the address side. It is interesting to add in this connection that the official esti-

mate ..of the number of souvenir postal cards passing through the British postoffices last year was 500,000,000. The value placed on these cards was estimated at $5,000,000. The revenue to the various governments from postage on souvenir cards approximates millions.

DAMAGED HOUSE, TWO MILES FROM THE FONTANET EXPLOSION