(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express., Santa Ana, Cal., Jul. 10, 1894, blue oval date stamp on unaddressed 1893, 2¢ Columbian entire (U349) entire with black frank (WFE-060) at top, San Francisco receiving mark of July 16, 7AM in red on front and reverse, Very Fine, ex-Vogel, Tatham. Estimate  $100 - 150. Used during the Railroad Strike with a six day transit time to SF. Most likely by wagon to Los Angeles and then by steamer to San Francisco. Used internal by Wells Fargo with an unlisted Santa Ana 16-2 type date stamp. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Co's, San Francisco, Cal., July 11, 1894, red oval date stamp used on the last day of the strike, with matching straight line "CARRIED BY STAGE" handstamp handstamp at bottom of 1887, 2¢ green entire to Grass Valley, black frank (WFE-060) at top, Very Fine, this is the only example known from San Francisco used during the strike. Estimate  $300 - 400. This "CARRIED BY STAGE" handstamp was applied to explain delay in transit due to strike to Grass Valley. The "CARRIED BY STAGE" handstamp is very rare and most likely unique. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, Jul. 3, 1894, Agent, Santa Barbara (Provisional Railroad Strike Frank Hand, bold strike of purple oval handstamp applied as frank during strike on 2 Columbian (U349) entire to San Francisco Cal., second strike dated "Jul 24" canceling indicia; ink stain at left, Very Fine. Estimate  $500 - 750. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express., Santa Barbara, Cal., Agent, Jul. 3, 1894, provisional frank handstamp on 1893, 2¢ Columbian entire (U349) to San Francisco, red Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, San Francisco, Cal., July 11 9AM oval receiving date stamp; reduced at left, otherwise Very Fine, the earliest recorded provisional railroad strike frank with a transit time of eight days to San Francisco, this was due to steamer routing from San Francisco to Santa Barbara to L.A. to San Diego, back to Los Angeles to Santa Barbara and then to San Francisco. Estimate  $300 - 400. On July 3rd, Santa Barbara Acting Agent Mark Thompson wrote to Superintendent Leonard F. Rowell in San Francisco informing him that the strike had exhausted his supply of franked envelopes, so he bought 2¢ Columbian stamped envelopes from the Post Office and stamped them with his canceling stamp and sold them at regular frank price. He reported that most of the sold envelopes went to San Francisco, a few to Los Angeles. The following day he reported in another letter that he had sold 327 envelopes all bearing the dates of July 2nd or July 3rd. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express., Santa Barbara, Cal., Agent, Jul. 3, 1894, provisional frank handstamp in purpl on 1893, 2¢ Columbian entire (U349) as reported by Agent Thompson used on Jul. 9 with matching Wells, Fargo & Co. oval handstamp, red San Francisco July 11 9AM receiving mark records a transit time of two days to San Francisco, this was due to steamer routing from San Francisco to Santa Barbara to LA to San Diego, back to Los Angeles to Santa Barbara and then to San Francisco; reduced at right, Very Fine, of the 327 created Santa Barbara provisionals only three are known to exist, this being one with the date of sale plus the date of the usage applied to the cover. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co. Ex., Los Angeles, Cal., Money Department, bold strike of dark purple fancy framed handstamp cancels 2¢ green entire to San Francisco Cal., printed black Wells Fargo paid frank, purple "Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, San Francisco Cal. Jul 5" oval arrival datestamp, Very Fine and rare marking. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells Fargo Created Provisional Frank, Santa Barbara, July 4, 1894 & Los Angeles, July 6, 1894, this provisional was created by S. A. Butler, Wells Fargo Agent in Los Angeles by applying his undated hand stamp and the word "FRANK" to the top of the envelope, it was sold to be used in the future and transport to Santa Barbara, this paste-up was placed in Wells Fargo hands at Santa Barbara but had missed the steamer at that location so Wells Fargo transported it back to Los Angeles by stage, when the cover arrived in Los Angeles the July 6, 1894 date stamp was applied killing the indicia and frank. It is believed the flip side of this paste-up was address to Los Angeles, Very Fine for this, a very rare double location usage. Estimate  $400 - 600. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express., San Luis Obispo, Cal., Jul. 4, 1894, provisional frank created by the agent at San Luis Obispo by adding his date stamp as a frank and a manuscript "Pd 5¢" to the top of paste-up cover to San Francisco, U.S. postage is assumed to have been paid with detached paste-up envelope, purple "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, San Francisco, Cal. July 6, 7AM" receiving mark does not correspond with ocean steamer arrival and suggests that this cover moved by stage, a distance of 230 miles to San Francisco, Very Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express., Santa Ana, Cal., Jul. 5, 1894, Unlisted Provisional Frank (16-2 type) oval date stamp on 2¢ Columbian entire to San Francisco, conjunctive black frank (WFE-060) and "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, San Francisco, Cal., Jul, 10AM" oval receiving date stamp in red that corresponds to the ocean steamer arrival of July 11, 10AM., Very Fine and choice, used during the Railroad Strike with a transit time of six days, cover would have traveled by wagon to the Port of Los Angeles and then by steamer to San Francisco. Estimate  $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Ex., Los Angeles, Cal. S.A. Butler, Agent., provisional Frank octagonal handstamp (Leutzinger type 24-5) at left on 2¢ green entire to Washington Vt., additional matching "Frank" straightline and "Wells, Fargo & Co's Ex., Jul. 6, 1894, Los Angeles, Cal." cds, purple "Chicago Money Dep't Jul 12, 1894" datestamp, entered mails with "Chicago, Ill. Jul 12, 1894" machine cancel, original July 5th letter accompanies reading "I know that you must be uneasy about this strike…"; reduced slightly at right, accompanied by similar unaddressed entire with Wells Fargo Los Angeles Jul. 7th cds and S.A. Butler Agent provisional frank, purple Wells Fargo San Francisco Cal. (7.11) oval datestamp, F.-V.F. Estimate  $400 - 600. The use of a provisional frank was due to the demand for Wells Fargo & Co. franked envelopes during the railroad strike in 1894. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express., San Luis Obispo, Cal., Jul. 6, 1894, provisional frank created by the Agent at San Luis Obispo by adding his handstamp as a frank and a manuscript "Pd 5¢" to the top of paste-up envelope, reverse with 1887, 2¢ green entire with black company frank paying U.S. postage, red "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, San Francisco, Cal, Jul 11, 9AM" oval date stamp on front and reverse suggesting that this cover was routed to San Barbara and caught the steamer to San Francisco; large opening tear and with top right corner absent slightly affecting San Luis Obispo marking, F.-V.F. Estimate  $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Ex., Los Angeles, Cal., Jun 1894, S.A. Butler, Agent., provisional frank with matching purple straight line "Frank" handstamp, on 1887, 2¢ green entire cancelled by purple "Wells, Fargo & Co. Ex., Los Angeles, Cal., July 7, 1894" double circle handstamp, paste-up usage with reverse cover addressed to San Francisco, red "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, San Francisco, Cal., Jul 11, 9AM" oval date stamp, normal San Francisco ocean steamer receiving mark, Very Fine, the only Los Angeles Provisional frank example known with the paste-up still attached, ex-Barkhausen. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Ex., Los Angeles, Cal., Jun 1894, S.A. Butler, Agent., provisional frank with matching purple straight line "Frank" handstamp, on 1887, 2¢ green entire cancelled by purple "Wells, Fargo & Co. Ex., Los Angeles, Cal., July 7, 1894" double circle handstamp, part paste-up usage red "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, San Francisco, Cal., Jul 11, 9AM" oval date stamp, normal San Francisco ocean steamer receiving mark, Very Fine. Estimate  $150 - 200. $0 (Image)

(Railroad Strike - Strike Covers, July 3 - 11) Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, Fresno, Cal., July 8, 1894, purple oval date stamp on 1887, 2¢ green entire to San Francisco, black frank (WFE-060) at top, San Francisco receiving mark of July 11, 8AM; slight cover reduction and partial backflap, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate  $150 - 200. Used during the Railroad Strike with a three day transit time to San Francisco. Most likely by wagon to Stockton and then by bay steamer to San Francisco. Note arrival time of 8 AM while all covers that arrived by ocean steamer on July 11th are marked 9 AM or later. $0 (Image)