Per Str. Columbus, red straight-line handstamp and matching "San Francisco '40' 18 June" integral sans serif 40¢ due cds on blue folded letter datelined "Washington Flat Messais June 7th 1850" from a gold miner on the Merced River west of Yosemite and addressed to Troy N.Y., the Columbus arrived at Panama on July 6th with a transfer at Chagres to Laws Falcon leaving for New York on July 12th arriving there about July 23rd, Very Fine and rare. Milgram No. 272  Estimate $1,000 - 1,500. A RARE USAGE CARRIED BY GEORGE LAW'S "COLUMBUS" FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO PANAMA. On June 6th 1850, George Laws steamship "Columbus" arrived at San Francisco and on June 19th she started the first of three mail trips to Panama. Allen had a "Per Str. Columbus" straightline directional handstamp made up to indicate that these letters were to be bagged for Law's Line and not the contracted carrier. It appears this arrangement was made without consulting Washington D.C., and probably after intervention by William Aspinwall, the arrangement ended after only three round trips. $0 (Image)