Pony Express, St. Joseph, May 20 (1860). Full clear strike of Running Pony oval datestamp on 10¢ Green on Buff Nesbitt entire (U16) addressed to Herman Wohler in San Francisco, sender's directive "By Pony Express", no government postmark and no indication of origin or $5.00 rate, small sealed tear

EXTREMELY FINE. THE EARLIEST OF THE FOUR RECORDED WESTBOUND PONY EXPRESS COVERS DELAYED DUE TO THE PAIUTE INDIAN WAR IN 1860. THE CONDITION OF THIS EARLY AND HISTORIC PONY EXPRESS COVER IS OUTSTANDING. NO OTHER MAY 20 COVER IS RECORDED.

The attacks on Pony Express stations and riders occurred during the Paiute Indian War, which started with the May 7 raid on Williams Station in Nevada by a party of Paiute and Bannock warriors seeking revenge for the kidnapping and rape of two young Paiute girls by the three Williams brothers. On May 12 a 105-man militia led by Major William Ormsby was ambushed and destroyed at Pyramid Lake by Indian warriors under the command of Chief Numaga. On May 20 and 21 Indians attacked stations at Cold Springs, Smith's Creek and Simpson's Park. The second battle of Pyramid Lake occurred on June 2-4 between Chief Numaga's warriors and a large army under the command of a veteran Indian fighter, Colonel John Coffee Hays. The battle ended in a stalemate, and Indians continued to conduct raids on stations and harass riders through the summer. The presence of U.S. troops guarding the route helped keep the stage and Pony Express running during July and August 1860, but several mails were delayed and combined as they waited for an escort.

This May 20, 1860, cover was included in the first of the westbound Pony Express mails delayed due to the war. The previous westbound mail which departed St. Joseph one week earlier, on Sunday, May 13, was carried through the war zone on Robert "Pony Bob" Haslam's historic 380-mile round trip on May 19-21. The mail datestamped May 20 was carried as far west as possible and held until a military escort could accompany the riders beyond the dangerous part of the route. Mail from three subsequent trips--May 27, June 3 and June 10--eventually caught up with the May 20 mail, somewhere near Ruby Valley, and was carried to California. The Daily Alta California 6/24/1860 contains a report from Carson City dated June 23, which states, "The long missing Pony Express arrived at Carson City last evening, bringing dates from St. Louis to June 10th." The San Francisco Bulletin 6/25/1860 reported "The Pony Express will arrive here to-night about 10 o'clock, on board the Sacramento steamer. The Express will bring four several letter-bags--the number now due--and will have altogether 300 letters, at least" (boldface added for emphasis, original article shown on page 16). This report confirms that the four delayed Pony mails arrived in San Francisco on June 25.

Five covers are recorded with these departure dates (FKW census W4, W5, W6, W7 and W10). One of these left St. Joseph on June 3, but was delivered to a military officer at Camp Floyd near Salt Lake City (W6), so it is technically not a cover delayed by the war. The westbound trip departing from St. Joseph on Sunday, June 10, was the last scheduled Sunday departure, and it made it through to California after catching up with the three earlier mails. The Mountaineer 6/16/1860 reports the arrival of an express from the East in Salt Lake City at 8 p.m. on June 15, which fits with the June 10 departure.

How did the express with the four mails, including this cover, travel westward to Carson City? A soldier named Charles A. Scott reported in his journal that the military escort of "20 picked men, well armed and mounted," which guarded the May 25 eastbound mail through hostile territory after they left Carson City on June 9, passed through Roberts' Creek on June 15. The convoy moved at a rate of approximately 40 miles per day, obviously a much slower pace than an individual Pony rider could achieve. The timing strongly indicates that the westbound mail, which had accumulated in the safe zone for weeks, was carried to Carson City with the same military escort on its return trip. The westbound express reached Carson City during the evening of June 22 (Daily Alta California 6/24/1860). Six days of travel points to a June 16 or 17 departure from somewhere near Ruby Valley, where the 4th Artillery had set up their base of operations.

FKW Census W4. Ex Elliott N. Evans (pencil source notation on back with 1969 acquisition year), Dr. Polland and Haas. With 1969 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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Pony Express, St. Joseph, Jun. 3 (1860). Full clear strike of Running Pony oval datestamp on cover with free frank "Milton S. Latham U.S.S." and addressed in his hand to General James W. Denver, care of Frank Denver in Sacramento, Latham's directive "Per Pony Express" along left edge, blue crayon "Free" above oval and pencil "Free F.A.M." at right, lightened stain and minor cosmetic improvements

VERY FINE. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED WESTBOUND PONY EXPRESS COVERS DELAYED DUE TO THE PAIUTE INDIAN WAR IN 1860, OF WHICH TWO HAVE FREE FRANKS.

As documented in The Impact of Indian Attacks on the Pony Express in 1860 (published by our firm and available at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/Pony_Indians.pdf), even when service in California and Nevada was suspended from June 1 to July 6, 1860, the Pony Express continued to run in both directions on a shortened route between St. Joseph and Ruby Valley. The westbound mails addressed to California that left St. Joseph on May 20, May 27, June 3 and June 10 (Sunday departures) were carried as far west as possible and held until a military escort could accompany the riders beyond the dangerous part of the route. Five covers are recorded with these departure dates (FKW census W4, W5, W6, W7 and W10). One of these left St. Joseph on June 3, but was delivered to a military officer at Camp Floyd near Salt Lake City (W6), so it is technically not a cover delayed by the war.

The westbound trip departing from St. Joseph on Sunday, June 10, was the last scheduled Sunday departure, and it made it through to California after catching up with the three earlier mails. The Mountaineer 6/16/1860 reports the arrival of an express from the East in Salt Lake City at 8 p.m. on June 15, which fits with the June 10 departure. The Daily Alta California 6/24/1860 contains a report from Carson City dated June 23, which states, "The long missing Pony Express arrived at Carson City last evening, bringing dates from St. Louis to June 10th." The San Francisco Bulletin 6/25/1860 reported "The Pony Express will arrive here to-night about 10 o'clock, on board the Sacramento steamer. The Express will bring four several letter-bags--the number now due--and will have altogether 300 letters, at least" (boldface added for emphasis, original article shown opposite). This report confirms that the four delayed Pony mails arrived in San Francisco on June 25.

How did the express with the four mails, including this cover, travel westward to Carson City? A soldier named Charles A. Scott reported in his journal that the military escort of "20 picked men, well armed and mounted," which guarded the May 25 eastbound mail through hostile territory after they left Carson City on June 9, passed through Roberts' Creek on June 15. The convoy moved at a rate of approximately 40 miles per day, obviously a much slower pace than an individual Pony rider could achieve. The timing strongly indicates that the westbound mail, which had accumulated in the safe zone for weeks, was carried to Carson City with the same military escort on its return trip. The westbound express reached Carson City during the evening of June 22 (Daily Alta California 6/24/1860). Six days of travel points to a June 16 or 17 departure from somewhere near Ruby Valley, where the 4th Artillery had set up their base of operations.

Senator Milton S. Latham, who franked the cover, went to California in 1850 and was elected to Congress on the 1852 Democratic ticket. After his term expired, he declined to run for re-election and served as collector for the port of San Francisco. In 1859 he was elected governor, but he resigned five days after taking office to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Senator David C. Broderick was killed in a duel. It was during his term as a U.S. senator that Latham franked this cover addressed to his friend and fellow Democrat, General James W. Denver, who was the former territorial governor of Kansas, state senator and U.S. congressman, and who would be commissioned as a general in the Union army at the start of the Civil War.

Senator Latham was a friend of William H. Russell, the COC&PP president, and a strong supporter of their effort to secure the contract for the Central Route. He was among the few individuals later permitted to send Pony Express letters free of charge. In this case Senator Latham's free frank applied to the $5.00 Pony Express rate and U.S. postage. Six of the 16 recorded Pony Express covers with any form of free frank are signed by Latham (FKW E94, W3, W5, W7, W48 and W62). The eastbound cover (E94) has the San Francisco Running Pony oval. Three of the westbound Latham covers have the St. Joseph Running Pony oval (W3, W5 and W7), and two have the oval within circle datestamp (W48 and W62). The cover offered here is one of two Latham free-franked covers delayed by the Paiute Indian War (the other is dated May 27, FKW W5).

FKW Census W7. Ex Salzer, Vogel, Walske, Stach and "New Helvetia" (Image)

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Pony Express, San Francisco, Aug. 22 (1860). Blue Running Pony oval datestamp clearly struck and tying 10¢ Green, Ty. V (35) on blue cover addressed to Robert Patton in Covington, Kentucky, sender's directive "Pony Express, August 22nd 1860", bold strike of carmine "Pony Express, St. Joseph, Sep. 2" (1860) Running Pony oval receiving datestamp on back, no indication of $2.50 rate, entered the mails with "Saint Joseph Mo. Sep. 2, 1860" circular datestamp also tying 10¢ stamp, receipt docketing "George Binds, himself, Keep this carefully for me, R Patton", cover opened for display and professionally restored with some paper backing and additions, but not affecting the stamp or markings

A REMARKABLY BOLD AND COMPLETE STRIKE OF THE CARMINE RUNNING PONY OVAL OF ST. JOSEPH, APPLIED AS A RECEIVING MARK ON A COVER WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO BLUE RUNNING PONY OVAL.

The St. Joseph Running Pony handstamp was normally struck in black, but the FKW census records ten covers with this marking struck in the distinctive carmine color (listed below). They are dated from August 12 to September 13, 1860, and all but two are struck on the backs of the covers. Four have 10¢ adhesive stamps (Scott 35), all eastbound with the carmine oval struck on the back as a receiving mark.

The FKW census lists five covers with the 10¢ 1857 stamp tied by the San Francisco Running Pony oval, all eastbound: E15 (the cover offered here), E16, E38, E46 (offered as lot 8 in this sale) and E49.

This cover was sent from San Francisco on Wednesday, August 22, 1860, after the new Pony Express rate of $2.50 per quarter-ounce (half of the $5.00 per half-ounce rate) was announced at St. Joseph. News of the rate change took approximately two weeks to reach the West Coast and was implemented in San Francisco starting with the August 15 eastbound trip.

The addressee, Robert Patton, was a prominent citizen of Covington, Kentucky, and served as the town's mayor before the Civil War. At the start of the war, he enlisted in the Confederate army and held the rank of colonel. In 1862 he was among a large group of Kentucky citizens indicted for treason for joining the rebellion, but the sealed indictments were never prosecuted and only became public in 1866.

FKW Census E15. Ex Dale-Lichtenstein. (Image)

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William H. Russell. One of the three co-founders of the Pony Express, "Free W. H. Russell" free frank (for Pony Express fee) on 3¢ Red on Buff Star Die entire (U27) addressed in his hand to Judge William A. Carter, the station agent at Fort Bridger, Utah Territory (later in Wyoming Territory), "The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo. Sep. 30" (1860) oval datestamp applied at origin, receipt docketing on back "Recd. Oct. 6th /60" which confirms a six-day Pony Express trip starting at St. Joseph on Sunday, September 30, 1860, reduced and opening faults at right

FINE AND ATTRACTIVE WESTBOUND PONY EXPRESS COVER FROM WILLIAM H. RUSSELL, ONE OF THE THREE FOUNDERS, TO JUDGE WILLIAM A. CARTER, KNOWN AS "MR. FORT BRIDGER." ONLY THREE PONY COVERS ARE RECORDED WITH WILLIAM H. RUSSELL FRANKING SIGNATURE.

Only three of the 16 recorded Pony Express covers with any form of free frank are signed by William H. Russell (FKW W2, W15A and W24). All were carried on westbound trips. The earliest (FKW W2) is the Stebbins Line Telegraph imprint cover with a St. Joseph Running Pony oval dated May 6 (1860), which our firm sold in the William H. Gross United States Stamp Treasures sale in October 2018 (Sale 1188, lot 51). The cover listed as FKW W24 is a plain envelope addressed to J. E. Bromley, the division superintendent at South Pass, with a November 22 (1860) St. Joseph Running Pony oval, which was sold in our 2009 sale of the Thurston Twigg-Smith collection (Sale 979, lot 8). The cover offered here was recently listed as W15A in the online FKW census on the basis of the receipt docketing dated October 6, 1860. It traveled over the 1,041-mile route from St. Joseph to Fort Bridger in six days, a speed attainable only by the Pony Express.

The addressee, William A. Carter (1818-1881), was born in Virginia and served as a soldier and sutler in Florida during the Seminole wars. He came to Fort Bridger in 1857 with the Utah Expedition and remained there until his death, with active interests in provisioning, mining, lumbering, and ranching. He served as postmaster and probate judge. In 1860 and 1861 he was COC&PP's Fort Bridger station agent on the Central Route. Carter's ledger of Pony Express arrivals and departures is in private hands.

FKW Census W15A. Illustrated in Coburn, Letters of Gold (page 254). Ex Haas. (Image)

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William H. Russell. One of the three co-founders of the Pony Express, autograph letter signed "W. H. Russsell Prst." on printed letterhead of "Office of The Central Overland California and Pike's Peak Express Co., Leavenworth City, Kansas," dated July 31, 1860, to Judge William A. Carter at Fort Bridger, informing Carter of the new $2.50 rate per quarter-ounce:

Sir, We have reduced the Tariff on letters to $2.50 pr 1/4 oz & pr addil. weight or fractions given by the regulations of the P.O. Dept. Very respectfully, W. H. Russell Prst.

Notations at lower left with names and numbers in odd arrangement (possibly a code)

A RARE LETTER FROM WILLIAM H. RUSSELL, ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS IN THE PONY EXPRESS, TO JUDGE WILLIAM A. CARTER, THE STATION AGENT AT FORT BRIDGER, WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTENT RELATED TO THE EARLY OPERATION OF THE PONY EXPRESS.

This notice from William H. Russell, president of the Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company, is dated July 31, 1860, and was probably sent with the westbound Pony mail that departed from St. Joseph on Thursday, August 1, 1860, and arrived in San Francisco on August 12. It would have reached Fort Bridger around August 6. The new fractional rate of $2.50 per quarter-ounce--half of the current $5.00 per half-ounce rate--took effect in San Francisco with the Pony trip departing on August 15. The first California newspaper ad with the "change of tariff" appeared on August 15 in the Daily Alta California.

The recipient, William A. Carter (1818-1881), was born in Virginia and served as a soldier and sutler in Florida during the Seminole wars. He came to Fort Bridger in 1857 with the Utah Expedition and remained there until his death, with active interests in provisioning, mining, lumbering, and ranching. He served as postmaster and probate judge. In 1860 and 1861 he was COC&PP's Fort Bridger station agent on the Central Route. Carter's ledger of Pony Express arrivals and departures is in private hands.

Illustrated in Frajola-Kramer-Walske, The Pony Express: A Postal History (page 25). Ex Haas. (Image)

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PAID./Central Overland Pony Express Company. Two-line frank with manuscript $2.50” quarter-ounce rate and Placerville, Cal. Oct. 25” (1860) station agent’s way-mail marking on 10¢ Pale Green on Buff Nesbitt entire (U18a) to Mrs. Frances Bye, Wellsville, Ohio, The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo. Nov. 5” oval datestamp applied the day of arrival (the entire trip was 12 days), lightly-inked strike of Saint Joseph Mo. Nov. 8” double-circle datestamp (date is unreadable, but the other two recorded covers from this trip are dated November 8), with original letter enclosure from F. W. Bye to his mother, Frances, datelined Placerville Oct. 25th 1860” and stating that a $100 draft is enclosed, conservatively treated to remove staining, minor sealed half-inch tear at top

VERY FINE. ONE OF NINE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE CENTRAL OVERLAND PONY EXPRESS COMPANY” FRANK, OF WHICH SIX ARE 10-CENT ENTIRES. PONY EXPRESS COVERS WITH ORIGINAL LETTERS ARE ALSO VERY RARE AND DESIRABLE.

The updated FKW census lists nine entires with the two-line frank, which identifies the company as the Central Overland Pony Express Company (COPEC). In fact, there was no such company, but rather The Central Overland California & Pike’s Peak Express Company owned and operated the Pony Express. Of the nine entires, six are 10¢ values. The presence of manuscript station markings on several of these COPEC franks, including the cover offered here, supports the theory that they were mainly used by telegraph operators and by relay station agents for way mail received along the Pony Express route.

This cover was sent from Placerville on October 25 and placed in the way-mail pocket of the mochilla that contained the Wednesday, October 24, mail from San Francisco. It passed through Fort Kearney on November 3 (see news report below) and arrived at St. Joseph on November 5. The sender, F. W. Bye, might be connected with Henry & Bye, commission and forwarding agents based in Placerville in 1860.

FKW Census E31. Ex Alyeska.” (Image)

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The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo. Nov. 23 (1860). Mostly complete strike of oval datestamp applied on arrival to way-mail cover carried on the Pony Express trip that started in San Francisco on Saturday, November 10, 1860, and arrived in St. Joseph on November 23, addressed to Charles White, Whitestown, New York, sender's directive "By Pony Express", 3¢ Dull Red, Ty. III (26) affixed by St. Joseph office over manuscript "1/4" quarter-ounce weight notation ($2.50 rate), cancelled by grid with matching "Saint Joseph Mo. Nov. 24" double-circle datestamp, stamp has margin defects including piece out at lower right, cover slightly reduced at left

VERY FINE OVERALL APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY UNUSUAL PONY EXPRESS COVER WITH UNITED STATES POSTAGE AFFIXED ON ARRIVAL--THE COVER WAS PLACED INTO THE MOCHILLA SOMEWHERE ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE PONY TRIP THAT STARTED IN CALIFORNIA ON NOVEMBER 10, 1860.

This cover was placed in the way-mail pocket of the mochilla that contained the November 10, 1860, mail from San Francisco. Its sender's name and mailing location are not known, but it must have originated within the distance limit for the 3¢ rate. Postage was probably paid in cash, and upon arrival in St. Joseph, the receiving office applied the November 23 oval datestamp, then affixed the 3¢ stamp. The St. Joseph post office applied the November 24 datestamp and cancelled the stamp before sending the cover on the eastbound train.

Pony Express way-mail covers are rare. A similar way-mail cover with two 3¢ stamps is listed as FKW E17, but it differs from the cover offered here in two respects. First, the Fort Bridger office applied a manuscript express marking, establishing the origin point. Second, it is impossible to tell whether the two 3¢ stamps (double rate) were affixed at Fort Bridger or at St. Joseph. On the cover offered here, the stamp is affixed partly over the St. Joseph oval, which proves it was not on the cover when it arrived at the end of the Pony trip. This is the only cover we have seen on which the adhesive stamp was applied at the receiving office.

FKW Census E39A. With letter of opinion from Richard C. Frajola stating "it is a genuine usage carried by the Pony Express" and explaining how the 3¢ stamp was applied by the St. Joseph office before this way-mail cover was placed into the mails. (Image)

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Pony Express, San Francisco, Dec. 8 (1860). Blue Running Pony oval datestamp clearly struck and tying 10¢ Green, Ty. V (35), interpane centerline margin at right, matching "The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, San Francisco, Cal." dateless oval handstamp on mostly complete blue folded cover addressed to A. A. Low & Brother in New York City, sender's directive "pr Pony Express", manuscript "1/4 oz" weight notation ($2.50 rate), carried on the Pony trip departing San Francisco on Saturday, December 8, 1860, and arriving at St. Joseph 15 days later on December 23--a longer journey due to winter weather--on arrival the "Pony Express, The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo. Dec. 23" large oval within circle receiving datestamp was applied in green on the backflap, entered mails with "Saint Joseph Mo. Dec. 24" double-circle datestamp tying 10¢ stamp, a few small bleached spots, red wax wafer affixed to the inside shows remnants of a printed form

VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE PONY EXPRESS COVER WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO RUNNING PONY OVAL TYING THE 10-CENT STAMP. ONLY FIVE SUCH COVERS ARE RECORDED.

The recipient firm, A. A. Low & Brother, was named for Abiel Abbot Low and his brother, Josiah Orne Low. Founded in 1840, the firm became one of the leading importers of China and Japan silks and teas, and operrated its own line of clipper ships. In 1850 Low completed the A. A. Low building at 167–171 John Street, now the offices of the South Street Seaport Museum. The firm was situated at its Burling Slip building from 1850 until after the turn of the century. One of the two April 3, 1860, first trip Pony Express covers comes from the A. A. Low & Brother correspondence. The iconic New York City landmark Low Memorial Library at Columbia University was named for Abiel Abbot Low by his son, Columbia president Seth Low.

The FKW census lists five covers with the 10¢ 1857 stamp tied by the San Francisco Running Pony oval, all eastbound: E15 (offered as lot 3 in this sale), E16, E38, E46 (the cover offered here) and E49.

FKW Census E46. Ex Matthies and Gibson (featured on the front cover of the 1984 Christie's Robson Lowe sale catalogue). With 1984 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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Pony Express, San Francisco, Dec. 5 (1860). Blue Running Pony oval datestamp struck twice on 10¢ Pale Green on Buff Nesbitt rebacked front (U16a) addressed to Lucien Birdseye, 39 Wall Street, New York City, dark blue "The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, San Francisco, Cal." dateless oval handstamp and pencil "1/2" half-ounce weight notation ($5.00 rate), carried on the Pony trip departing San Francisco on Wednesday, December 5, 1860, and arriving at St. Joseph 14 days later on December 19--a longer journey due to winter weather--entered mails with "Saint Joseph Mo. Dec. 21" double-circle datestamp and grid cancel on embossed stamp, flaps professionally added

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED PONY EXPRESS COVERS (OR FRONTS) WITH A DOUBLE STRIKE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO RUNNING PONY OVAL.

The FKW census lists six covers with the San Francisco Running Pony oval struck twice, all eastbound: E16, E38, E45 (offered here), E55 (second strike half complete), E87 (to Prince Edward Island, faint strike on stamps) and E108 (part strike on $2.00 Horse & Rider stamp).

The addressee, the Honorable Lucien Birdseye (1821-1896), was a prominent New York City attorney and State Supreme Court Justice.

FKW Census E45. Illustrated in Frajola-Kramer-Walske, The Pony Express: A Postal History (page 32). With 1979 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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California Pony Express, New-York, Dec. 11 (1860). Bold strike of greenish-blue oval datestamp on 3¢ Red on Buff Star Die entire (U27) to Daniel Gibb & Company in San Francisco, sent to the eastern terminus at St. Joseph where "Pony Express, St. Joseph, Dec. 16" Running Pony oval datestamp was boldly struck at lower left, arithmetic notations applied at the offices of Gibb & Company, slight wear at top left corner

VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR WESTBOUND COVER WITH THE RARE NEW YORK OFFICE DATED OVAL AND ST. JOSEPH RUNNING PONY DATESTAMP. ONLY TWO COVERS ARE RECORDED WITH THIS COMBINATION OF PONY EXPRESS MARKINGS.

Only 21 covers have the St. Joseph Running Pony oval struck on the front, including two in carmine and four eastbound covers (one of which is badly damaged). Of the 21, only two have this distinctive New York office oval with a date, and they are both dated December 11 (FKW W28 and W29).

The two December 11 covers were carried on the same trip to two different addresses in San Francisco. They were sent in a package of U.S. mail from New York City to the eastern terminus at St. Joseph. The under-3,000 miles "loophole" allowed westbound mail to be sent in bundles from the East Coast with only 3¢ U.S. postage. This loophole was closed by the Act of February 27, 1861, which eliminated the mileage provision and required 10¢ on any letter crossing the Rocky Mountains.

This cover and its twin were carried on the westbound trip from St. Joseph, departing Sunday, December 16, and arriving in San Francisco on December 31. According to the Sacramento Daily Union 12/31/1860, the express passed Placerville on December 30 and carried letter dates to December 14 and telegraph dispatches to Fort Kearney to December 18.

The addressee, Daniel Gibb & Company, was a large merchant firm in San Francisco. Daniel Gibb and his brother William purchased the original lease for the New Idria Quicksilver Mine and brought the mine into successful production in 1858. New Idria quickly became one of the world's largest mercury mines. The firm's warehouse at Front and Vallejo Street is a registered historic landmark building.

FKW Census W29. Illustrated in Coburn, Letters of Gold (page 77). Ex Dr. Polland and "Alyeska." (Image)

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California Pony Express Paid. Red double-line oval handstamp on blue folded invoice datelined "Havana 5 September 1860" from Levy Hermanos (Levy Brothers)--detailed invoice for 137,550 cigars in 15 cases, billed at $3,480.23, including shipping and customs duty--addressed to St. Losky, Levy & Co. in San Francisco, sender's directive "pr Pony Express" and "Paid" notation, blue "Forwarded by Duncan Sherman & Co. New-York" oval handstamp applied by commercial banking firm in New York City which received invoice from Cuba and forwarded it through the New York office of the Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company, postage paid by 3¢ Dull Red, Ty. III (26) affixed over part of the written word "Express" and effectively tied by faint ink bleed, left uncancelled since this invoice was carried in a package of letters to St. Joseph for the next Pony trip, wedge-shaped sealed tear at bottom of address panel below blue oval

VERY FINE. AN EXTRAORDINARY COVER, WHICH TRAVELLED ON AN OCEAN STEAMSHIP FROM CUBA TO NEW YORK CITY, THEN BY TRAIN TO ST. JOSEPH, AND FROM THERE 1,800 MILES WEST TO CALIFORNIA BY PONY RIDERS, AND FINALLY BY RIVER STEAMBOAT FROM SACRAMENTO TO SAN FRANCISCO.

This folded invoice dated September 5, 1860, was written by the Levy Brothers firm in Havana, Cuba, and addressed to St. Losky, Levy & Co. in San Francisco, a major importer of Cuban cigars (see advertisement below). In 1855 the firm's principal, Julius Levy, had been convicted of illegally smuggling 67 cases of cigars into the United States (U.S. vs. Julius Levy), but the firm continued on for many years, operating a legitimate importing business.

The Levy Brothers employee wrote instructions on the address panel to send the invoice by Pony Express and marked it "Paid," presumably enclosing a form of payment for the express and postage charges. Assuming that it was mailed from Havana on or shortly after September 5, it was probably carried on a vessel arriving in New York City around September 10-11. There is nothing to indicate exactly when Duncan, Sherman & Company applied their oval forwarding handstamp, but they handed the invoice to the New York office of the Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company, which was then located on the corner of Broadway and Fulton Street. At this time the COC&PP vice president, Jerome B. Simpson, was the firm's New York agent. Simpson was implicated in the Indian Trust Bond scandal in the late fall of 1860, and left New York City.

Based on the September 5, 1860, dateline and a New York September 10-11 steamship arrival date, it is assumed this made the Sunday, September 16, Pony departure from St. Joseph, which reached San Francisco on September 26.

FKW Census W13. Illustrated in Frajola-Kramer-Walske, The Pony Express: A Postal History (page 79). Ex W. R. Parker and Haas. With 1988 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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