| 63 |
 |
 10c Green, Ty. III
(33). Choice centering, tied by blurry circular datestamp (probably a
southeastern post office) on yellow cover to Liberty C. Bartlett in Big Bar
Cal., rare "Mail Via Tehuantepec" route endorsement, some very minor
edgewear and toningVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COVER ROUTED VIA THE
ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC. As endorsed, this cover was intended to travel
to California by the Gulf of Mexico route from New Orleans to San Francisco
via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This route was operated by the Louisiana
Tehuantepec Company, which ran a semi-monthly mail and passenger service.
According to the Pony Express: Historic Resource Study website (http://www.nps.gov/archive/poex/hrs/hrs1b.htm): "...it
began in October 1858, under contract to the Louisiana Tehuantepec Company.
Starting from New Orleans, a Concord coach carried mail and passengers to
Minatitlan on the east coast of Mexico. From there, the route crossed the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the Pacific Coast. Mail and passengers were then
transferred to steamships going to San Francisco. The new overland ocean
service from New Orleans to San Francisco took approximately fifteen to
eighteen days one way. The accomplishment of the new company clearly
presented itself as a shorter and faster alternative to all previous ocean
and overland mail routes." Despite its advantages, the Louisiana
Tehuantepec Company's mail contract was not renewed by the Postmaster
General in 1859. The addressee, Liberty C. Bartlett, was the son of a
judge in Little Rock Ark. He joined the Confederate Army in 1861 and was
killed at the Battle of Shiloh (http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/f/e/n/K-Fenton/F
ILE/0048page.html) Ex Kutz
(Image) |
E. 1,500-2,000
SOLD for $5,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |
