The San Francisco call., 1908-05-10
CARRYING MAILS
SEVENTY YEARSAGO
When Uncle Sam Had Rivals in
Transporting and Deliver
ing Letters
Governments Inability to Han
die Business Brought Profit
to Private Concerns

cent mai companies which did a letter
carrying business from 1912 to ls4s
are interesting, and some Of them are
rare. These concerns differed from the
local delivery companies in the fact that
their operations, instead OF being con-
ined 70 city's limits. reached out to
other cities Of state. or to other
tstes.
They included Hale & Co, the Amer
lean letter mail company, Overton &
Co. Hartford mail. Pomeroy & Co, w
Wyman. the Letter Express Hoyt's
letter express. and Brainard & Co. All
came into being, it is said, through
the inability OF the government at this
period 70 handle the postal business of
the country. So good was their service
that they compelled the United States
20 inprore its service and reduce its
raBes.
Pomeroy & Co. who organized a
letter express service between Albany
and Buffalo in 1873, issued a postage
stamp Of one design, but including five
minor varieties In blue, black and
yellow. This was a rather large rectan-
gular stamp, bearing the portrait OF
woman. Around the portrait on
label were the words. "Pomeroy's Let
ter Express" At the top in very small
letters were the words. Free stamp"
while at the bottom was % for a
dollar" Single stamps cost cents
each.
The rarest Of the Pomeroy stamps is
the one printed in yellow. from which
the denomination has been erased.
This stamp, when used, is quoted at $50
II IA fine condition. The red stamp is
valued al $40 unused and SIS when can
celed.
W. wyman, who went into the mail
carrying business IN 1874. carrying let
ters between Boston and New York is
sued one stamp. which was Of the de-
nomination OF 5 cents. It was printed
IN black and the design consisted Of a
square. in the center Of which was an
old style locomotive hauling one car
At the top was 'W. Wyman, Court St
and 3 Wan St." and at the bottom go
stamps for One Dollar" Although only
the stamp black on white is known, Mr..
Wyuan Is on record as saying that one
variety OF his stamps was printed in
blue. The black stamp is now valued
at SO unused and $3.50 when used;
one IN blue would bring very much
higher premium.
Overton & Co. who started in 1874
and operated a mail service between
Boston and Philadelphia, issued four
varieties of stamps of two general
types. They were printed In straw
color. pink and green The chief de-
vice on both types showed a pigeon
4ENltr lne center OF CIR
cuIar stamp about the size OF a dime.
around the edge being "Overton & Co.,
Letter Express"
The straw coiored stamp is valued at
$40, either used OF unused, the stamp
with the small pigeon. printed in
green, being catalogued at SIS The
green stamp showing a larger pigeon,
with the word Free" underneath, is
valued at $50 in both conditions, while
the one IN pink. the rarest of the Sc
ries. is worth from 500 upward.
The stamps OF Hale & Co. Of Boston
embraced a greater number of varie-
ties than those issued by any other OF
the Independent companies. there being
nine different stamps Of the denomina-
tion OF cents. in colors OF red and
blue. The design. which embraced two
types. was an octagon covered with
letters. The central envelope on one
type was inscribed Hale & Co. 13
Court street. Boston" while the second
type was the same with the exception
that the street address was omitted.
Hale & Co. were credited with having
10 Offices. among which were branches
fn New York, Boston, Philadelphia.
Baltimore and Detroit. The firm was
organized in the latter part of 1S41
The rarest Of the stamps issued by
the company are those in red and blue
OF the design showing -13 Court street"
and bearing the surcharge, City Dis
patch once, 23 State street" which
varieties are valued at $50 each when
in unusually fine condition. A specimen
OF the same type without the surcharge
IS valued at $40.
A very simple design was borne by
the stamps Of the Hartford Mail, which
was organized in 1874 and did business
between Hartford, Boston and New
York TaeF were of two varieties.
black on pink paper and black on yell
low paper, the former stamp being of
the denomination OF and the latter of
10 cents.
The stamp was q trifle more than
half inch square and showed man
with a package on his shoulder taking
long strides. The stamp printed on pink
paper is valued at $40, used or unused,
and that on yellow paper is catalogued
az $50.
The American letter mail company
was organized In 1874 and is said to
have carried letters between Massachu-
setts, Rhode Island. Connecticut New
York and Pennsylvania Its stamps
embraced three varieties OF two gen.
eral types.
The lrst showed an eagle facing to
the left, with expanded wings, and the
inscription, The American Letter Mall
Company" The second type showed a
right ready for flight. at the bottom
being the inscription. 40 for a dol
lar" and at the top American Letter
Mail Co." The rarest stamp is the first
described variety, printed in blue,
which. when used, Is valued at S3s.
Only one type Of stamp was issued
by Bfainard & Co. It was printed in
black and blue on white paper. and
was circular in shape, showing around
the edge. "Brainard & Co. NJ Y IS
Wall St" The company handled let
ters between New York Albany and
Troy Within an inner circle was IA
Exchange Albany. 20 for One Dollar.
Troy. ESQ River St" The blue variety
is the scarcer. its value being SIS
when used.
Five varieties Of stamps were turned
out by the Letter Express. which was
the western connection, starting at
Buffalo. by which Pomeroy g. Co. sent
letters to Chicago and other points
One type OF these stamps of the de-
nomination OF 10 cents was circular,
and the central design showed a soldier
advancing with an American flag in
his right hand and a sword in the left.
This type was printed in pink and
scarlet. the latter Of which is the
scarcest and worth $50 either used or