Sunday, January 28, 2018

Letter Mail: France and the Netherlands

The Project
Postal agreements prior to the General Postal Union/Universal Postal Union in 1875 were highly diverse, though they show increased uniformity over time from 1850 to 1875 in Europe. This post focuses on letter mail between France and the Netherlands.
Last edited: Dec 16, 2018

Organization of this Post
  • Postal Arrangements
  • Prepaid Letter Rates - France to the Netherlands
  • The Mystery of the Blue Dutch Markings
  • Prepaid Letter Rates - the Netherlands to France
  • Unpaid Letter Rates - Received by France
  • Resources
  • Open Questions
Other Postal Rate posts of interest to this one:
France and Belgium Letter Mail Rates

**Postal Arrangements Between France and the Netherlands**

Les Pays-Bas
The French know the Netherlands as "Pays-Bas" or "Les Pays-Bas," which is literally translated as "Low Country (ies)."  This shouldn't sound odd since the English refer to it as "the Netherlands" with "nether" being defined as "lower in position."

Rayons in the Netherlands
Part of the internal rate for the Netherlands was calculated by the letter size/weight and part was calculated by the distance to be traveled.  The Postal Convention of Sep 12, 1817 set five rayons in the Netherlands.  Those closest to the border with France (note, Belgium and Luxembourg were part of the Netherlands at this time) were in the first rayon.  Letters incoming to France were to be marked with a handstamp indicating the rayon from which the letter originated.  The handstamp was of the form: L.P.B. 1R  (or 2R, etc).

Oct 10, 1836 Postal Convention
This agreement between post offices confirmed the 1817 convention's use of rayons with rayon 2 removed (this was now Belgium) and rayon 1 consisting only of Luxembourg.  Valenciennes (France) and Breda (Netherlands) were the entry/exit points designated for mail (exchange offices).

Letter Rates - France to the Netherlands as of Oct 10, 1836
Effective Date Rate Unit
1st rayon 30 centimes 7.5 grams
3rd rayon 60 centimes 7.5 grams
4th rayon 70 centimes 7.5 grams
5th rayon 80 centimes 7.5 grams

As near as I can tell - and in agreement with Bourgouin, it seems paid and unpaid letters are the same rates.  It is possible - maybe even likely - that a difference wasn't really considered at this point because the push to get mail prepaid had not yet begun until postage stamps became more common.  Note, the Bourgouin website gives the date for these starting on Jan 1, 1828.  I am not certain what that date applies to in terms of postal acts, etc.  The 1836 postal convention seems to be where I can trace the information to at this time.

The 1851 Postal Convention
Article I of 1851 Convention
This convention was completed on the 1st of November and ratified the following January.  It was put into effect on April 1st of 1852.  The convention allowed for conveyance either via Belgium or Rhenish Prussia (article I).  Mails were to be transferred between the two countries once per day via Belgium and this was considered the primary route for mail.  The Prussian route was to be used when the its use was "advantageous."

An advantageous situation could possibly have been mail to or from northern Holland where rail travel via Emmerich in Prussia would be more efficient.  One could also surmise that mail received too late to go via Belgium might be able to take a second mail train routing through Prussia.

It is assumed that the Belgian route entered the Netherlands at Breda.  Entry from France to Belgium seems most likely to be Valenciennes on the Paris mail train through there.  It is unclear whether some mailbags may have been routed from MIDI station to enter Prussia at Aachen and enter the Netherlands at Emmerich.  The Prussian mail route would cross the border of France at Forbach and take the rail north to Emmerich.

Article IV - 1851 Convention
 The fourth article sets the letter mail rate between the two countries.  "Lettres simples" were letter mail items that weighed no more than 7.5 grams.  The lettres simple then served as the standard letter mail unit.  Each additional 7.5 grams required payment of another rate (60 centimes).  A simple progression is interesting when one considers that both nations had more complex internal rate structures than this at the time.


1868 Postal Convention
The 1868 conventions does much more to spell out the use of each other's postal systems for mail transiting each country for another destination.  For the purposes of this post, the primary change in the convention is the postal rate reduction, which was significant both the for the rate amount and the increase in weight per rate.

Rate Structure - 1868 Convention article IV
Of interest in the table above is the difference in paid versus unpaid letters as well as the amount owed by each postal administration to the other for each item transmitted.  Column 2 holds the postage due per letter (prepaid first and unpaid in the last two rows).  The third column shows what is owed by France to the Netherlands per letter and the final column shows the reverse.  The lowest number on the right is a "10" NOT a "40."


**Prepaid Letter Rates - France to the Netherlands**
Letter Rates - France to the Netherlands
Effective Date Rate Unit
Prior to Apr 1, 1852 ** 7.5 grams
Apr 1, 1852 60 centimes 7.5 grams
Apr 1, 1868 40 centimes 10 grams
Jan 1, 1876 (GPU) 30 centimes 15 grams
May 1, 1878 (UPU) 25 centimes 15 grams
Oct 1, 1907 (UPU) 25 ctm / 15 ctm 15 g / add'l 15 g

** rates prior to 1852 were subject to both weight and distance units.  See 1836 Convention section.

Countries that required the transit of mail from France via another nation were given a 'second tier' of rates.  While mail in 1856 to Belgium would cost only 40 centimes, the same weight letter to the Netherlands would cost 60 centimes.  At least some of the additional postage would cover transit costs via the intermediate postal system(s).  Sometimes the intermediate system would transit material via closed mail bags (not to be opened in transit) and sometimes via open mail bags (and thus some processing in the transit country might be made).  The postal convention would normally identify the transit cost and which postal system was to pay for that cost.

With the General Postal Union agreement, rates for countries that were not contiguous required the same rate as those that shared a border.

**60 centimes per 7.5 grams - Apr 1, 1852-Mar 31, 1868**
This rate period actually runs much longer than I might have thought it would given the number of advances and changes in treaty mail for most other western European pairings. 

Unknown Route
Bordeaux 13 Oct 56
Bordeaux A Paris  13 Oct 56 (verso)
Amsterdam 15 Oct 1856 (verso)
There is no evidence as to the route this item took from France to the Netherlands, though it is likely to have gone through Belgium.  The ambulant office on the Bordeaux to Paris train served as the exchange office, as was Amsterdam for the Netherlands.  This item was kept in a closed mailbag for most of the trip until it reached its destination.

via Belgium
Reims May 6, 1867
Givet A Paris  May 7, 1867 (verso)
Amsterdam May 8, 1867 (verso)
Reims is in northeastern France and would normally use the Givet crossing into Belgium for mail heading in that direction.  Once again, the ambulant office aboard the mail train likely served as the exchange office on the French side (Givet A Paris).  The two day transit was mildly confusing as it doesn't seem that this should have happened with Reims being fairly close to the French/Belgian border.  However, the clue to look further was in the ordering of the ambulant marking.  Typically the departure station is first and the arrival station is second.  This must have been placed on the mail train heading TOWARDS Paris.  It was placed in a mailbag for Dutch mail and then taken on the return trip via the daily mail trip via Belgium to Amsterdam.

 **40 centimes per 10 grams - April 1, 1868- Dec 31, 1875**

Double Rate Letter
note blue pencil marking and numerals
Paris P De La Bourse  3 Jun 68
Amsterdam   4 Jun 68 (verso)

This letter gives no real evidence with markings as to the actual routing of the letter between Paris and Amsterdam, likely indicating the use of closed mail transit via Belgium.  Belgium was also clearly used to having closed mail transiting from one of its borders to the next as it did so with high volumes of mail to the Prussian system with entry via Belgium to Aachen.

Triple Rate Letter
Paris P De La Bourse  Jun 22, 1870
Amsterdam   June 23, 1870 (verso)

Once again, there is no indication of route, with Paris serving as the French exchange office.  The black ink marking at the top left on the front seems to indicate a double weight letter, though we are clearly paying a triple weight item with 1 france and 20 centimes franked on the cover.  A blue "3" on the verso may confirm the triple rate.


**The Mystery of the Blue Dutch Markings** 
On more than one item received in Amsterdam, I have noted a blue markings that I had once thought was a "2" for double weight letters.  Now, I have seen a number listing on more than one item as seen at the right of each folded letter below.  At this point, I am unsure what these markings mean. 
Options, as I see it include the following:
1. Like the 'slash' on Roman States items, it could indicate that the item is fully paid.  I have seen one item that has a red marking that might have indicated that it was not fully paid.  But, that was crossed out and replaced with a blue marking.
2. This could be a credit/debit marking.  For example, it could indicate to decimes due for Belgian or Prussian transit services.
3. This could indicate single, double and treble letter rate levels.  Perhaps this marking is a stylized "1" for a single rate?  Another letter that appears to be triple rate shows a series of numbers including a clear, blue "3."

**Prepaid Letter Rates - from the Netherlands to France**
Prepaid Letter Rates - Netherlands to France
Effective Date Rate Unit
Prior to Apr 1, 1852 ** 7.5 grams
Apr 1, 1852  centimes 7.5 grams
Apr 1, 1868  centimes 10 grams
Jan 1, 1876 (GPU) centimes 15 grams
May 1, 1878 (UPU) centimes 15 grams
Oct 1, 1907 (UPU) ctm /  ctm 15 g / add'l 15 g
table in progress

**Unpaid Letter Rates - Received by France**
Letter Rates - Unpaid Letters Due Amount: Netherlands to France
Effective Date Rate Unit
Prior to Apr 1, 1852 ** 7.5 grams
Apr 1, 1852 60 centimes 7.5 grams
Apr 1, 1868 60 centimes 10 grams

** rates prior to 1852 were subject to both weight and distance units.
Unpaid letters from the Netherlands were due an additional amount.  It seems that short paid letters were treated as unpaid between the two countries?

**Resources**
Les Tarifs Postaux Francais: Entre 1848 et 1916 by Jean-Louis Bourgouin
Mr. Bourgouin's site is a well-researched work and an excellent resource.

Lagemans, E.G., "Recueil des Traites et Conventions Conclus par le Royaume des Pays-Bas,"  vol V & VI, 1873
     Above are volumes 5 and 6 of a series of texts with the treaties of the Netherlands.  Page 167 of volume 6 shows the North German Confederation treaty of 1868 with the Netherlands..  Page 101 shows the 1868 Dutch-Franco postal convention.  This volume covers 1866-1872.  Prior volumes would have to be located for the earlier conventions.  Page 119 of volume 6 has the convention of 1868 with Switzerland.


Recueil des traites de la France, Vol 6, p 117-125.
The 1851 postal convention can be found here (in French). 

General Treaty/Final Act of the Congress of Vienna, June 9, 1815
     This is the actual treaty text in English (language used for official documents was French - the language of diplomacy at that time).  It is located on WikiSource which is getting better at providing access to the text of original documents such as this.  It is instructive to read how this treaty set up Europe after the defeat of Napolean at Waterloo (which was not at all certain at the time of the Congress of Vienna).

Lewis, Geoffrey, "the 1836 Anglo-French Postal Convention: How this Agreement Between Great Britain and France Made It Easier to Send Mail to All Parts of the World," Royal Philatelic Society, 2014.
     Could be an interesting and useful read.  A short presentation paper by Lewis can be found here.

**Open Questions**
1.  Shortpaid letters.  Did France/Netherlands letters go with  shortpaid treated as unpaid until the General Postal Union?
2. I suspect not all mail went between Breda and Valenciennes by the time we reach the 1850's and 1860's. Were there other routes?  Did one of these routes exit by train at Emmerich in Prussia and re-enter Belgium at Aachen/Verviers?

3. Accountancy between the countries, including the transit fee for Belgium (and who pays it) is currently unknown to me.  The 1868 convention shows amounts of postage owed to the country who did not collect postage, but I have yet to identify the part of that convention that indicates which postal service is liable for transit fees.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Cariboo Road

The Project:
One of the fascinating things about postal history is that a single item can open up windows to interesting events, people or situations that occurred in the past.  Below is an item that was once in the care of Steve Walske and I am now its caretaker.  The good news about knowing who owned a cover before you is that they can help you figure out what is going on if they are willing to share their own research.  The rate information comes wholly from Steve's efforts.  This frees me to spend more time learning about some of the back story that I hope to put together here.

Last Updated: 12/18/18




Route:
Williams Creek was the site of much of the early successes in finding gold and settlements such as Marysville, Richfield and Barkerville sprang up to gain varying levels of importance.  Barkerville had a documented office for Barnard's Express early in the 1860's, so I'll generalize Williams Creek to having an origin at Barkerville.

This item likely followed this route:
  • Barkerville (approx Jul 22)
  • via Barnard's Express on the Cariboo Road 
  • to Soda, Ashcroft, Lytton and Yale
  • via Dietz and Nelson to New Westminster were it 'entered the mails' on July 26
  • to Victoria - not sure how this happened - was it still Dietz and Nelson even though it entered the BC post office in New Westminster?  Or was there a different contract from this point?
  • Victoria to San Francisco (July 31) via steamer
  • likely overland to New York (Sep 6) (no directive via Panama)
  • Cunard's Persia to Liverpool (Sep 16)

Usual stage time from Yale to Barkerville (approx 380 miles) was four days.  A special express (night driving, etc) set a record at 30 hours.

From the Aug 8, 1863 British Columbian published in New Westminster
An alternative was to transfer the mails to Dietz and Nelson at Lillooet.  They would then use steamers on Lake Harrison (and perhaps on the river as well?)  However, the below seems to indicate that there were two wagon trails that met up north of Lytton (probably near Ashcroft).  The advertisement shown here for a company offering services to carry goods extolled the virtues of the Lytton route.

The general rule of thumb is that land routes are normally faster than water routes.  This, of course, assumes the path of travel was developed to some level.  Although, this might not be entirely true in rugged areas such as those required for this trip.  Regardless, development of land routes to speed travel was important and one could easily go down the 'rabbit hole' looking for the history of route development in any part of the world during critical expansion periods - just as this gold rush was for the Cariboo region.


The map above is not entirely accurate, but I selected it because it is fairly clean and easy to work with.  I suspect I can find other maps that would more accurate depict both wagon roads (Douglas to Lilloet and Yale Cariboo Road).

Three hundred and eighty miles from Yale to Barkerville may not sound like much in today's world.  But, if you do a little looking into what the terrain in this area is like and consider the technologies of the time, traversing this area was no small task.


The Cariboo Road

Old Cariboo Road, picture from wikipedia
The Old Cariboo Road was created in response to the Cariboo Region gold rush in the 1860's.  And, if you know anything about North American history, you have to recognize that the discovery of gold fields was one of the quickest ways for an area to attract settlers and cause development of infrastructure - such as the Old Cariboo wagon road shown above.

Ad in the British Columbian (New Westminster) newspaper published Dec 12, 1866


Barnard's Express

Winter of 1863 - added sleighs for winter transport.  1864 4 horse 14 passenger stage added

The BX Ranch
Barnard's Express was successful in part because of his investment in and maintenance of his horse stock at this ranch. 

Dietz and Nelson
 sold their express company to Barnard in 1867.


Williams Creek and Surrounding Area
 The map below from "Great Mining Camps of Canada" [1] seems like it lends a bit more credence for accuracy with respect to where things are in the Williams Creek area.  Settlements essentially appeared as claims were staked.  Where claims clustered, services tended to follow.
from [1] - Locations of Cariboo Placer Gold Production

Barkerville 1863 from [1] in resources

One Legacy of Gold Rushes


Resources:
The Western Cover Society is currently housing many of the postal history references that help with items in this area during my period of interest.  

Walske, Steve, Stamp Shortages in the Cariboo Gold Country: Mail from Williams Creek via San Francisco, 1864-1868, US Philatelic Classics Society, The Chronicle, no. 218, vol 60, no 2, May 2008, pp 117-128


Walske, Steve, Postal Rates on Mail from British Columbia and Vancouver Island via the United States, 1858-1870, US Philatelic Classics Society, The Chronicle, no.212 ,vol 58,no 4, Nov 2006, pp 289-297
     - Some excellent work here and the rate tables below come from this article.

British Columbia and Vancouver Island Rate Tables on Western Cover Society webpage

Forster, Dale, Paid, Unpaid, Collect and Free Markings on BC and VI Covers, Postal History Society of Canada Journal, No 107, Sep 2001, pp 49-57.

Wellburn, Gerald E, The Stamps and Postal History of Colonial Vancouver Island and British Columbia: 1849-1871, (1987).
     - Since Wellburn's time, postal historians have been able to gain access to more primary sources with far less effort.  As a result, some of the details in this "coffee-table" book are incorrect.  Nonetheless, an enjoyable book to view.

British Columbia and Vancouver Island Covers on Western Cover Society webpage
     - I cannot tell if the Western Cover Society intends this to be a census or a sampling.  My suspicion is the latter, though this 'sampling' covers a good deal of ground.  I presume most were in the Walske collection.

The BC Gold Rush Press is a blog that has dedicated itself to the history of the gold rush in this area and could provide a person with all kinds of perspectives. It appears to be well done and was still active Jan 2018.

Downs, Art, Cariboo Gold Rush: the Stampede that Made BC, Heritage House, 1987
     - This book is focusing on making the story entertaining but does so with the integration of primary sources.  Looks like an interesting read that could allow me to accurately map the Cariboo road and other wagon trails in the early to mid 1860's.

[1] Brown and Ash, Great Mining Camps of Canada: the History and Geology of the Cariboo Goldfield, Barkerville and Wells, BC, Journal of the Geological Association of Canada, Vol 36, no 1 (2009).
     - Lots of detail, well researched.  The focus, of course, is on the geological side of things, but the accompanying historical information is also of use here.

Some interesting maps can be found at University of Victoria's Digital Collection.  Of note are carriage road maps (proposed in 1861).

Older version of the display page:



Project Status:
This post is actually a re-write with many additions and a second edit of a post on our farm blog that is located here.
It would be nice to flesh some of this out and perhaps create an interesting article for a journal.

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Crossing the Alps

The Project
The routes for mail crossing the Alps from Northern Italy to France, Switzerland and Austria (and hence the rest of Europe) changed dramatically in the decades prior to the formation of the General Postal Union in 1875.  One option, of course, was to bypass ground service entirely and take French or Italian steamers down the coast.  However, the benefits of rail service was becoming clear, providing superior speed in the delivery of the mails.

The difficulty for the postal historian is in determining which route an item might have traveled based on the markings a cover might exhibit.  This becomes even more difficult given the rapid change from 1850 to 1875 in the available transportation services.  This project is an attempt to identify available routes via passes and the subsequent rail lines and tunnels as well as their effective use dates for easier reference.

Last Update: 1/22/18


Mail Crossing the Alps 1850-1875
The map below gives me a better appreciation for the problem of transportation and mail carriage when the Alps are in the way.  You can begin to get some idea as to where an opportunity to cross might be given this representation.

Possible future project - highlight the passes on this map for reference.


Splugen Pass
Carriage Road - Construction 1818-1823
Road Expansion - 1843

Note, the convention between the Netherlands and Italy appears to have allowed for routes via France or via Switzerland but NOT via Austria.  Therefore, the Brenner Pass would not have been used for this item in 1867.  However, this could be a different story when Lombardy-Venetia was under Austrian control.


verso of cover shown on page above
In this case, we get a little help with two railway postmarks.  The first indicates the Swiss Traveling Post Office on the Chur to St Gallen line processed the mail from Italy to the Netherlands.  At the time of this letter, the only reason for this marking would be the route via Splugen.  This is further confirmed by a Wurttemburg TPO marking that would have been applied as this item left Switzerland at Basel.

Mont Cenis Pass and the Modane Tunnel
Carriage Road via the Mont Cenis Pass - Construction 1803-1810
Mont Cenis Railway 1868 - 1871
Modane/Mt Cenis Tunnel - Construction 1857-Dec 1870
                                          - Opened Sep 17, 1871

Route:
  • Chambery
  • Mont Melian
  • St Jean de Maurienne
  • St Michel
  • Modane
  • Susa
  • Turin (Torino)


verso of cover above, note Modane-Torino Ambulante marking for that stretch of Italian railway.
With the Modane tunnel complete and open for business, this letter was able to take advantage of what had become a relatively quick and simple transit of the alps between Italy and France.  This is particularly striking given the fact that Marseilles was a busy port that was the origin for many mail packet steamers, some of which would certainly stop at Naples.  Just the decade before, packet ship may well have been the best mode of mail transport between these two cities.  However, it is clear that water conveyance had no chance to match the two day transit this piece needed to reach its destination. 

St Gothard's Pass
New Carriage Road - circa 1830
Devil's Bridge (Teufelsbrucke)- 1833
Railway - construction 1872-1882

Route:
  • Zurich
  • Schwyz
  • Fluelen
  • Wassen
  • Goschenen
  • Airolo
  • Faido
  • Bodio
  • Biasca
  • Bellinzona
  • Lugano or Lake Maggiaro?
  • Maroggia?
  • Chiasso?
  • Como
  • Milano
Perhaps the easiest way to explore the different routes across the alps is to find mails that traveled between Italy and Switzerland or Italy and France.  The postal markings often give us a few clues as to where an item may have traveled.
Which way?  Splugen or St Gothard?
The above item clearly made it to Como in Italy.  With an 1870 date, it is entirely possible the St Gothard Pass could have been taken instead of the Splugen Pass.  The key is locating where Burgdorf is in Switzerland.

Note Milano-Como "Ambulant" marking showing rail service up to Como.
Given Bergdorf's location just northeast of Bern, it seems logical that it would take the carriage route via the St Gothard's Pass to Lucerne and from there to Burgdorf.  The lack of Swiss rail markings seems to support this as well, though it is far from conclusive.

Carl Blechen's Building the Devil's Bridge (1833) - "Die Teufelsbrücke"
The Devil's Bridge that is the subject of this painting would be over the Reuss River in Schollenen Gorge. 

Simplon Pass
Carriage Road - construction 1801-1805
Route:
  • Swiss rail to Brig
  • Domo d'ossola
  • Sion
  • Arona to Italian rail
need to find the source again
Mary Shelley wrote, in her work "Rambles in Germany and Italy, in 1840, 1842 and 1843" that the Simplon Pass had "... a majestic simplicity that inspired awe; the naked bones of a gigantic world were here."

Brenner Pass
Carriage road - 1777
Railway - construction 1853 - 1867
Route:
  • Innsbruck
  • Bozen
  • Bolzano
References:



Project Status
Early Stages

Data has been collected but is not added to this post.  Additional data needs to be gathered.

Misunderstanding and Irony

3 cents for a standard letter + 13 cents for "Special Delivery" fee
The Misunderstanding
Spencer Fireworks catalog ca 1941
This letter was posted by a person who probably wanted to do business with the Spencer Fire Works company located in Polk, Ohio.  You would think that someone who lives in Chicago (where this was posted) would have some idea as to the difference between Ohio and Iowa.  Yes, yes, I know.... They both have a lot of vowels.  With two of the three letters in common, you *might* be able to suggest that they were having trouble with a vowel movement.

No, no.  We shan't be punning here.  Oh, it's too late?  Sorry.

In any event, a helpful postmaster found that there was a Polk CITY in Iowa, so they added "City" to the address and away it went.  The Polk City postmaster probably rolled eyes to the sky and said, "we've got another one."  I'm guessing this wasn't the first (or last) time that something was incorrectly addressed to the Spencer Fire Works company and sent on to Polk City, Iowa by mistake.  The postmaster dutifully re-mailed the item to Polk, Ohio and a backstamp on the envelope shows that it did arrive there on June 28.
Arrival at Polk (Ohio) June 28, 1847  6PM



The Irony
Items like this are a bit more interesting to a postal historian, such as myself, because something didn't quite go according to plan in the delivery process of this letter.  That's why the item caught my attention when I first saw it.  I was able to purchase it for a couple of dollars and I could then take a little time to research it.

Initially, I thought it was interesting that someone would try to send something to a fireworks company in Iowa of all places.  After all, there has been a ban on the private sale and use of fireworks in this state since 1938.  By 1947 (the time this letter was mailed), I suspect most people in surrounding states might have some idea that fireworks were illegal in this state.  One could say that it is ironic that people are confusing one state with legal fireworks with another state with no fireworks allowed.

But, that's not good enough.  I like a full dose of irony when I can get it.  And, I got it this time.
A wooden shipping crate for fireworks.

In the process of confirming the date that the ban was put in place, I was able to learn some information about a key event that had much to do with the fireworks ban in the state.  Before I tell you about it - look again at the NAME of the fireworks company.  Got it stuck in your brain now?  Good.

The year was 1931 and a very dry weather was beginning to take hold of a significant portion of North America.  Have you heard of the Dust Bowl?  Well, there you are.  In any event, things were dry in Iowa, but towns in the state were still intent on celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks.  On June 27, 1931 temps were in the mid to high nineties and winds were strong.  I think you know what comes next...

There was an accident in one town.  A local retailer had a display of fireworks that was accidentally set off.  Fires spread rapidly.  By the time they died down, one hundred buildings in the center of town were destroyed.  Amazingly, no one died in the fires.

The name of the town that burned due to a fireworks accident?

Spencer

Last Update: 11/15/19

And A Bit More of the Story
One major event wasn't quite enough evidently to spur the ban.  The "Remsen Holocost" of 1936 simply provided more impetus for change.  Legislative action in 1937 led to the ban taking effect January 1st of 1938.  This ban existed up until its removal in 2017.  

The presence of large retail outlets at the border attested
 to a long-standing tendency of Iowans to cross the border to purchase fireworks regardless of the ban.  As recently at 2013 there were more than 25 fires started by personal fireworks in the state.

Air quality in Iowa in 2017 on July 5

Sadly, some of the side effects of ban removal were felt in the first year.  Among them was an amazing decline in air quality in the state during the primary fireworks use dates.  Interestingly enough, one of the reactions has been for local communities to ban the use of fireworks within town limits.

The Display Page
Below is the physical page on which this item is mounted.  The three spots at the bottom contain used copies of the 16 cent Presidential Series stamp.





Monday, January 15, 2018

Business to Madness to Social Betterment Projects


Below is a typical folded letter from France to Switzerland under the Universal Postal Union rate of 25 centimes per 15 grams.  It was sent from the Gare du Nord post office in Paris on July 18, 1879 and there is a Swiss Traveling Post Office (TPO) receiving mark on the back dated July 19.



Routing
verso of folded letter
As international mail became more standardized through the Universal Postal Union and rail routes improved, the plethora of markings that show the route decrease.  The only clues we have are the points of origin and destination along with the Ambulant 19 VII 79 243 No 2 Swiss marking on the reverse of the folded letter (see right, you may click on image to see a larger version).  I suspect finding a resource on the Swiss markings might give clues as to which TPO (Traveling Post Office) processed this mail item.

Otherwise, the rail routes via Basel, Pontarlier or Geneva are all possible.  However, the southern route to Geneva seems less likely as that typically served mail that originated in southern France.  Odds are high that it entered Switzerland at Pontarlier.

Lebaudy Freres
The folded letter is a simple bill for product that you'll find for business letters of the period.  Lebaudy Freres (Gustave and Jules) was a very large and successful Sugar Refinery that was located north of Paris.   The two brothers made a significant fortune in this business.  Some of the small tidbits I picked up but could not confirm included a reference to some dubious practices with respect to their workers and the fact that they were significant consumers of gas for the refinery.

Gustave was apparently the head of the company and was also an elected member of the National Assembly from 1876 to 1885.  He was linked to the death of Leon Gambetta in 1882 (whether this was deserved or not was not substantiated as far as I can tell) and lost re-election in 1885.  However, he was again elected in 1889.  Without knowing the details of the situation, it is tempting to point to this as a historical example of the short attention span of the public when it comes to political figures.  One could claim that it was possible that he was never linked to Gambetta's death and the public was now informed of this truth - but it is more likely that the public had simply moved on from the prior 'scandal.'
(information from Henry Coston, "Dictionary of the bourgeois dynasties and the business world" - Editions Alain Moreau, 1975, p.343)
 
It is the next generation that gets more press - and thus it is easier to track down information regarding their exploits.  One of the brothers (Gustave) had two sons who apparently took over the business.  They decided to expand it to include the building of semi-rigid airships.  I suspect the only connection is the fact that the brothers had resources to explore business directions that interested them.  The sugar refinery business continued until it was purchased by the rival Sommier in 1960.

In any event, Paul and Pierre (Gustave's sons) worked with engineer Henri Julliot to build a dirigible that ended up being purchased by the French military in 1904, only a couple years after the first flight.

The publication "Flight" of July 24, 1909 reports that the British government was looking to add dirigibles, including the possibility of ordering some from the LeBaudy's.  This article reports that the French and others were already in possession of airships developed by them.

Mad Jacques
However, if Jules were given the chance to look back and see which of his sons had achieved some degree of fame, he might not be as pleased as Gustave.  Jules' youngest, Jacques, took his inheritance and became the subject of no small amount of mockery.  In 1903, he took 400 mercenaries and claimed a piece of Morocco (near Cape Juby) as his new "Empire of the Sahara." 

He made a 'royal visit' to London later that year and was lampooned by PG Wodehouse.

The following is the content in the Chronicle:
M. Jacques Lebaudy, “Emperor of the Sahara,” arrived in London on Monday for the purpose of purchasing agricultural implements for his colonists, and is staying at the Savoy Hotel, inaccessible to interviewers and tradesmen. “His Majesty” has been out on several occasions, but always contrives to escape observation.]

The lot of an emperor is one
Your comfort-loving man should shun;
It’s wholly free from skittles, beer,
And other things designed to cheer.
There are worries small, and worries great,
Private worries and worries of state,
But the one that most distresses me
Is the terrible lack of privacy.
It rather tries my temper, for
I’m such a retiring Emperor.

In the Savoy I sit all day
Wishing people would go away;
Cross, disgusted, wrapped in gloom,
I daren’t go out of my sitting-room.
Every minute fresh callers call.
There are men on the stairs and men in the hall,
And I go to the door, and I turn the key,
For everyone of them’s after me.
Which is exasperating for
A rather retiring Emperor.

There are strenuous journalistic crews,
Begging daily for interviews;
There arc camera fiends in tens and scores,
Philanthropists and other bores,
Men who are anxious to sell me hats,
Waistcoats, boots, umbrellas, and spats,
Men who simply yearn to do
Just whatever I want them to.
Which causes me annoyance, for
I’m such a retiring Emperor.

Of course “the compliment implied
Inflates me with legitimate pride,”
But often I feel, as my door I bar,
That they carry their compliments much too far.
That sort of thing becomes a bore
To a really retiring Emperor.

Lebaudy and his family moved to the United States in 1908 or so and he became increasingly erratic.  He threatened the life of his wife and daughter multiple times.  In the end, it was his wife who ended him and it was decided not to press charges against her for it.  According to some sources, the tipping point was Jacques insisting that he needed a male heir by his own daughter.

Like Father Like Son?
Perhaps, the apple did not fall so far from the tree in this case?   It feels a bit as if Jules may have had an inflated sense of self-importance as well?  Jules owned many properties in Paris and was known for stock trading manipulations that may well have contributed to a 'stock crash' in 1882 that led to a significant depression lasting to the end of the decade. (White, Eugene, The Crash of 1882 and the Bailout of the Paris Bourse, Springer-Verlag, 2006.)

Not an Ill Wind
Perhaps the bad can bring about the good?  Jules' wife, Amicie wrote books under the pseudonym William Dall and engaged in some philanthropic activities while her husband lived.  After the crash of 1882 and Jules' death in 1892, Amicie created (anonymously), the Groupe de Maisons Overieres (Workers Housing Group Foundation).  Not only were affordable houses created, it was her goal to create a healthy 'habitat' for those who lived in them.  The foundation was still active as late as 2011 and is likely still in operation today.

Of particular interest is the statement on the foundation's site that Amicie wanted to avoid placing the name "Lebaudy" on the foundation because "Lebaudy was synonymous with money ill-gotten."

Open Questions
  1. Is it possible to determine the routing using the Swiss backstamp?

Last Update: 9/24/20 

Thursday, January 4, 2018

The London R in Ring Marking

Examiners marking indicating redirection
without additional postage in Britain.

The Project:
This 24 cent item attracted my attention simply because it had a marking I had never seen.  I have had this cover for some time now and have worked on learning more about the marking and its purpose on and off for several years.  I am finally putting all of the notes together in one place.

Last Update: 2/8/18
1867 cover to London from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
General Description
A letter sent from Kansas to Miss Mary Rush (care of Benjamin Rush) to Portman Square in London.  Apparently, residence changed and the Rushes were relocated to nearby Cavendish Square, which apparently was in the same postal delivery district.  The R in Ring marking indicated that the item was forwarded without additional remailing postage required.

Historical Connections?
It is possible that the Benjamin Rush to whom this letter is addressed "care of" may well have been a descendant of the Declaration of Independence signer Dr. Benjamin Rush.  The Rush family papers are a prominent collection in the University of Pennsylvania library system.

Route
Fort Leavenworth, Kan  (Apr 29)
    (if someone wants to point me to routing in the US, feel free to do so.  Likely rail via St Louis)
New York (May 4)
    HAPAG Cimbria  (note, this is the return leg of Cimbria's maiden voyage)
Southampton (May 14)
London (May 15)

Portman Square in London (West postal district)
British R in Ring redirection mark
Cavendish Square in London (also in the West postal district)
Portman Square is located at the far left center and Cavendish Square is to its East.  This is segment of an 1817 map of London by William Darton.

Rate
England       24 cent rate per 1/2 ounce
                    per the 1848 US-British Convention
N.York 3 Am Pkt Paid
     3 cent credit to England for their surface mail services.
     21 cents retained by the United States to cover
          5 cents surface mail in the US
          16 cents for the US contract mail packet to cross the Atlantic (the Cimbria)

Other Examples of the R in Ring
Image provided by Bill Longley
A couple of additional scans have been provided by others.  In both of these cases, the examples are much later than the item in my own collection.  The item above appears to show both types of redirection as the cover was redirected twice.  One was within the delivery area and received the R in Ring marking.  The other was not in the same delivery area and the red 1 penny stamp paid the postage for that redirection.  The Canadian 6-cent stamp pre-paid the postage from Canada to England.
Image suggested by Mohamed Nasr
This item from the London Postal History Group Notebook, Issues 137-138 Oct 1999 from the Vic Walker collection.  The heading that was published appears to contradict the purpose of the marking - or at least it confuses the matter.  I believe the heading is trying to say that the "latter category" would be address inside the same delivery area, but the wording does not make it clear.

The R in Ring Marking
from Mackay's "Postmarks of England and Wales" (1988)
Julian Jones was kind enough to provide help via Richard Frajola's PhilaMercury discussion board, giving me a reasonable summary and this quote from Mackay (pages 281-282).

"Letters from the 1840s onwards, redirected in the same delivery area as the original address and therefore not subject to any further charge, were marked with small circular stamps surmounted by a crown and having the letter 'R' in the centre.  These stamps varied considerably in diameter, the style of the letter and the shape of the crown.  Ten identical stamps (5290 shown above) were issued to the London district offices on 5th April 1859."

In summary, these were an inspector/examiner marking used for redirecting post within a local area.  The application of this marking indicated that the item was NOT subject to additional postage for the redirection to a new address.  These R in Ring markings are known in both red and black inks.

Prior to 1892 (for letters) and 1895 (for printed matter, cards, etc) redirected mail was essentially required to be "remailed."  In other words, redirection outside of the local delivery area required to pay a charge equal to the "original postage."  In the case of this letter from the United States, it would have been required to pay a single rate domestic postage of 1d, not the whole 24 cent or 1 shilling price of crossing the Atlantic. 

Forwarding Outside of Local Delivery Area
Double weight letter from Washington DC to England
This example illustrates the 'remailing' principle well.  The weight of the letter landed between 1/2 and 1 ounce, requiring 48 cents (a 'double rate,' or more appropriately, the 'ounce rate') to go from the United States to England.  Once it was determined that the item needed to be forwarded to a new address outside of the original delivery area, it was reposted/redirected at the ounce rate (2d) for internal British mail.
Reverse side of the above item
The new postage was applied to the reverse of the envelope with the new address.

A Local Delivery Redirection without the R in Ring
Redirection Fee waived, but no marking
Holloway is a district of London currently part of the borough of Islington (about 3 miles North of Charing Cross).  This would be in the North postal district according the Kellys map below.  Both the original and new addresses are in Holloway and there is no evidence of additional British postage being paid or required for the redirection in this case.

Post Office Acts with Respect to Redirection of Mail
The Post Office Act of 1840 (link is to the Great Britain Philatelic Society site) set the rule that a new rate would be required for an item requiring redirection.  The act was made effective on Sep 1, 1840:
Article XIV. And whereas Letters and Packets sent by the Post are chargeable by Law on being re-directed and again forwarded by the Post with a new and distinct Rate of Postage: be it enacted, That on every Post Letter re-directed (whether posted with any Stamp thereon or not) there shall be charged for the Postage of such Letter, from the Place at which the same shall be re-directed to the Place of ultimate Delivery (in addition to all other Rates of Postage payable thereon), such a Rate of Postage only as the same would be liable to if prepaid.

The above does not specifically address items that are redirected within the same local delivery area.  However, the British Postal Guide of 1856 does specifically address this issue:


The above makes the process fairly clear that an item redirected within the jurisdiction of any "Head-Office" or one of its "Sub-Offices" would be redirected without additional charge.  Below is a London Post Office Directory map from 1857 that may be accessed and viewed in more detail at the Mapco site.  It is my assumption at this time that each "Head Office" referenced in the Postal Guide translates to each of the sections shown here designated by directional markers (NW, N, EC, WC, etc).

References
References are made throughout this post and links provided in the text.