1. 1
4
e Notes on the Telegraph Coll~panirs
of the United States; their Stamps
and Franks.

5. on the Telegrapll Conrlpcrlllc:
r A vrc3
of the Unitecl s t a t e d their Stamp:
/
ancl 171-ail ks.

7. The following notes, with sollie additions and corrections, are
reprinted, from the Anrericn~tJonrtzal of Z'lrillrfeQ for rooo.

11. Some Notes on the Telegraph Coinpanies
of the United States; their Stamps
and Franks.
I t is a matter of history, but still of some interest a t this moment, that
the telegraph came into existence in 1844. I shall not trouble you with
details of the trials, experiments, failures, etc., of the beginning of this great
revolution in communication. I t is well known that Morse spent every cent
h e had in t h e world experimenting a n d completing his instruments for send-
ing messages b y electricity over a wire. After his return from Europe, on
April 15, 1839, h e was still working a t his idea, a n d in t h e following year,
1840, the first patent was issued to him. I n 1841, Morse wrote a letter t o
his friend, Alfred Vail, in which these words appear:-" I have not a cent in
the world." T o his partner, Smith, after still another year of poverty and
anxiety, h e wrote of his trials a n d in that letter we find t h e following:-
"While, so far as my invention is concerned, everything is favorable, I find
myself without sympathy or help from any who are associated with me, whose
interest one would think would impel them, a t least, t o inquire if they could
render any assistance. For nearly two years I have devoted all my time and
scanty means, living on a mere pittance a n d denying myself all pleasures,
even necessary food, that I might have a sum to put my telegraph in such a
position before Congress as t o insure success to the common enterprise. I
am crushed for want of means, a n d means of so trifling a character, too, that
they who know how to ask (which I d o not) could obtain in a few hours.
One more year has gone for want of these means." I n February, 1843, a
bill was passed by Congress, giving Morse $3o,ooo to build an experimental
line between Washington a n d Baltimore. hlorse was unaware of t h e vote in
Congress. T h e daughter of his friend hlr. Ellsworth, Commissioner of
Patents (her name was Annie G. and I mention it because it is a name to be
remembered), called on t h e Professor next morning and said t o him,
" Professor, I have come on purpose to congratulate you." l ' Congratulate
me! for what, my dear f ~ i e n d c a n you offer me congratulations?" " Yhy,"
,
she exclaimed gaily, as she enjoyed his wondering surprise, and h e was at
the time not in the fittest mood for pieasantries, " o n the passage of your bill.
T h e Senate last night voted you your money, $30,000." T h e news was so
unexpected that for some moments h e could make no reply. A t length h e
said. "Yes, Annie, you are the first to inform me. I was until now utterly
unconscious of t h e fact, a n d now I an1 going to make you a promise. When
the line is completed t h e first despatch sent upon it from Washington t o
Baltimore shall be yours." "Well she replied, " I will hold you t o your
promise." I t was now arranged that Rlr. hlorse should be allowed a salary
of $2,500, during the construction of t h e line and the test. His assistants
were D r . L. D. Gale a n d Prof. J. C. Fisher. Mr. Alfred Vail took charge of
the machinery, a n d the superintendent of construction was hir. E z r a

12. To Miss A. G. E.
THESUN-DIAL.
" Horas non nulnero nisi serenas.
I note not the hours except they be bright.
"The sun when it shines in a clear cloudless sky
hlarks the time on my disk in figures of light.
If clouds gather o'er me, unheeded they fly.
I note not the hours except they be bright.
'lSo when 1 review a11 the scenes t h a t have past
Retween me and thee, be they dark, be they light,
1 forget what was d a ~ k ,the light I h0111 fast.
I note not the hours except they be bright."
Underdeath this Morse wrote the following note :-" I n traveling on the
Rhine some years ago, I saw on a sun-dial at Worms the above mot1o. T h e
beauty of its sentiment is well sustained in t h e euphony of its syllables, a n d
I placed it in my own book, a n d have ventured to expand it in t h e stanzas
which I now dedicate to my young friend A., sincerely praying that the dial
of her life may ever show unclouded hours."
O n April 1, 1845, the line was opened for public business. T h e op-
erators were Mr. Vail a t Washington a n d Mr. H e n r y J. Rogers a t Baltimore.
T h e Postmaster General had fixed the tarifl at one cent for every four
characters. T h e receipts during t h e first four days amounted to the magnifi-
cent sum of O N E CENT. T h i s was brought about by the use of the telegraph
line by an office seeker, who said h e had nothing but a $ 2 0 bill and one Gent;
so h e bought a cent's worth of telegraphy, the address not bcing charged for
in either direction. Washington asked Baltimore,-"4 ", which in the list
signified " What time is it?", and the answer came from Baltimore-" I "-
which signified that it was one o'clock. I his was one character each way
a n d should have cost a cent. T h e man paid his cent and was satisfied to
go away without his change. O n the 5th of the same month the receipts
were 12% cents, on the 7th they ran u p to 60 cents, on the 8th to $1.32. I n
the year 1896 they were $22,612,736. T h e immense value of the telegraph
became apparent almost a t once, a n d Prof. hlorse offered t o sell it t o the
Government for $roo,ooo. T h e Postmaster General decided that telegrams
sent at the rate of postage could not produce sufficient revenue t o maintain
the line without loss, and the offer was refused. Mr. Reid in his book " T h e
Telegraphy in America ", a book from which I shall quote yery freely through-
out these notes a n d to which I am indebted for much of the information which
I possess o n the subject, says :-" I t was a fortunate fact for the inventor and
for the country." 'I'he American telegraph grew rapidly from this time on,
and long before his death, Mr. Morse had the satisfaction of seeing his
system in use in every portion of the civilized world
Having thus introduced you t o the telegraph in general, I will proceed
t o take u p the companies in chronological order.

13. a company to build a line from New York to Baltimore a n d Washington.
I t was estimated- that a line from Fort Lee, opposite New York City, or
rather opposite the residence of the naturalist, hlr. Audubon, t o Philadelphia,
would cost $rg,ooo. I t was with great difficulty that sufficient money was
raised in New York, b u t i n Washington there was greater success. Among
t h e names of the original subscribers t o the $rg,ooo we find t h e firm of Cor-
coran 6. Riggs, $ ~ , o o o ;Amos Kendall, $5,oo; E z r a Cornell, $500; John M.
Broadhead, $r,ooo; F. 0. J. Smith, $2,750. AS has been the case very often
since, two shares of stock were issued on payment of the money sufficient to
buy one share, a n d therefore the $rg,ooo represented $30,000 of stock. T h e
patentees received a n additional $30,000, a n d therefore t h e original watered
stock was issued to the amount of $60,000.
T h e Magnetic Telegraph Co. was incorporated b y the Legislature
of t h e State of Maryland, a n d this was the first charter issued t o a
telegraph company in the United States. T h e incorporators were S.
F. B. Morse, B. B. French, Geo. C. Penniman, H e n r y J. Rogers, John
S. McKim, J. R . Trimble, ]V. hl. Swain, John 0. Sterns, A. Sydney
Doane a n d Associates. T h e route was from Merchant's Exchange,
Philadelphia, via the Columbia R. R. t o Morgan's Corners, thence via Norris-
town, Boylestown a n d Somerville t o Fort Lee by the ordinary wagon road.
T h e reason that we find such a peculiar route taken is, that the railroad re-
fused t h e right of way except on oppressive terms. By Jan. 20, 1846, t h e
line h a d been completed t o Fort Lee. Mr. Reid became director of t h e line
with a n office a t Philadelphia. At this time, Mr. Smith of Washington, in
t h e emyloy of this company, invented what is to-day known as the " climber,"
that peculiar instrument, which, attached to the feet of men, makes monkeys
of them. Messages were sent across to New York by means of pigeons, until
a lead pipe, enclosing a wire covered with cotton saturated with pitch, was
laid across the North River, under t h e superintendence of EzraCornell, from
Fort Lee t o Audubon's. But this proved a failure, a n d boatmen were em-
ployed to carry the messages from Fort Lee t o Audubon's, to be sent down
T h e first office for the reception of messages was opened a t 10
Wall Street. T h e operating office was located in Jersey City, where it re-
mained for more than a year, until a successful crossing of the Hudson
River, 60 miles from New York City, was made. Not long after, the New
York office was moved t o Post's Buildings, behind the Merchants' Exchange.
T h e original Post's Buildings n o longer remain, but in their place to-day we
find the magnificent office buildings, still behind t h e reconstructed hlerchants'
Exchange, now known as the New York Custom House. At that time the
glass knobs which were used as insulators,glistened in the sun a n d made fine
targets for boys and rifle shooters. Occasionally a rifleman would make a n
attempt t o split the wire, a n d less occasionally the rifleman was successful.
'I'his, of course, caused much trouble. The great majority of people were
entirely ignorant as to the use of the mire, a n d the question of splitting the
wire or breaking the insulators did not concern them. T h e first calamity
which occured to the telegraph line was one which has been repeated many
times since. There was a night rain and a cold atmosphere a n d the wires
were laden with ice-in t h e morning n o two poles were connected.

14. The line from Philadelphia to Baltimore was built in 1846,
tract by which it was to cost $12,000, but which was slightly increased
on. All the wires were directed to be covered with tar. I shall quore
this connection from Mr. Reid's book : " T h e originator of that sublime CO
ception is unknovc. I n conformity with the order, however, a newly land1
Scotchman was engaged, who, with a tar bucket slung at his side and
monster sponge in his hand, tarred the wire as far as Wilmington, Del. The
tar proved too much for him, - he went to sleep and never woke. We
buried him there. When he was gone no one would take his place. Being
then in charge of the men, I took the bucket and sponge and lathered the
electric road to the Susquehanna. There O'Reilly made a bonfire of my
saturated garments. I t was a sad business. All the tavern keepers on that
road long remembered the man with the tar bucket. At the town of North
East they would not give me a bed."
The stockholders met and organized on Jan. 14, 1846. T h e officers
were :-President, Amos Kendall ; Secretary, Thos. M. Clark ; Treasurer,
A. Sydney Doane. T h e force was as follows : Washington, one operator ;
Jersey City, three operators; Wall St., one clerk and four boys; Philadelphia,
three operators, one clerk and three boys ; Wilmington, one operator ; Balti-
more, two operators and one boy. In those days enormous rents were paid by
telegraph companies for offices. T h e annual rent of the New York office
was $250, Philadelphia office $150, Baltimore $150, Washington $50. On
Feb. I , 1875, the Western Union Telegraph Co., which is the successor of
all early telegraph lines, moved into a modest little office at the corner of
Dey St. and Broadway, measuring 75 X 150 ft. and 230 ft. from the pavement
to the top, containing thirteen floors and built of iron, having three elevators
and one special trunk elevator. This modest little office cost $2,200,000.
Now, for the rates. T h e rates between Baltimore and Washington were
10-1. This means 10 cents for the first ten words and r cent for every extra
word. New York to New Brunswick, 10-1; New York to Philadelphia, 25-2;
New York to Washington, 50-5. This was considered at the time very ex-
orbitant, and in connection with exorbitant rates for messages I will quote a
little story from Tegg's "Posts and Telegraphs ". Of course, these exorbitant
rates led to the use of abbreviations and-words meaning sentences, and this
anecdote will fit the case. Mr. Tegg says :-"The despatches which pass
over a line in the course of a year, if collected together, would present a very
curious and interesting volume of correspondence. T h e price of
transmission for a message depending upon the number of words which it
contains, of course renders the construction of it necessarily as brief as
possible. Most despatches are contained in less than ten words, exclusive o f
address atzd signature which are not chargedfor, and it is surprising how much
matter is frequently contained in this small number. Among the best exam-
ples of brevity which we have met with, however, are the two following : A
lady in a neighboring city desirous of ascertaining when her husband would
return home, sent him a message making the inquiry, to which he responded
that important business detained him and that he could not leave for some
days. The lady immediately replied by sending him another despatch
couched in the following laconic manner :-'To F.. C. P. Despatch re-
ceived. Deut. XXIV: 5. Kate.' T h e gentleman to whom the despatch
was addressed, upon referring to the passage of scripture quoted, obtained
the following lengthy and suggestive epistle: 'When a man hath taken a
new wife he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any
business, but he shall be free at home one year and shall cheer up his wife

15. Philadelphia. I s everything 0. K.? D. T. M. T o which h e obtained the
following brief reply:-"Philadelphia. T o D. T. M., New York. Prov.
Chap. X X V I I : 1 2 , B. C. M.' U p o n referring to t h e passage indicated, t h e
inquiring individual obtained the following valuable advice, which it is pre-
sumed he followed:-' A prudent man forseeth evil a n d hideth himself ; but
t h e simple pass o n a n d are punished.' "
O n t h e reverse of t h e envelopes, which enclosed telegrams in the early
days, are f o u n d various seals. I t does not appear just when t h e sealing labels
were introduced, but they were probably brought into use during the
administration of Mr. Wm. M. Swain, o r possibly while he was one of he
directors in t h e company. H e was a man of great energy, nad possibly the
only one in the corporation, a t that time, who had very clear ideas of busi-
ness methods. Almost all telegraphic business management of the day was
d u e t o his energy. These seals cannot in any way be considered as telegraph
stamps. A n examination of the envelopes on which they appear shows
plainly what they were used for. None of t h e envelopes have a n y gum on
t h e upper flap, and, the messages enclosed in these envelopes being usually
of a private a n d confidential nature, some method was necessary to seal
them, and the four flaps at their junction were covered by a circular seal
25 mm. in diameter, printed o n a very deep blue glazed paper.
T h r o u g h t h e courtesy of Mr. Clarence H. Eagle I have had the privi-
lege of seeing one of these envelopes, enclosing a telegram, dated Baltimore,
Jan. 12, 1849, which clearly fixes its date. T h e face of t h e envelope bears
a n inscription in six lines :
MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.
I N V E N T E D BY
S. F. B. h l O R S E , A N A M E R I C A N C I T I Z E N
Office in Washington,
C O N G R E S S HALL,
Pennsylvania Avenue, ojposite Nutionnl Hotel.
I n the lower left hand corner, in two lines :
If you desire an answer,
T h e bearer will wait.

16. I n the lower right hand corner in two lines :
No charge for
Delivery.
T h e seal on the back reads, in circle :
hlAGNETIC T E L E G R A P H CO.
I n the center in four lines :
OFFICE
Cor. Louisiana
Avenue & Six St.
Washington.
I n August, 1847, the construction of this line was be un. T h e route
K
was by the public roads from New York through Harlem. W ite Plains, Sing
Sing, Peekskill, Newburgh, Goshen, Middletown, Honesdale, Montrose, Bing-
hampton, Ithaca, Dansville, Nunda, and Pike, to Fredonia. The line was
440 miles long. A line from Ithaca to Binghamton was incorporated with
this. The construction price was $250 per mile for the first wire and $too
per mile for each additional wire. T h e company was organized October I ,
1849, as the New York & Erie Telegraph Association. It was expected that
this line would be a wonderful success, but, to use the words of a writer : " It
was a great artery, but had no vitality for propelling blood. I t soon became
tributary to other companies." A seal was used by this company which is al-
most a perfect duplicate of that used by the Magnetic Telegraph Co. T h e
only difference is in the words of the inscription. In this case there are, in a
circle: " New York 8 Erie Telegraph Co."; inside of this circle, in four
horizontal lines :
OFFICE
No. 5 Hanover
Cor. Beaver St.
NEW YORK.
(No. 5 Hanover St., by the way, was Post's buildings.)
The seal is printed on deep blue, surface-glazed paper, exactly like the
other, and is placed on the envelope in the same manner as the previously
described seal.
Organized under an Act of the Legislature of Connecticut, passed in
the session of 1845-46, with a capital of $r75 ooo. On February 2 1 , 1846,
the line between Boston and Lowell had been completed, and Miss Sarah G .
Bagley was appointed operator at the Lowell depot. She is the first woman
telegraph operator on record. By March 22d the line had been extended to
Springfield, by the 26th to Hartford, by the 1st of May to New Haven. New
York was reached on the 27th of June, 1846. T h e office in Boston was in
the Merchants' Exchange Building; in Worcester in a building of the same

17. name; in Springfield it was in Massasoit Row (probably that ugly row of build-
ings which to-day is known as the Massasoit House). T h e New York office
was in Post's buildings. I n t h e New P o r k office a single messenger was able
t o d o all t h e work of delivery. T h e line was subject to many delays, owing
t o poor construction, a n d this became very annoying to those who found it
necessary, for business reasons, to use the telegraph. At this time hlr. Smith
stepped in a n d spent $25,000 on improvements on the line and in making it
t h e best in those days. Just then another company was looking for the
business from Boston, a n d Mr. Smith threw down the gauntlet, in the form
of a letter t o the opposition company, which is of sufficient interest to quote
in full :- " T o - d a y 1 bring out an offer in Boston. I propose t o deposit
$1,000 in t h e Merchants' Bank in Boston, against $ ~ , o c o , that my Durham
bull, weighing over 2 500 lbs , will carry a message of 1000 words from
Boston to New York, in less time than the House Patent c a n carry it; and I
give t h e House instruments the Boston wires gratis to try on, a n d October
a n d November to accept the offer in. If this offer don't get the public right,
I don't know how big a bull they want to d o that for them. Let this propo-
sition have a good run through t h e United States, as it certainly will, if its
mixture of t h e serious, ridiculous a n d sublime mill make it take, and House
a n d his Cincinnati coadjutors will run bull mad."
(Signed) F. 0. J. Smith.
AiIuch amusement was caused b y this challenge. T h e rate between New
York a n d Boston was 50 cents for each ten words, and n o reducton to the
press. Mr. Alexander Jones in his Nisforiral Sketch oJ the Electric Tele-
g r p h , written a n d published in 1851, writes : " W e early invented a kind of
short-hand system, o r cipher, inttnded greatly t o abbreviate comn~ercial
news transmitted by telegraph, a notice of which appeared in the Herald in
1847. T h i s was so arranged, that the receipts of produce a n d the sales a n d
prices of all leading articles of breadstuffs, provisions, &C., could be sent
from Buffalo a n d Albany daily, in twenty words, for both cities, which,-when
written out, would make one hundred o r more words. This plan of ab-
breviation, or some modification of it is continued on the same route, besides
others, to the present day. Copies of the cipher, either in manuscript o r in
print, were placed in t h e hands of correspondents who should either com-
pose or translate messages for the press. Another party also contrived a
cipher, but on a n entirely different plan. O u r first effort was found, in its
daily use, t o be imperfect, a n d we soon prepared a second edition. W e com-
menced sending a n d receiving commercial reports by it early in 15-17, be-
tween New York, Baltimore, Boston a n d Buffalo, and subsequently between
New York a n d Cincinnati, New Orleans and St. 1,ouis.
Mr. F. 0. J. Smith, t h e controller of the New York and Boston hIorse
line, established his charges a t fifty cents for each ten words. W e received a
daily report from Boston of the markets over his line, of ten words in c u r
cipher, which, when translated for the press, made at least from fifty to sixty,
Mr. Smith, thinking we were getting more than our money's worth,
decided that five letters constituted t h e average of English words, a n d
directed that all the letters, in a message sent in cipher, should be counted,
and the whole divided b y five f o r t h e number of words, and charged accord-
ingly. W e then, thinking other lines might follow his example, set down and
ransacked Walker's Dictionary for a collection of short words, a n d in n o case,
as far as practicable, did we select one with more than five to six letters.
After much labor we had a new cipher ready for the press. IVhen printed

18. it made about 70 or 80 pages octavo, and altogether, the edition comprising
only a few hundred copies for private use, cost us a considerable sum of
money, on account of the large amount of figure work. Mr. Smith soon
after decided that three letters made an English word, and we then abandoned
receiving markets over his line from Boston, but supplied some of the papers
in that city for some time with New York markets prepared by it, a n d also
used it o n lines leading to Baltimore, Cincinnati, a n d Buffalo."
This " kind of short-hand system, or cipher," invented b y Mr. Jones in
1847, is probably the origin of all our modern elaborate telegraph a n d cable
codes.
I n July, 1852, this company absorbed its competitor, t h e New York Pr
New England, a n d a single company, under the name of t h e New York & New
England Union Telegraph Co., was formed. We find that the New York &
Boston Magnetic Telegraph Association used, in 1850, a seal which is almost
an exact duplicate of the two seals previously described, except that the words
in the circle were changed t o fit the name of this Association, a n d read as
follows : " N e w York & Eoston Magnetic Telegraph Association." T h i s is
printed on deep blue, surface-glazed paper.
N E W YORK & N E W E N G L A N D N I O N TELEGRAPH
U CO.
T h i s company was organized in 1849. I t established a
line in opposi~ion to the New York and Boston Magnetic
Telegraph Ass'n, which used the Morse system of telegraphy.
U n d e r the influence of Genl. Lefferts, the capital, which was
fixed at $ ~ o o , o o o ,was subscribed. T h e route was along t h e
Pawtucket pike road from Boston t o Providence, thence it
followed the railroad t o Olneyville a n d southward, b y the
New London, Middletown, Norwich and New Haven pike, to
Eighth Avenue, New York I t was built of a single line of
No. 9 galvanized wire A peculiar insulator, known as the Leffert block
insulator, was used. T h e system was a chemical one a n d was supposed t o be
the invention of a Mr. Bain, but the evidence is in favor of his having stolen
whatever ideas he may have had on the subject from Mr. Morse's early in-
struments, because he was unable to obtain a patent in the United States
for his invention.
T h e company established neat offices, well located and attractively fittted
up. I will quote a few words as t o the employees : " T h e receivers were
selected for their politeness, were well dressed a n d silver tongued. A large
business was offered a n d was promptly a n d skillfully handled. T h e receipts
for the year ending March 30, 1851, were $34.529 24, t h e second year they
were $41,521.-3r." T h e company, that is this Merchants' Line-the name by
which it is generally known-and the New York P: Boston Magnetic were
at continual warfare, and suits for infringement of patent were brought
against the Merchants' Line. This resulted in the union of the two com-
panies, under the title of the New York S: New England Union Telegraph
Co. T h e general director was Thos. hI. Clark, whose business methods led
to many economies. O n e was an order that " all Morse operators be in-
structed to copy their own messages as they receive them, and this led t o what
is known to d a y as 'sound reading', in order that they might save themselves
the trouble of making two copies. I have a little story to record in connec-
tion with sound reading which I have stolen from Tegg, who stole it from
the London Times. It is as follows :

19. that there must be some mistake, a telegraphic repetition was at once de-
manded. I t has been received to-day (11th inst.), a n d shows that the words
really telegraphed b y the Reuter agent were : 'Governor-Queensland-
Turns-Firzi-Sod,' alluding to the Maryborough Gympic R. R. in course
of construction. T h e words in italics were mutilated by the telegraph in
transmission from Australia, a n d reaching the company in the form men-
tioned, gave rise to t h e mistake."
I t will be noticed from what I have stated just before, that the lines
passed through certain cities. W e know seals used by this company in New
York, Providence and New Haven. T h e r e is every reason to believe that a
seal will some day be found bearing t h e name of the Boston office. I t is, of
course, out of the question t o consider t h e seals of this company as stamps.
T h e r e is not the slightest evidence that they were ever used either t o pre-
pay a message o r t o pay for carrying a message from the telegraph office t o
the point of destination, or that they were used as franks. I have had the
privilege of examining a number of these seals, some in t h e collections of
Mr. Clarence H. Eagle a n d Rlr. H. E Deats, I have also three in my own
collection, and have seen quite a number within the last ten years, in the
hands of dealers. I n n o instance have I found t h e slightest trace of gum on
the upper flap of any of the envelopes sealed with these Merchants' Line seals.
T h e y are n o moIe telegraph stamps than the circular labels of the Magnetic
Telegraph Co. T h e New York & E r i e a n d the New York Sr Boston both
have exactly the same status; nothing more, nothing less. T h e label of the
Rlerchants' Line is a copper plate engraving, a n d consists of an eagle
couchant with spread wings, on a double line shield. I n the shield is a six-
line inscription ornamentally arranged :
Merchants'
Line
Telegraph
' 29
Wall St.,
N. York."
" 23-Canal St.-Providence. " 146-Chapel St.-New Haven."
T h e whole design is surrounded by a single lined rectangle, having the corners
broken I)y small quarter circles, a n d measuring 19x24 mm. in the
New York stamp, 18Gx25 mm. in the Providence stamp, a n d the same in the
New Haven stamp. T h e y are printed on a heavy, surface-glazed paper a n d
are trimmed to measure about 20x25 mm. I n the majority of cases the
corners have been cut off diagonally, making a n irregular octagon. They
were used in 1850.
T h e labels of the Merchants' Line Telegraph are in bad repute, because
of some of the things which are known about them. F o r many years t h e
labels held a n honored position in the catalogues a n 2 at one time were
~ r i c e d high as $5 per copy. But one day a firm of stamp dealers, of
as

20. (I wonder how that discovery was made) that the long accepted stamp was
only a label for sealing the envelopes, a n d the firm of stamp dealers were
obliged t o disgorge. My copy cost me $20, a n d I know a man who paid $50
for one not much better. T h e r e is an old Spanish proverb which applies to
this case, " I f fools went not to market, bad wares would not be sold." W e
must therefore, conclude that the long-listed first issue U. S. Telegraph stamp
is not a telegraph stamp at all. T h e list of varieties of this label, s o far a s
known, is as follows :
New York, black on red glazed paper
6. rr r r vellow M 61
Providence,
r
I
" "i green "
r‘ r
;ed
r'
"r
c 1
(?) " " yellow " "
New Haven, " " red " "
T h e City and Suburban, as it is known t o collectors
of stamps, but properly, T h e New York City PL Suburb-
an Printing Telegraph Co., was t h e first telegraph
company to d o a purely local business. I t was
organized in 1855. I t grew from the practice,
origisated in 1849 by Col. R. M Hoe, of having the
business office a n d factories of the same firm con-
nected by a private wire. ?'he company began business with a central office
in a deep basement in Chambers St., near Broadway. T h r e e wires radiated
from there t o Chatham Sq., East Broadway a n d Pike Slip,-to a basement
opposite t h e St. Nicholas Hotel,-to the Astor House a n d 2 1 Wall St. T h e
tariff was 10 cents for 10 words. Messages were few a n d far between a n d
the scheme was a failure. H e n r y Bentley had been general manager, con-
structor, repairer, batteryman a n d cashier. T h e company having failed,
h e leased the lines from the stockholders, agreeing to pay them 25 per cent.
of all h e made. H e arranged for office rent free in a number of hotels a n d
f o r board, without charge, for an operator. O n these terms h e opened offices
at the Metropolitan, New York and St. Germain hotels. H e also established
offices at the Broadway Post Office, near Canal St., Broadway & 17th St.,
Fourth Ave. & 26th St , Crystal Palace, a n d a t two other points o n the east
side of the city. Immediately a fine business sprang up. I now quote from
Reid's book " T h e Telegraph in America ":
" While thus carrying out his project of a City Telegraph, Bentley started
a system of message depositories where messages might b e left, called for
and carried by messengers to the telegraph offices. F o r this purpose he had
stamps of various denominations in the form of a small shield engraved, which
could be purchased a n d affixed to a dispatch when deposited. Boxes for the
reception of dispatches were left with druggists and others. Messengers
called at stated hours and carried them to the telegraph stations. Rut, spirited
as all this was, it would not work. Wrong tariffs were paid. Illegible
messages were dropped in the boxes. Answers, also, were received with
imperfect addresses, which made delivery impossible. All this soon raised a
storm, and claims for damages became unpleasantly frequent. U n d e r such
circumstances the boxes were withdrawn, a n d the experiment has not been

21. In connection with these telegraphic arrangements, Bentley started t h e
Madison Square Post Office, soon after known as "Bentley's Dispatch ", for
t h e delivery of letters in the city a n d for deposit a t the General Post Office.
T h e r e were, a t that time, n o auxiliary post offices. Letter carriers were rare
and deliveries few. Letter writers had to go o r send to t h e General Post
Office to deposit their letters. Bentley offered to d o this for a cent each.
T h e project was well received a n d thousands of letters were brought to him
daily. T h i s was maintained for several years with great success a n d profit.
At last Bentley sold out a t a large price. I11 health also induced him t o
dispose of his telegraphic arrangements a n d lines to the American Telegraph
Company b y whom they were, subsequently, greatly enlarged."
T h e stamps issued were of three values, r , 2 a n d gc, a n d were printed
in sheets together. Just how many were in a sheet is unknown. The
largest number ever seen together is three, the I , 2 a n d 3c, in a horizontal
strip. Probably they were printed in sheets of roo stamps and, as t h e tariff
is known t o have been 10 cents for ro words, two g's a n d two 2's would
answer that purpose. T h e extra cent was probably used in case the words
ran over t h e ten. These stamps, for a long time, were supposed t o have been
Telegraph Delivery stamps, a n d were believed to have been used b y the
Western Union Telegraph Co., doing business under the name of the City
& Suburban Telegraph Co., in Brooklyn; a n d it is also reported that these
were checks given t o messenger boys as a fee for the delivery of telegrams in
various parts of t h e City of Brooklyn, a n d that, on Saturday nights, they were
cashed. Hence, so few are to be seen. T h e y may be described as follows :
-Two concentric horizontal ovals, the outer being scalloped and measuring
30x20 mm. Between the two concentric circles the name, " T h e City &
Suburban Telegraph "; in the center the value, " One Cent " (z cents-3
cents), with ornamental dashes ; printed on a thin white wove paper,
T h e City & Suburban Telegraph Co.
I C black
2C 'I
A fairly well made counterfeit is in existence, also a poorer made
counterfeit which is printed in blue.
CALIFORNIA
STATE TELEGRAPHCO.
If there was any portion of t h e United States which, in the early '50's
felt the need of the telegraph more than another, it was California, a n d the
first movement to establish a line was made b y hfessrs. Oliver C. Allen and
Clark Burnham, of New York. In 1852, these gentlemen obtained from the
Legislature of California the right t o operate a line between San Francisco,
San Jose, Stockton, Sacrament0 and R t ~rysville,on condition that the line
should be finished by Nov. I , 1853. 'The California Telegraph Co. was
organized in t h e fall of 1852, but the line was never completed on account of
t h e price of money, which at that time was worth from 5 to ro per cent. a
month in California. Early in 1853 another unsuccessful attempt was made.
I n the meantime, however, J. E. Strong h a d obtained sufficient subscriptions
from the mining towns of Nevada, Grass Valley a n d tluburn to erect a wire

22. upon trees between these places. I t went into operation in July 1853, a n d 1
was the first line of telegraph erected upon the Pacific coast. I n 1853 t h e
California Telegraph Co. was re-organized a n d re-incorporated, t h e name
this time being t h e California State Telegraph Co. T h e old franchise a n d
the material of t h e old company were purchased. This new company meant
business. 2nd :rn:;lediately they made arrangements t o build a line of two
wires to fnllom the stage line t o hlarysville via Sacramento. T h e two wires
were, on? for " u p " a n d the other for " d o w n " business. T h e duplex
s y t e m v a s not then in use. T h e builders of this line h a d n o perception of the
value of their work, as the line was built of very indifferent material. T h e
fi-st section was from San Francisco t o San Jose, a n d it was not then realized
that this was the beginning of a union of t h e East and the West by means of
the telegraph wire. T h e line was completed to Marysville b y Oct. 26, 1853.
T h e tariff was high-$a for ten words between San Francisco, Stockton,
Sacra.mento and Marysville, a n d $ I between San Francisco a n d San Jose.
When it is remembered that San Jose is but a few miles from San Francisco,
it will be understood how high this tariff was.
Another line was built in California not long after, known as t h e Alta
Telegraph Co. T h i s was, at first, in competition with the California State
Telegraph Co. and was finally absorbed by it. I n 1856 t h e Northern
Telegraph Co. was organized to construct a line between Marysville a n d
Yreka. T h i s was also, after competition, absorbed b y the California State
Telegraph Co. I n 1860 an agent of the Western Union Telegraph Co.
arrived in San Francisco, with t h e intention of starting a movement for a
telegraph line across t h e continent. A few weeks after his arrival t h e North-
ern Telegraph Co. h a d been absorbed. T h e Atlantic c9r Pacific, another
line which had been built in California, also came under t h e influence of the
Western Union, and the Placerville & H u n ~ h o l d tTelegraph Co. was also
taken into this friendly family (all by means of union with t h e California
State Telegraph Co.) with a united capital of $r,a5o,ooo. I t was in 1866
that the Western Union Telegraph Co. really absorbed t h e California State
Telegraph Co. by purchasing the control of its stock. I n January, 1867, t h e
Western Union Co. decided to take direct control of t h e lines, a n d George
H a r t Mumford, who was afterwards Vice-President a n d Secretary of the
Western Union Telegraph Co., was put in charge.
I t would appear, therefore, that the franks of the California State Tele-
graph Co. were really issued by the Western Union Telegraph Co., as t h e
Western Union was then in control of its lines. I t would also appear to b e
safe to speculate upon the Western Union Telegraph franks having their
origin in the telegraph franks issued b y t h e California State Telegraph Co.,
as we find that this company was the first t o issue a frank, which is dated
" 1870." I t may be interesting, in this connection, t o state that the T r a n s -
Atlantic Cable might not have been necessary, had a scheme, which was pro-
posed in California in 1861, gone through. T h e scheme was ~ l o t h i n g less
than to build a telegraph line from S a n Francisco along the coast to Alaska
a n d Behring Strait, crossing that by a cable 39 miles long a n d sunk only to a
depth of 160 feet, thence, b y Asiatic Russia (known t o us as Siberia), into
Europe. I t was estimated that this line would not cost very much. Russia
h a d guaranteed t o build from Moscow to the Pacific; t h e line from San F r a n -
cisco to Vancouver had already been built; it lacked only 1800 miles t o
Rehring Strait: A t a n estimated cost of $100 per mile, the total would only
have been $180,000. T o this amount must b e added $roo,ooo.for a survey
a n d other expenses.

23. I n examining the franks of t h e California State 'Tele-
graph Co., we find that there are three types. T h e first
was issued in 1870 and consists of a label 25x30 mm. I t
is type set. I n the centre is "r870"; above this, in a
curved line, i n R o m a n capitals " C A L I F O R N I A STATE
TEL. CO."; below i: " F r a n k No." and dotted line; at t h e
" Frpp Business stamp"; a t the bottom, in two lines,
"gee, E. Mamford, Prest."; t h e whole surrounded b y
a single lined rectangular frame, measuring as above
stated; all printed over a background of ornamental type
set diamonds. T h e control number is printed in red
T h e highest control number seen is " I o r ". T h e y
S of at least six stamps a n d perforated.
1870. N o value; black a n d blue on white.
Second type, 1870, lithographed. T h e design consists of
a central oval printed in red, a n d bearing, in colorless charac-
ters, l' 1870"; just above this, in a n ornamental frame, t h e
word " Frank "; in two curved labels, one above a n d t h e
other below, the words " Cal. State" a n d " Telegraph "; in
a colorless label, below t h e lower curved label, "G. H. h4um-
ford, Pres't." T h e corners are occupied by ornamental
scrolls. T h e design measures 22x26 mm. a n d is printed in
black on wove paper, perforated.
1870. N o value, black a n d red on white, perforated.
T h e third design is very similar to the second, a n d
any description of it would coincide with that of t h e second
type of 1870. T h e main difference is that the central oval
lacks any color, and that the label above the central oval,
bearing the word " F r a n k ", is of a more ornaniental design.
T h e date is printed in salnlon, vertically, and across
this t h e control n u m b e r ; the highest number seen being
T h e years following, namely, 1872, 1873, 1874 and finally, 1875, are all
similar, though not the same, and vary in the color of t h e impression as well
as in the color of t h e date printed in the central oval.
187 1 no value black a n d salmon on white wove, perforated
6' ll
" green and red "
" red a n d salmon " Cl 'l
blue and salmon "
'l 6
'
l'
" brown a n d green " 1 g<
I n 1875 there was also issued a form of telegraph " pass ", which, it
seems, accompanied the book of stamps, if they were issued in book form.
01 course, this cannot b e considered in a n y sense a frank o r a stamp. I merely
refer to it because it has come under my notice.
WESTERNU N I O N TELEGRAPH
CO.
rn Union Telegraph Co. had its origin in two inventions, both
orse system of telegraphy. Of these two t h e more important
Printing Telegraph. 'I'his instrument was patented in 1846
e appeared to be t h e highest product of the human mind, as

24. applied to telegraphic invention. T h i s was owned b y t h e American i'el-
egraph Co. T h e other competitor was the Hughes instrument, also owned
by t h e American Telegraph Co., a n d upon which its business ca.reer depended.
I n 1847 H u g h Downing, of Philadelphia thought that h e saw a fortune in
t h e House patent and bought a trifling interest in it, and in 1849 constructed
a line from New York to Philadelphia, called t h e " New Jersey Magnetic
Telegraph Co." T h e capital was $roo,ooo. T h e line was along t h e turnpike
between Philadelphia and Fort Lee, a n d across the Delaware, Raritan a n d
North Rivers by the use of masts. Mr. Downing was a very industrious a n d
active man, but indiscreet and self-willed, a n d thereby lost a great deal of
business. H e n r y J. Rogers was appointed superintendent, a n d the company
built u p a large a n d prosperous business. I n fact, it became s o prosperous
that the greatest mass of business of t h e press was taken from t h e Magnetic
Telegraph Co. and given t o the House Printing Co. I n 1859, it became con-
solidated with t h e American Telegraph Co.
I n 1849, there was organized in t h e state of New York a line known as
the " New York State Telegraph Co.". 'The line ran from New York to
Buffalo and was to cost about $roo,ooo.
O n April 1, 1851, a number of gentlemen from New York and Rochester
organized the New York 81 Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Co., with
a capital of $360,000. T h e route was to b e through t h e state of New York,
from Buffalo t o Pennsylvania, a n d along the south side of Lake Erie, a n d
thence t o St. Louis. I n April, 1854 these companies agreed to consolidate.
O n April 4, 1856, a charter was granted in New York state t o the Western
Union Telegraph Co., this being the name which Mr. E z r a Cornell, who was
a large owner of the stocks of the corporations, insisted the new combination
should bear. T h e headquarters of the Western Union Telegraph Co. were
at first located a t Rochester, N. Y. Shortly afterwards it moved to New
York and established itself a t 145 Broadway. It will b e unnecessary to go
into its further history.
I n 1871 this company began the practice of issuing franks-to its stock-
holders, t o members of t h e press, to politicians who might grant it favors,
to railroad officials whom it desired to own. These franks may b e described
as follows : I n the center are t h e words " FRANKa n d " No." in solid let-
"
ters; under it in red or other colors is the surcharged control number of t h e
frank, and this number usually has in front of it a serial number o r letter,
all of which is in a square, the ground of which is made up of "Western
Union Telegraph Co." repeated many times. Over this square is a double
curved solid tablet, on which are the words "Telegraph Co." in white letters,
and above this, in a solid arched tablet, " Western Union" in white letters.
Directly over the word " Frank" is a white, geometric ornament. Below t h e
square is a n oblong tablet containing the name of t h e president in script, and
the word "President" at the base of the tablet in solid letters. T h e ground-
work of t h e tablet is " Western Union" many times repeated, in a series of
geometric curves in color. T h e entire engraving is o n a tablet of vertical
parallel lines; at the base of the design is t h e word "Complimentary" in white
letters on a solid ground. Engraved by the National Bank Note Co., a n d
printed on white wove paper, perf. 12; size 2 5 x 3 0 s mm. T h e franks of 1870
were probably printed in blocks of eight, two of these blocks being enclosed
in a cover bearing the title of t h e company and other information, including
the conditions upon which the frank was issued. I n 1872 they were bound
in covers of a smaller size, in blocks of four, a n d this form has been retained
u p to the present day. T h e first four used did not bear a n y date, a n d are
known only by their color.

25. Printed by the National Bank Note Company.
187 I , n o value, green, IVilliam Orton, Pres't.
1672, I' vermilion, " II
18732 " blue, II II
1874, " brown, 16
Date at sides in solid color.
1875, n o value, green, William Orton, Pres't.
187G, " vermilion, " (I
1877, " mauve, (I II
1878, " bistre, II I(
1879, " blue, Norvin Green, "
Printed by the American Bank Note Co..
1880, n o value, rose, Norvin Green, l'res't.
II 'I
1881, " green,
1882, " blue, II I1
1883, " brown, h( S
1884, I' violet, II II
'I 'I
1885, " green,
I II
1886, " purple,
"
J
1887, " red brown,
1888, 'I blue,
1889, " olive,
1890, " purple,
1891, " brown,
1892, '' vermilion,
1893 3 " blue,
1894, " green, Thos. 'l'. Eckert, "
I n 1895, the design was somrlvhat changed. T h e word " Frank " in
t h e center is now in a more ornamental a n d shaded letter ; the word " No."
a white outline Roman letter ; the lower label ceases to be ornamental
t h e background, instead of being made u p of the words " Western
nion " repeated, consists of ornamental figures. T h e size remains about
same, but the perforation is 1 4 instead of 1 2 .

26. Printed by the International Bank Note Co.
1895, no value, brown, Thos. T. Eckert, Pres't.
" 'l
1896,
1897,
1898,
:: purple,
red,
green,
Id
1'
'1
16
6'
46 1l
1899, olive, I &
T h e control number was either written with a p e n , stamped with a
rubber h a n d stamp, o r printed on a printing press. I n the early numbers,
the serial number which appears most frequently is " 0 ". I n 1875, we find
A , B, C , D, E, and these appear to run through the entire series.
Four curious labels have come under my notice,
which a r e worthy of description, because they may
]cad to t h e unearthing of a scheme for t h e prepay-
ment of telegrams. T h e y are printed on salmon
colored paper and measure 28x3r mm. T h e design
consists of an ordinary type set Grecian border, in-
.. .. .. .. .
,, . .. . side of which is the inscription " Good f o r 5 (to. 25,
50) cents a t any W. U. Tel. Office i n this city, when
countersigned b y . . . .Manager "; with blank lines for
t h e name of t h e managt r. Whether these are
merely essays, o r whether they were in use by some
of the offices u f d e r the control of the Western Union Telegraph Co., is not
known. I sha'l be glad t o receive a n y information upon t h e subject.
I cannot find anything about this company, except a mere statement
that such a company did exist, and that it had 27 offices, 32 employees,
owned 260 miles of poles a n d 260 miles of wire ; therefore. it was a single
lrne telegraph. What other information we have on the subject appeared in
Fiialelic Pacts and Faliucies, some years ago. I quote it in full :
'6
During a conversation with an old time collector not long since, t h e
subject of Locals a n d Franks was touched upon, a n d incidentally h e
mentioned that somewhere in his collections h e had some stamps that h e
could find no mention of in the published catalogues.
With a collector's keen instinct of something new in sight, it was
suggested they b e hunted up, which was done, and some three or four sheets
of t h e stamps illustrated herewith were the result of the search.
T h e owner could give but little information, further than he had had
them for upward of fifteen years, and they were given him b y a friend now
dead.

27. I
lines in the State. T h e result was most salisfactory, Mr. Finn having per-
sonally superintended the construction of a portion of this line about 2 0
years ago.
T h e line was known when first built, as the " PRINCETON, COLUBA A N D
G R A N D I S L A N D T E L E G R A P H CO.," a n d was situated in Colusa County, Calif.
"t was shortly a f t e ~ w a r d
I extended to Lake County, and the name changed t o
COLUSA, L A K E A N D b l E N D O C l N 0 T E L E G R A P H CO.," with hfr. P. L. Washburn
I
as its Superintendent.
Stamps were issued for the prepayment of telegrams and sold in he
form of coupon books.
This much by the way of history; as to the stamps
L,& themselves, they are type-set a n d printed in black o n a
#W/! white wove gummed paper, ro stamps in a sheet, in two
horizontal rows of five each, each sheet being a page m
t h e coupon book, a n d measuring 4% inches horizontally,
and 2 % inches vertically, perforated rz, the outside m a r -
gins not perforated, thus leaving eight stamps in each
TelegraphCo sheet perforated on three sides, a n d two stamps o n two
sides only, while none are perforated o n all four sides.
'lien sold, they w ~ r surcharged in blue with the initials of t h e super-
e
intendent, " P. L. '."
'The fact that this was a country line, with n o San Francisco terminal,
probably explains why it had been overll~oked the collectors of its time.
by
T h i s stamp should certainly take an equal place with the well-known
California State 'I'elegraph stamps in the estimation of all collectors."
T w o values are known, the gc and ~ o c .
gc black, L l l ~ e surcharge.
I'
I O C black, "
A I I E R ~ C AR x ~ * l TELEGRAPH
N u CO.
T h i s company was organized in February, 1879, under t h e laws of the
state of New York, with a capital of $j,coo,ooo. I t was a pretentious c o m -
pany. T h e y proposed, by means of a machine which they owned, to re-
volutionize the telegraphy of the world. Mr. D. H. Craig had received, dur-
ing the summer of 1878, permission to use the wires of the Vestern Union
Telegraph Co., to test a system of auton~atictelegraphic transmission, prac-
tically the same as that of Bain, which many years previously had proved a
failure. M r . Craig was very sanguine, and in a manual for the telegraph,
speakivg of his system, h e writes :-" Vhat the postal car is, as compared
with the postal coach of fifty years ago, the new system of machine telegraph-
ing is, as compared with the Rlorse or other hand key systems of the present
day. Practically demonstrated results already justify the assertion that
ordinary business letters can now b e telegraphed at a speed of one thousand
words per minute, between any two points within five hundred miles, for less
than the postal charges on half-ounce letters, carried an equal distance, forty
years ago. T h e circular of the company claimed the introduction of six new
features,-

28. 18
within two hours.
T h i r d : Night messages, fifty words for I j cenls, mailed before 9 A . hr.
F o u r t h : Press reports, 500 miles, one hundred words for ten cents.
Fifth : T h e use of stamps.
Sixth : Street boxes with collections, every 15 minutes."
T h e circular goes o n t o show the difference in the capacity of the Morse
system a n d the American Rapid system,-how the employment of girls, con-
stituting cheap labor, would reduce the cost of telegraphing enormously; of
the enormous power of transmission over a single wire, a n d how one thous-
a n d words mill cost the company 19 cents the first year, 15 cents the second
year, a n d , in the 13th year it would be reduced to 6% cents per thousand
words. T o o bad t h e company never lived to b e 13 J ears old !
Air. Gerrit Smith, one of t h e ablest electricians, and with whom I was, a t
that time, acquainted, greatly improved the system. Under his guidance
480,000 words a day could be sent. 'I'his was in 1881. I trust you will
pardon me for quoting from a memorandum journal which I kept in those
days, when I had very little to d o a n d visited everything that was worth visit-
ing around New York. I find, under date of Rlay 3rd, 1881,that I visited the
office of the American Rapid Co., where I called on Mr. Smith, the chief
engineer, who took me through t h e operating room to see the c o n ~ p a n y ' s
system. Bly notes resd : " T h e messages are received from the general public
a t Cortlandt St. and Eroadway, and sent through tubes, b y means of con)-
pressed air, to the operating rooms on the fourth floor of the Benedict Build-
ing, opposite. However, before being sent u p there they are stamped with a
green stamp. -hen the message reaches the operating room, it is put into
its proper bin, with reference to its destination, and from this it is again
taken in hand by one of the operators (mostly girls), who proceeds to make
a perforation of it by means of a machine, which seems to be a com-
bination of a sewing machine, punching apparatus and typewriter.
T h e operators are able to perforate about 3j words per minute. T h e
perforated sheet is received on a reel automatically a n d is then
taken to the transmitting table t o await its turn to b e sent to its des-
tination. T h e transmitter consists of two metal disks, separated by
one of vulcanite, and of two metal bands, which are attached t o a
spring and, when in use, rest on these two metal disks. T h e perforation is
attached to these disks, the spring lowered a n d the crank turned, a n d the
two meta! bands make an electric circuit everytime they fali into c n e of these
holes. T h e result at the receiving end is dot,double dot o r dash, or quadruple
dot or long dash. T h e perforations can be ~ransmittedat the rate of 800 words
a minute, and can be received at theother end at the same ratr. T h e receiving
machine consists of a revolving disk a n d a marker, which is worked some-
what like a Rlorse receiver. T h e operator is signalled, whereupon he turns
the disk b y means of the crank, and the prepartd paper which is attached
to it receives the message in hIorse characters. T h e slip is given to girls
who copy it on a typewriter, a n d the operation is complete."
T h e stamps called for in the circular were issued and were sold. T h e y
were printed by the American Bank Note Co. in sheets of loo, and were of
three kinds : the first kind, labeled " Telegram " for the prepayment of mes-
sages; t h e second kind, " Duplicate "; and the third kind, " Collect ". These
"duplicate" a n d " collect " slamps were printed in alternate rows on the
same sheet, T h e cancellation in use was either the word " P a i d " in a rect-

29. etters "0 C " or some other letters, or the name of t h e receiv-
licate" stamps were used in the office of the company t o
ount paid, for what are known as, " repeated messages ". I t
is well known that repeated messages are transmitted at a less price than t h e
originals, a n d accounts for t h e denominations of these stamps differing some-
what from those marked " Telegram ".
T h e "Collect" stamps, as their name indicates, were attached to tel-
egrams which had not been prepaid, a n d indicated to t h e receiver the amount
which the company desired t o collect. T h e blanks of the company bear a t
t h e right hand side the following imprint :-" Please pay n o charges on this
message unless t h e amount is denoted hereon b y t h e Company's stamp."
T h e design of the " Telegram " stamps consists of a central
ornamental numeral or numerals on a background of lathe-
work a n d surrounded by a twelve-scollopped circle. Above,
in left corner, " A N immediately beneath it i n a n ob-
'l;
lique label " Rapid Tel." a n d directly under " Tel.", in a
curved label, the letters "Co." At the base in a n oblique
label, parallel to the one above, the word " Telegram ".
Printed on white, wove paper, perforated r z.
rc black
3c orange
gc brown
~ o lilac
c
I ~ emerald green
C
20c red
pink
Z ~ C
goc ultramarine
T h e "collect" stamps are all of t h e same design, as t h e
" Telegram " stamps except that in the lower label the word
" C O L L E C T " takes the place of t h e word l' Telegram ".
Printed on white wove paper, perforated I 2.
I c brown
gc blue
I gc puce brown
zoc olive
T h e " Duplicate" stamps are all of the same design, which
$ consists of large ornamental figure or figures of value on a n
involved background of lathe-work and enclosed within a n
ornamental diamond-shaped frame. T h e diamond rests on
a n ornamental shaded shield which contains in either upper
corner the letters " A " or 'l K " a n d in the lor,er corners
' L
Or "CO."
,V At the base of this shield is a label of solid
".
color bearing in white letters the word " I ) U ~ ~ L I C A T E
Printed on white wove paper, perforated rz.
I C brown
gc blue
l gc p ~ brown
e
zoc ohve

30. -
T h i s cbmpany was organized in 1879 a n d Inc
porated Oct. 4, 1880, with a capital of $6oo,oco,
wind. I n January, 1881, t h e capital was increased
$IO,OOO,OOO, mostly water. A few wealthy gentletr
put in some money, and a line was built u p in less t t
two years, amounting to 25,000 miles, the wire connect-
ing 2 2 states. Valuable contracts were effected with
important railroads, and $5,ooo,ooo in bonds were
offered on the market to further extend the lines. T h e n
crookedness set in a n d the result was lawsuits, and
eventually absorption by the Western Union Telegraph Co. T h e Western
Union Telegraph Co., a t the time of the absorption, also absorbed
Air. Jay Gould who was one of the moving spirits of t h e hlutual
Union Telegraph Co.
I n 1S8z a n d 1883 t h e company issued franks for t h e use of
its stockholders, probably in books containing l o o each. T h e stamp
o r frank is a colored impression on white wove paper. Above, in a solid
arch, framed by two white curved lines, are t h e words "hlutual U n i o n "
in white capitals; below this in a solid double.curved scroll, orna-
rnented above a n d below by outline scrolls, are the words "Telegraph
Company". I n the center is a n ornamental groundwork upon which appears,
in white letters, t h e work "Frank", a n d below this "No." in solid letters. A t
each side the date "1882" or "1883", as t h e case may he. Below,in a lozenge
shaped tablet of horizontal lines, is " J o h n 0. E v a n s , Pres't." in solid script
for 1882, and "John G. hloore, Pres't." for 1883; below this in white capitals,
the word " Complimentary". T h e control number is printed in blue figures
in t h e center of the stamD. below the word " NO."
Engraved. Colored ;hpression o n white wove paper. Size: 25x30 mm.
-
Perf. 13%.
1882, n o value, blue on white
(1 I< L< 16 $6
imperforat e
1883, " red o n white, perforated
NORTHERN~ ~ U T U ATELEGRAPH
L CO.
This company did business in Oswego, N. Y. I t owned 13 offices, had 13
employees, 2 0 0 miles of poles a n d zoo miles of wire. I n 1887, t h e stamps
were discovered b y Mr. 'm. P. Brown, a stamp dealer of New York City,
and he wrote to Oswego t o t h e president of the company, Mr. Joseph Owens,
and in reply received the following letter :
" Mr. W. P. BROWN,ESQ.,
D E A RSIR :--'our favor regarding the Northern Mutual Telegraph Co.,
received. I was the president of the company a n d t h e company did business
for years, then sold its wires to another company and went out of business.
T h e stamps you refer t o were only used a very few days, a n d very few, in-
deed, were ever actually used, not probably fifty in all. I have the unsold
stamps o r hand now. I had a n idea that some d a y more remote they would
b e of value, should t h e company resume active business. I would b e glad to
treat with you for the stamps on hand, several hundred. I s r n d a set here-
with as a sample. Truly,
(Signed) JOSEPHOWEN."

31. 21
This letter is now in my collection ; also, sheet No. 46 of originals. I t
consists of ten stamps of 25c, five of 20c, ten of ~ o c n d ten of jc.
a The
of each value. T h u s we see that duplicates must, a t some time, have been
made of the 2oc value.
There are a number of ways of telling the originals from t h e re-
prints. T h e reprints, in the first place, a r e o n a whiter paper ; t h e gum of
the originals is whiter and thinner than that of the reprints. T h e perforation
is identical in measurement, but not in character-the reprints are not per-
forated in so clear a manner as the originals
, the numerals of value, 7 5
ite wove paper. Perforated
1883, 5c brown
IOC "
PACIFIC U T U A LTELEGRAPH
M CO.
This company, it would appear, did business in 1883.
It had 15 offices in operation, owned 475 miles of poles a n d
1,272 miles of wire. Nothing further is known of the com-
pany, except that it issued stamps. None of these stamps
have ever been seen in a used condition. T h e stamps are
all of the same design and measure 20x25 mm. At the top,
in an ornamental label, bordered on each side b y ornamental

32. Ll
IC black " "
gc ' l' yellow surface glazed ('
IOC " green "
'
L 'L
Z ~ C " " orange red surface glazed "
T h e Postal Telegraph CO was organized under the laws of the State of
New York, on J u n e 2 1 , 1881, with a capital of $ 2 r,ooo,ooo a n d a bond issue
of $ ~ o , o o s , o o o of 6 per cent. bonds, t o use what was known as the Gray
Harmonic system a n d the Snow wire, which involved the purchase of a large
wire factory. I t was reported that it was to d o a n enormous business, but it
had only been organized a few weeks, when most of t h e wire t h e company
owned was used for " pulling" purposes. I t was openly announced a t the
time, that the company would sell out to the Government, a n d it was likewise
openly announced that the Government would buy the company; but t h e
Government did not buy a n d the company did not sell. T h e y did a large
business at first, which fell away, a n d then Mr. John W. Mackay, of Cali-
fornia fame, became interested in t h e company. I t was put on a stronger
basis, re-organized under a new name, " T h e Postal Telegraph-Cable Co.",
with a capital stock of $ 1 0,500,ooo. I n the summer of I 884 it absorbed t h e
Baltimore & Ohio Telegraph Co. a n d the Bankers'& Merchants' Telegraph Co.
I n 1885 the company issued a series of stamps for the prepayment of
telegrams. They are of highly ornamental design, a n d were printed b y the
Hamilton Bank Note Co. of New York, in sheets of I O O stamps. E a c h
stamp is different, although a general description c a n be given, covering all
four values. I n the center t h e value in RomanIfigures, which appear upon
either a n oval, a shield, a quatrefoil, or a losenge; above, in ornamental lines,
the name " Postal Telegraph Co.", except in t h e roc value, where t h e word
"Co." appears below; a t the bottom, the value in either a straight o r a c u r v e d
line, t h e corners being ornamental.
Engraved. Colored impression on white wove paper. Perforated 14.
Feb. 1 2 , 1885 I O C green
I S C vermilion
z5c blue
~ O brown
C
Later on, that is t o say, after January, 1891, the small remnant that was
left of the Postal Telegraph Co. became the agent to conduct t h e business of
the United Lines Co., which, under the leadership of E. S. Stokes a n d others,
had bought the property of the defunct Bankers' B Merchants' Co., a n d had
absorbed the lines of the Baltimore & Ohio Telegraph Co. when that com-
pany ceased t o d o a telegraph business, owing to its financial embarrassment
a n d the unfortunate events in the life of Robert Garrett which followed.

33. figures indicating the date, " 1892" etc.; above which,
in a curved band, " C O ~ ~ P L I I ~ I E K T A RFY A N K ". T h e
R
space between the name of the company and this band
is filled by a ribbon in three folds, bearing the inscrip-
tion " Good for one message of 2 0 words."; above, an ornamental label for
t h e control number, bearing the word " No."; in another ornamental label
below, " A. B. Chandler, Pres't."
T h e y were typographed by t h e Morse Engraving Co., N. Y. T h e num-
ber printed on a sheet is not known, but they were bound
s made u p of blocks of four, and the color
ith the year. I n 1896, the inscription following
of the inner circle was.changed to read "Postal
h.Cable Co." 'I he design remained the same.
raphed o n white wove paper, perforated r z
1892, n o value, blue
gray blue
dark blue
violet blue
I 893, n o value, red (shades)
1894 " green
brown
green, imperforate
1895 " blue
1896 " sage green
1897 " violet brown
1898 " (?)
1 899 orange brown
B A L T I ~ ~& OHIO.
~RE
T h e first right of way given to a telt graph company in America, for the
construction of a line along a railroad, was granted by the Baltimore & OhioI
R. R. to Prof. Morse, under a resolution of the Board of Directors, passed
April 5, 1843, a n d the resolution is worth reproducing as a model of careful
wording :
" Resolved :
T h a t the president b e authorized to afford to Mr. hforse such facilities
as may be requisite t o give his invention a proper trial upon the JVashington
road, Provided that, in his opinion and in that of the engineer, it can be done
without injury to the road and without embarrassment to the operations of
t h e company. A n d I'rovided that hlr. hlorse will c o n c t d e to the company
the use of the telegraph upon the road without expense, a n d reserving the
right to discontinue the use, if, upon experiment, it should prove in any
manner injurious."
T h e passage of th
line which is mention

34. ' -
T h e Baltimore & Ohio R. R. granted from time t o time,
tended, the privilege to various telegraph companies of maintaining ttlegraph
lines along its road, and the license in each case was for "as long as it ex-
isted as a telegraph company, or for thirty years." T h i s seemed a long
license, but thirty years soon passed by, telegraph companies consolidated,
a n d most of thern had passed under t h e control of t h e Western Unlon Tele-
graph Co. At the termination of these licenses, t h e Baltimore Sr Ohio R. R.
CO, refused to renew them, and ordered the telegraph companies t o remove
their poles and property from its road. 'This, naturally, was objected to by
the telegraph companies, and the courts were invoked to interfere. The. out-
come of the matter was that the Baltimore S: Ohio R. K . Co. took control
of the telegraph along its lines, organized t h e Baltimore k Ohio Telegraph
Co., of the City of Baltimore, and 26 other telegraph companies in as many
states, each one bearing the name of t h e Baltimore Sr Ohio Telegraph CO. of
New York, etc., as the case might be.
T h e National Telegraph Co., with a capital of $r,ooo,ooo, 949 miles of
poles and 10,623 miles of wire, was built in New York State along the West
Shore R. R. a n d was controlled by the B. 8 0 Telegraph Co. T h e Bankers'
S: Merchants' and the Postal of that time were also partially controlled. A
bid was made for Government business by offering to take messages of 20
words, exclusive of date, for 2 0 cents. T h e Government a d o p t t d the rates,
but made n o contract. 'I'lle President of the company was D. H Bates, who
was also general manager. hlr. J. V. Rlackay and Robert Garret were prom-
inent on the esecutive board.
April 14. 1885 this company issued stamps in books, at $5 a n d $ 1 0 per
book. T h e $5 book contained $6.25 in stamps, a n d t h e $10 book $11.25.
T h e books were made u p of four values,-I, 5, 1 0 and ~ g c , - T h e stamps
were at first ergraved by the American Bank Note Co. a n d later by the
I<endall Bank Note Co., Hoen i Co., of Baltimore a n d Forbes & Co., Boston.
?
'l'he American Bank Note Co. stamps are t o b e found
with and without control number. T h e design, which is
the same in all four values and is also carried thrbugh t h e
various issues, consists of a central Maltese cross with
ornamental center a n d label bearing the letters " B. b 0 ",
'('his is on a solid ground, surrounded by a frame; a t the
, labelare curvedthe figures ofin value;corners is na label with
top
beari g
ornaments the
1)elom
a d a central
ornamental ends, bearing the word " (:ommutation ".
First issue.
hlade by the American Bank Note Co.
April 14, 1885, perforated 1 2 , printed in blocks of 6.
I c vermilion I oc brown
sc blue z g c orange
Second issue.
Vith control number.
j u n e I , 1885 to Sept. 25, r8Sj.
I C vermilion roc brown
gc blue 25c orange
Third issue.
hlade by the Kendall Bank Note Cn Same design ; control number i
carmine. Perforated 14, between.

35. rc green I O C chocolate
gc blue zgc ochre
The IC green has been found on an oiled paper.
Fourth issue.
Made b y Kendall Bank Note Co. S ~ r n e design ; control number i n
carmine ; on thin paper.
rc green r oc chocolate
gc blue Z ~ C ochre
Fifth issue.
Lithographed by A. Hoen k Co. o l Baltimore. I n sheets of 6 ; perfor-
ated I 2, between.
r c green
gc blue
xoc brown
On paper watermarked with papermaker's name.
roc brown
Sixth Issue
Lithographed by Forbes & Co. of Boston. Perforated 12%.
r c green I o c brown
sc blue zgc orange
FRANKS.
Engraved. Colored impression on white wove paper. Perforated 12.
1885, no value, brown, control number in blue
1886, " black, " " red
Tn the A?rrericnn Phi/nft/ist for May, 1889,we find the following :
" When the Baltimore a n d Ohio Telegraljh Co. entered Connecticut for
business, there was a local line in operation, whose wires ran from Hartford
to New Haven via the towns along the Connecticut River, called the
Connecticut River Telegraph Co. Wit11 this Company, t h e R. a n d 0. made
a con.ract by which messages were sent mutuallv over the lines as connected.
I t was then suggested that as the E and 0. had commutation stamps,
that the Connecticut River Co. should also issue a set, which was done, a n d the
result was two stamps of the denominations of one and five cents, black on
buff, which were sold in books of $10, and 11sed for several years. This was
sometime in 1885.

36. After the contract above mentioned had been made a n d above stamps
were issued, the Connecticut River extended its line from Hartford, through
New Britain, Collinsville, New Hartfold a n d West IVinsted, to New Boston,
hlass., a n d another set of one a n d five cent stamps were issued, using t h e
same die, but changing the color of the paper to blue. 'These stamps could
b e used only a t t h e above-named places and intermediate points. T h e y
were put on sale in October, 18S7.
When the K. and 0. was absorbed by the Western Union, t h e Connecti-
c u t River contract being voided, it was at once leased t o t h e United Lines,
which was in the field in Connecticut as a competitor of the Western Union,
a n d the stamps then ceased to be issued ".
T h e design is the same as t h e B . S: O., except that,in the
upper arm of the Maltese cross, we find the word " C O N N "
a n d in the lower arm of the same cross the word " R I V E K ".
Lit1 ographed impression on coloted wove paper,
perforated I I.
r c . black on yellow
sc ' on yellow
IC " o n blue
jc " on blue
Rlr. Sterling mentions two varieties of this stamp surcharged " I). H.''
in red.
I C black on orange
5c " '-
T h e Atlantic Telegraph Co. was organized in Portland, Me., in 188 1. I t
was bought out by t h e B. & 0. Telegraph Co., and run in connection with
that company as a n eastern outlet for its business. Four values of stamps
were issued, a n d there is a similarity in these stamps to those of the 13altimore
S: Ohio Telegraph Co. IVe find the same blaltese cross, which was the
emblem of the Ealtimore Sz Ohio R. R. Co., and was formerly on t h t i r tugs
and adveitising material.
T h e stamps consist of this central Maltese cross with a
ground of diagonal lines, upon which appear three ornanlental
letters : " A " in the left arm of the cross, a large " T "
reaching .from t h e upper into the lower arm of the cross, a r d
"CO. " in the right arm. This cross is surrounded Ily
a n ornamental border, which is interrupted in the middle
of t h e top by a n ornamental label bearing the figure of value,
and below by a label containing the word " Ct~arnluTATroN ".
Printed in blocks of six a n d bound in I~ooks. T h e
front cover of the book bears, in red, the design to be found
on the stamps a n d a control number. O n the last page of tlie cover we
find the follow'ng :
"A T L A N T I C TELEGRAPH CO.
E o o s OF C O ~ I A I U T A TSTAIIPS.
ION
Instructions.
T h i s book of stamps has been issued for the convenience of customers
in prepaying Telegrams. For example, a telegram with sufficient stamps

37. affixed to cover the tolls will b e accepted for transmission in the same manner
a n d on the same conditions as if the cash accompanitd such ie egram.
Tolls on cablegranis a n d " this line " a n d "other line" tolls on
telegrams destined for points btyond the llnes of the Atlantic and B. &z 0.
Telegraph Companirs must be paid f o r in cash.
This book contains 24 one c e n t , 36 five cent, 30 ten-cent, 24 twenty-five
cent stamps, face value being $ 1 1.04, a n d can be purchased at the princil)al
Atlantic Telegraph Offices for $ 1 o oo each.
Stamps should be affixed to the Telegram on the upper right hand
corner.
J. W. DEERING, Presidmt."
T h e control number is usnally printed above the upper row of stamps
a n d below the lower row of stamps, in a purple ink There are cases in which
t h e control number appears in the lower instead of the upper margin of the
upper row of three stamps.
Lithographed o n white wove paper, perforated I 2%.
I C green
5 c blue
roc purple
25c carmine
'L'he A7?zcricaa Philafelist f o r April, 1892, has the following :
" W e have received from hlr. A. V. D u n n i n g a set of four stamps which
have been issued by this company, whether recently or n o t , we a r e not in-
formed. T h e y are oblong, measuring 44x72 mm. A t the top, in two lines,
is the name of t h e company o n a background, showing the sun peeping over
a range of hills with a telegraph pole i n the foreground. Below thls is :
' This stamp will be accepted at any office of t h e Pacific Postal Telrgraph
Co. in payment for telegrams, Chas. L Hosmer, General Manager'; in the
lower right corner is a circle, I 1 mm. in diameter, containing the value in
both words and figures. T h e perforation gauges 12,but none of the speci-
mens sent are pertorated on all sides a n d none of them o n the ends."
I a m informed that they were in use in Seattle and T a c o m a , Vashing-
ton Territory and I have in my collection aset, formerly the property of Mr.
H . B. Phillips, of San Francisco, which are cancelled " Hadley Wash." T h e
control number is printed in carmine in the blank space a t the left. nir.
Phillips writes that they were sold in books " about in the form of mileage
tickets of the R. K Cos." T h e y are perforated at the top a n d bottom only.
1,ithqgraphed imprzssion o n white wove paper, p-rforated r 2 .
IOC brown
i g c black
2 5 vermilion
~
4oc light green
50c blue

38. I have in my .collection two sets of these stamps, one showing
t h e control number printed in red, in the white label a t the left of the design ;
t h e other, without control number, and cancelled with red ink marks.
T h e date of issue appears not t o be known.
I have been unable to find anything relating to this company. 'I'he
catalogues give 1894 as the date of issue; how this was arrived a t I d o not
know. T h e r e are three stamps, and the design consists of a central circle,
across which runs a horizontal label bearing either the word " Commutation"
o r "Complimentary "; in a curved line above this band, the words
" Conlmercial Union "; below, "Telegraph CO "; a t either side " 20 words ";
or, in t h e case of the Con~mutation, one side " 2 0 words " a n d on t h e
on
other side " 25 cents ".
Lithographed by A. C. Goodwin, Albany, N. Y., and printed o n white
wove surface glazed paper, perforated 1 2 .
20 words Complimentary,_carn~ine
20 " Z~C,green
25c yellow
NORTHERN E W YORK T E L ~ G R A P I I
N CO.
Practically nothing is known of this company, except
that we have some stamps bearing t h e name, a n d that the
company had 7 offices and 7 employees, 25 miles of poles
and 25 miles of wire. I have not been able to find from
what point to what other point these 25 miles of wires
extended. SVe presume that it was in operation in 1894,
as will appear from t h e inscription on the stamps. T h e
design consists of an upright rectangle made u p of series
of vertical and horizontal lines. Within this rectangle
is a circle bearing a shaded five-pointed star. Above, in
two lines which overlap each other, " N O R T H E R N N E W Y O R K "; below, in a
white label running diagonally, the word "TELEGRAPH "; a n d beneath the
right hand corner of this label, in white letters upon a shaded ground, " CO."
T h e stamp occurs in two colors, one a gray green a n d the other blue. T h e
gray green is surcharged in Roman letters " F R A N K 1894 "; the blue one is
surcharged in much larger type " ro ".
T h e Continental Telegraph Co. was built in 1878, by Garret S. Mott
a n d James . I,. Shaw, between New York and Philadelphia, a n d upon its
completion Mr. Mott became general manager. I d o not know that this

39. company issued a n y stamps. I only know that I have in my possession a
series of beautifully engraved labels, bearing the name of the Continental
Telegraph Co., a n d they evidently were prepared f o r use, though probably
not issued.
T h e y consist of a triangular design, composed of a n outer a n d inner
triangle. Between the outer a n d inner triangle is a groundwork of color,
covered by a lathe work desigqbroken at the left by the word "CONTINENTAL";
a t t h e right by "TELEGRAPH"; below b y "COMPANY". T h e inner triangle is
filled with ornamental lathe work. In the center appears the figure of value,
I , 2, 5, 20, 25 o r 50, as the case may be. Above this figure of value " Good
for"; on either side or across the figure of value, the amount in words " o n e
cent ", " two cents ", etc. ; below in a double curved label with ornamental
ends, " in telegraph service ", a n d underneath this in a smaller label, " over
its lines ".
I C orange
PC carmine
5c green
zoc purple brown
P ~ deep blue
C
50c brown
I have now named all the telegraph companies which have come under
m y notice, a n d it only remains for me to say that stamps have been issued by
a number of telephone companies and in each case they are in the nature of
franks, rather than stamps. I shall not go into t h e matter of telephone franks.
I t will be sufficient for me to mention that the American Telephone S: 'l'el-
egraph Co. issued such, in books, made u p of sheets of 25 franks each.
'I'hat t h e Southern N e w England Telephone Co. has issued a series in various
colors, bearing the well-known emblem of a bell, and surrounded by a circular
label bearing the words " G O O D FOR hlESSAGES BETWEEN A L L P O I N T S I N
C O N N E C rrcuT
'I. 'I'he New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. have is-
sued a frank, somewhat in the nature of a railroad transfer, being merely a
slip of paper printed with a control number in the corner, and surcharged
with the year of use. T h i s latter is in the collection of Mr. Deats.
I n conclusion, I wish to offer my thanks to Mr. Drats, who has kindly
loaned me his collection for study a n d comparison, t o Mr. Clarence H. Eagle,
for his courtesy in allowing me t o examine his seals of t h e early telegraph
companies ; a n d to Mr. H. B. Phillips of San Francisco, for information
concerning the Colusa, Lake & hlendocino Telegraph Co. a n d the Pacific
I
Postal Telegraph Co.'s stamps.

40. BCDE

41. R e d Machine. Blue Machine. H a n d Stamp. Manuscript. Remarks.
1899 A B C D E ABCDE E Machine letter in blue
after the number.
19co ABCDE CDE $6 i' 61
'I'he control numbers are printed on the stamps by the Bates numbering
machine o r a r e put on by means of a rubber hand stamp, in which latter
case each stamp is numbered separately, the Bates machine being a com-
p o u n d machine numbering four at a time. We also find the control
numbers in manuscript, in black o r red ink.
T h e r e has been some speculation among collectors as to the meaning of
the various letters in the control numbers. Some collectors have thought
that t h e letter preceding the number had reference to some particular class
of persons using t h e frank, such as, officials of a company, railroad corpora-
tions in exchange for passes, etc., etc. T h e f r ~ n k are issued for the use of
s
officials, railroad presidents, merchants and friends, a n d are available for
social co.respondence only ; in no case are they allowed to prepay either
commercial, political, news, or' railroad business; a n d they cnly prepay
messages t o the extent of twenty words, exclusive of the address and signature,
a n extra frank stamp being used for every extra twenty words or part thereof.
T h e books as issued are stamptd by the Bates machine ; reissues are
numbered by the rubber hand stamp o r in manuscript. T h e letters in front
of the numbers have n o other meaning than series initials.
I t will b e noticed that the franks of I 87 I , I 872, I 873 a n d 1874 are only
in machine numbering a n d only with the letter " 0" preceding the number; in
1875 we find first t h e series letters ; t h e 1881 franks come with the manuscript
control number, in black a n d also in red ink ; the 1890 franks of the series
B a n d C are found with machine surcharge in black, as well as in red ;
the 1893 franks are found with both black and red handstsmped surcharges ;
the 1898 are also found with two different hand>taniped surcharges, the one
red and the other violet. I n general, the handstamped surcharges have been
done with what is known as violet ink. T h i s ink deteriorates rapidly,
a n d we therefore find the surcharges varying from bluish violet to nlnlost a
black.
I t will be noticed in looking over the list that certain letters are missing.
It is reasonable to suppose that many of these exist, a n d may possibly b e i n
collections to which 1 have r.ot had access. T h e chances are th ~t the I S ~ G ,
with machine surcharge in blue U exists ; also, I 877, lnarhine A ; I 878,
machine A ; 1879, machine A ; 1880, A and B ; 13x1. A ; 1882,hand stalul)
A ; 1895, machine .4 ; 1900, machine in blue A and B
W h e n mentioning t h e "Duplicate " stamps of this colnpal y, I $tat( d
that they were used to indicate the amonnt paid for repeated Inessnges. It
has always been my impression, based upon statemcr,ts to that effect. that
this was the object of the stamps. I n looking over " A Catalogue of 'I'el-
egraph Stanips, Stamped Forms, etc.", published in the Phihzfclic 'icccorri in
1889, I find a note a t the foot of page 50 as follows :
" These " Duplicate " stamps form a part of the s t a n ~ p s for unpaid
telegrams, above described, a n d are printed attaci-fed to them T h e "Col-
l e c t " stamp is affixed to the despatch, and the " Duplicate" retained by t h e
company as a voucher."

42. P A C ~ F I M U T U A LT E L E G R A P H
C CO.
I n the books which I have seen, strange to say, t h e slate a n d black rc
stamps are both to be found, showing that they are simply differences in the
amount of ink used in printing.
On the inside of the front cover we find the following printed :
P A C I F I C h I U T U A L T E L E G R A P H CO.
Boos OF CO~~IAIUTATION
STAMPS.
T h i s Book Contains Stamps of Various Denomina-
tions to the Amount of $ro.oo
Stamps Should be Affixed to the Tclegram on the
Upper Right I I a n d Corner.

50. l l l l l l llillllllill l l llllI IlI I lll
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