Lot
726 
Sacramento, Cal., Apl 11, oval postmark with large double oval "Paid 40" rate handstamp over "Paid" sender's endorsement, on cover to Pontotoc, Mississippi, "May 29, 1850" pencil date on the back, ink blot on the postmark, minor edge wear, Very Fine, just four examples of the large double oval rate handstamp with the 40c rate are recorded. Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $375
Lot
727
Sacramento, Cal., 20 May / 80, large cds with integral rate on folded letter to Byron, Illinois, letter (3 pages) is from a persevering 49er to his family and friends back home and headed "Weaverville California Apr 19th 1850", letter reads in part "One year has now passed by since I left you, many have been the letters that has been sent to you by me, yet not one word have I heard from anyone I ever saw before… there is now a new Post Office at Culloma and it is probable that letters directed there will be more certain to arrive here within my reach…Culloma is the place where the gold was first discovered, have been in Mr. Sutter's Mill at that place, it is a thriving town… was out on the last prospecting trip near three weeks and about 70 miles north from this place, found the water too high for mining, sold our ox or butchered and sold him out for 62½cts per pound and made enough to pay our expenses… everyone is now looking for the dry season to commence, but it still continues to rain… in Hangtown… saw two men at work who have dug out of a hole… 18 pounds of gold in 8 days… Society here seems to be on the go down, thieving [and] breaking open cabins and plundering them are matters of frequent occurrence, while we were on the Middle Fork two men were killed in a quarrel about 80$ and but little was said about it… today have been mining [and] made 3.50, a poor days work but it is more than I could have done at home. Have one thing yet to encourage me that is the hope that my claim in the mountains will be rich… it is between the North and Middle Forks of the American River some 70 miles from Sacramento in a deep ravine… the hills upon either side of this are more than one mile high and so steep it is dangerous for a man to attempt to climb them… the water in the stream is a rushing torrent and is from hill to hill rendering it a difficult task to go up or down the stream", edge wear, flyspecked and toned, F.-V.F., just six 80c double rate uses with this postmark type are recorded, ex-Haas. Estimate $300 - 400.
Weaverville had a Post Office when this letter was written. The references to Hangtown (Placerville) and the sender's new claim being "70 miles from Sacramento" indicate he may have started this letter in Weaverville and finished it after travelling to Sacramento.
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Realized: $550
Lot
728
Sacramento Cal. '40' 19 June, bold strike of integral-rate (SAC-2490) cds on buff cover from Henry A. Cox to his wife at Fredericktown Mo., original letter datelined "Yuba River Calafornia May 29th 1850" describing his mining operations north of Sacramento and near Marysville: "…Our arrival into the mines was late and soon after the rainly season set in and my operation through the winter only yielded me a net profit of one thousand dollars and at early spring I commence digging a canal in company with a party of men for the purpose of draining the river (which is considered a better business than the uncertainties of health and Indians in the mountains) which will keep us employed at a heavy expense…With all the good luck a man can have (few excepted) he cannot make with the strictest economay and industry more than ten thousand a year and then it requires a great deal of patience and perseverence…", Very Fine and early gold rush letter. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $220
Lot
729
Sacramento, Cal., 1 June / 40, large cds with integral rate on folded letter to South Dartmouth, Massachusetts "USA", red "Too Late" straightline handstamp applied in San Francisco indicating the letter arrived there after contract mail steamer had departed, letter (3 pages) is from a miner to his wife at home and datelined "Yuba River May 27th 1850", letter reads in part "I came to this River… and took up a claim… I cannot do much at present the water is so high… I walked 300 miles to get to his place… I get plenty to eat but… flour & pork, pork & flour we cannot get much else… I am writing this letter on the tin pan I wash gold in", minor tape reinforcements on the folds, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $375
Lot
730
Sacramento, Cal., 12 June / 40, large cds with integral rate on cover to Port Byron, New York, also "40" pencil notation and "per Columbus, U.S." (mail steamer) sender's directive, "July 30 got this" pencil docket on the back, undated but necessarily an 1850 use given the postmark type, corner and edge wear, card reinforcement inside., F.-V.F., ex-Salzer. Estimate $200 - 300.
Assuming the sender's directive was followed, this cover was carried on the first departure of the noncontract Law's Line SS Columbus from San Francisco on June 18, 1850.
Lot
731
Sacramento, Cal., 29 June (?) / 80, large cds with integral rate and unusual manuscript "40" rate correction on folded letter to James Purdy in Mansfield, Ohio, necessarily an 1850 use given the postmark type, letter (2 pages) is incomplete and undated but on Rhodes, Sturges & Co. Bankers Sacramento City printed letterhead and signed Jno. M. Rhodes who reports "Buildings are going up with astonishing rapidity and many of them very commodious and tasteful. The city has a sort of civilized and half wild appearance that is rather captivating to a stranger's eye… I like the place much… When I get possession of an office, I shall be under the necessity of purchasing a safe. This will probably cost $400 to $500… the expense of getting here will be about $530 each", Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
John M. Rhodes (sender of this letter) and Stephen B. Sturges left Ohio in May of 1850 with the intent of entering into the banking business in California. A third partner in their endeavor, James Purdy (recipient of this letter), president of the Farmer's Bank of Mansfield where Rhodes had been cashier, remained in Ohio.
Rhodes and Sturges arrived in San Francisco aboard the Steamer California on June 23, 1850, and promptly left San Francisco (characterized as "cold, dusty, windy, and hilly" in this letter) for Sacramento City ("a paradise compared with it"). The partnership founded their banking house at a location on Second Street "a few doors north of the Post Office" as they put it in their advertisements. This letter was clearly written about that time.
Two of John M. Rhodes' brothers as well as his uncle followed him to California. Those men were the principals in the four Rhodes expresses.
Realized: $400
Lot
732
Sacramento, Cal., 19 July / 40, large cds with integral rate plus semicircular "Paid" handstamp and "Paid 40" manuscript endorsement on folded letter to Bristol, Illinois, letter (3 pages) is headed "Sacramento City 17th July 1850" and from a man to his wife at home, the writer describes his want for letters from her with "I went to the South Fork of the American River but had no luck. Learned that a mail from the States had arrived in the City… I left all and started for the City, travelled on foot… under the hot sun for 56 miles, called at the office and was turned away empty, my very soul sickened as the P.M. said none sir", the writer goes on to say he is going to the Yuba River to try his luck again, a bit soiled, paper reinforcements on the folds on the back of the address panel, Very Fine, ex-Knapp, Polland. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
733
Sacramento, Cal., 20 July / 12½, large cds with integral rate on cover with the rate crossed out and manuscript "25" rate marking appended, to San Francisco, undated but necessarily an 1850 use given the postmark type, cover cleaned and refolded, card reinforcement affixed inside the cover, Fine, a rare 25c double rate use. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
734
Sacramento, Cal., two folded miner's letters, first with "30 July / 40" large cds with integral rate to Fee Fee, Missouri, letter datelined "Dead Man's Hollow July 20th 1850", second with "18 Sep / 40" large cds with integral rate to a town (name unclear) in Wisconsin with manuscript "Miss + Ford" notation and red Watertown, Wisconsin, transit postmark, letter is datelined "California Nathenis (sic) Creek - 19th - 1850", letter is folded smaller than normal, both with some staining & wear, Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $400
Lot
735
Sacramento, Cal., 28 July (?) / 40, large cds with integral rate (month unclear) plus semicircular "Paid" handstamp on folded letter to Roxbury, Massachusetts, necessarily an 1850 use given the postmark type, mostly indecipherable letter (2 pages) is from a man in Sacramento to his wife or sister and dated June 29, 1845, which is obviously erroneous as to at least the year, some separation at the folds, Very Fine, ex-Tatham, Vogel. Estimate $200 - 300.