Lot
984 
Cent. Pacific R.R., Aug 11, partial strike of cds on 3¢ pink (U58) entire with red "Paid, Pacific Union Express Co." printed ribbon frank to La Crosse Wisc.; very light wear, Fine and scarce railroad use.Estimate $200 - 300.
As the Union Pacific Railroad was building track from Omaha City westwards, the Central Pacific Railroad was building track eastwards from Sacramento. The Pacific Union Express Co. had a close working relationship with the Central Pacific Railroad. Apparently, this letter was carried by Pacific Union Express to the Central Pacific Railroad, which carried it to the eastern railhead, and subsequently placed in the mails to Wisconsin.
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
985
Cent. Pacific R.R., Nov 21, partial strike of cds on 3¢ pink (U58) entire with red "Paid, Pacific Union Express Co." printed ribbon frank to New York, origination light black manuscript postmark "Ukiah [Oregon] Nov 19" with blue merchant handstamp receiving mark upper left; light wear, small piece of backflap missing, F.-V.F.Scott No. U58 Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
986
[Central Pacific Railroad] Newcastle C.P.R.R., Jun 30, 1871, blue double-circle cds on 3¢ green entire with Wells Fargo printed frank to San Francisco, Very Fine and scarce railroad station, Towle No. 976-S-4, Rarity V.Estimate $200 - 300.
A total of five Station Agent date stamps are recorded in use between Sacramento City and Ogden by Towle in the 1870s, these being at Newcastle, Penryn, Pino, Tacoma & Verdi. Wells Fargo envelope put onto Route 14701 at Newcastle to be carried 32 miles south west to Sacramento.
Current Opening Bid: $100
Lot
987
[Ephemera], The Central Route from Chicago to San Francisco, thin cardboard poster 5¾" x 11¼" promoting this route as being 500 miles shorter and says to take the "Chicago and Northwestern Railway from Chicago", etc.; all four corners with repairs, lovely Fine appearance.Estimate $100 - 150.
Current Opening Bid: $50
Lot
988
Cheyenne Dak. Mar. 8 [1868], mostly clear strike of Dakota Territorial cds with quartered cork lightly canceling 3¢ pink on buff entire (U59) to New York City with Union Pacific R.R. Office of Superintendent & Engineer of Construction corner card; small sealed tear at top, otherwise Very Fine.Scott No. U59 Estimate $300 - 400.
Current Opening Bid: $150
Lot
989
Denver, Col. Ju[x] 25 [ca 1868], blue cds yellow cover to Canton, Ohio franked with 1861 3¢ rose (65), tied by matching target killer, reverse with all-over propaganda map showing no less than seven rail lines radiating from Denver (none of which actually existed at the time this promotional cover was printed); slight reduction at right, Very Fine.Estimate $300 - 400.
This cover was featured in an article ("Denver Railroad Map Cover") by James W. Milgram, M.D. in the March, 2019 issue of Western Express.
Current Opening Bid: $475
Lot
990
Earliest East-To-West Cover Carried Over the Newly Completed Railroad From Coast-To-Coast, black "Danbury, Conn. 11 May" [1869] cds with cut cork killer tying 3¢ 1861 issue (65) on yellow cover to San Francisco; docketed at left "Danbury May 11/69, S. F. [May] 20" with original business enclosure datelined "Danbury Conn. May 11, 1869"; reduced irregularly at right, F.-V.F., an exceptional item, purported by the consignor to be the earliest east-to-west cover carried over the newly completed railroad from coast-to-coast, as evidenced by the nine-day transit time based on docketing (see article in March, 2008 issue of Western Express for additional details).Estimate $750 - 1,000.
THE EARLIEST RECORDED EAST TO WEST COVER CARRIED ON THE RECENTLY-COMPLETED TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD LINE.
The railheads of the transcontinental railroad met at Promontory Point, UT on May 10, 1869. Prior to that, Overland Mail Company carried the mail between the railheads, and transit times gradually shortened. The rail line was completed the day before this cover was mailed from Danbury to San Francisco.
Current Opening Bid: $375
Lot
991
(Earliest West-To-East Cover Carried Over the Newly Completed Railroad From Coast-To-Coast), postmarked "San Francisco, Cal. May 13" [1869] bold black cds with cork partly off folded business letter, written in French, datelined "San Francisco 13 Mai 1869" addressed to Barbezieux, France; merchant's handstamp at left "Abel Guy [San Francisco] May 13, 1869" with arrival and forwarding rated black datestamp "18 New York May 22"; tear to internal sheet, Very Fine, an exceptional item, purported by the consignor to be the earliest west-to-east cover carried over the newly completed railroad from coast-to-coast, as evidenced by the nine-day transit time and the dates of departure and arrival., ex-Walske.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
THE EARLIEST RECORDED COVER CARRIED ON THE RECENTLY-COMPLETED TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD LINE.
The railheads of the transcontinental railroad met at Promontory Point, UT on May 10, 1869. Prior to that, Overland Mail Company carried the mail between the railheads, and transit times gradually shortened. When this cover was sent from San Francisco, the rails had been joined only three days earlier.
Current Opening Bid: $500
Lot
992
Original CDV Showing Connection of the Lines [May 10, 1869], photograph with contemporary manuscript notation on back "The junction of the Pacific RR tracks where the little white flag appears in centre of picture", printer's purple handstamp "Savage & Ottinger, Fine Art Gallery, Great Salt Lake City, Utah", Very Fine and rare.Estimate $400 - 600.
Current Opening Bid: $200
Lot
993
[Pacific Union Express Co.] C.P.R.R. Messr. Aug 21, bold strike of blue double circle (Thomas PAU-601) on one of two Pacific Union printed franks on U58 (Thomas PAU-001) each with double circle "Pacific Union Ex. Co., San Francisco Aug 20" (Thomas PAU-100) used as paste-ups making up double-rate on legal size envelope to Batterman & Co., Virginia City; with two original enclosures datelined "Aug 20, 1868" from San Francisco regarding power of attorney; carried by Pacific Union from San Francisco to Sacramento, where the route agent applied the CPRR handstamp by train to Reno, then by stage or wagon to Virginia City; sealed tears at left, backflap damage, F.-V.F., ex-Lichtenstein & Tatham.Scott No. U58 Estimate $200 - 300.
Current Opening Bid: $100