History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America Part 5

Row A, Width of the oval " B, Height of the oval

Horizontal lines between the; Row C, Upper frame and oval " D, O of Office, and oval above " E, V of Prov., and oval above " F, V of Prov., and C of Cents " G, C of Cents, and oval below " H, P of Prov., & E or T of 5, 10 " I, I of R. I., and S of Cents " J, P of Post, and P of Prov.

" K, E of Office, and I of R. I.

------------------------------------------------------------- |Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type|Type| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A |24 | 24 | 24 | 23| 23| 24 | 24 | 24 | 24| 24 | 24 | 24| | | | | | | | | | | | | | B |18 | 18| 18| 18| 18| 18| 18| 18| 18| 18|18 | 18| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | C | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D |12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | E |15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | F |13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | G | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | H | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | I | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | J | 6 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | K | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | -------------------------------------------------------------

IX.

STAMP OF THE ALEXANDRIA POSTMASTER.

This stamp was discovered by the present author, and was first chronicled in an article by him in Le Timbre Poste, of February, 1873. A second specimen is chronicled in Durbin's Philatelic Monthly, of August, 1879. They are both postmarked with the ordinary dated hand stamp of Alexandria, D. C., the word "PAID," and large numeral "5." The first postmark is dated July 10th, that of the second is illegible, but the letter was dated Sept. 9th, 1846.

ALEXANDRIA POST OFFICE.

ISSUE OF 1846.

Large round stamp, 30 mm. in diameter, with border of 40 six-rayed stars. Within "_Alexandria_," above, and "_Post Office_," below, in heavy block capitals, a six-rayed star separating the words, on each side. In the centre "PAID," in smaller capitals, with the numeral "5"

beneath.

Impression from wood block, 30 mm. in diameter, on yellow paper.

5 cents, black.

This stamp appears to have been originally stamped upon the buff envelopes common at the time, and to have been cut out and fastened to the letter. No further information concerning it has yet been discovered. The files at Washington, of the Alexandria Gazette, the only Alexandria paper of that period, are defective from May 22nd, to October, 1845, and in part for 1847. Daniel Brien was Postmaster at Alexandria during 1845-47.

X.

STAMPS OF THE BALTIMORE POSTMASTER.

This stamp was first chronicled in the Philatelical Journal in 1874. The copy there described was the only one known, until very recently, a second copy was described in the New York World, and subsequently that and another were mentioned in the Alexandria Gazette, of August 3rd, 1886, as having been in possession of Mr. Thomas Semmes, of Alexandria.

These are described as postmarked respectively, January 15th, and 31st., 1847, with the other marks usual upon letters of the period. From 1845 to 1849, Mr. James Madison Buchannan was the postmaster at Baltimore, and is said to have issued this stamp in the fall of 1846. Further details are wanting. The stamp is a simple looking slip of paper containing the signature of the postmaster in fac-simile, in one line, and the value, "_5 Cents_," in a second line, bordered by a frame of single colored lines, crossed at the four angles.

Impression, 55 by 15 mm., in color upon thin bluish paper.

5 cents, black.

[Ill.u.s.tration: James M. Buchannan (handwritten signature) PAID 5 (with 5 inside circle)]

Besides these adhesive stamps, Mr. Buchannan also issued a species of franked envelope. Two copies of this were found by Mr. Robt. H. Smith, in examining his old letters. They are the ordinary buff wove envelopes of the period, size 80 by 137 mm., of the old simple form with straight edged flaps. In the right upper hand corner the signature "James M.

Buchannan," hand stamped, 50 mm. long, the "B," 4 mm. high. Beneath this in a second line the word "PAID," in capitals, 4 mm. high, and 16 mm. long is also hand stamped. Below this again, a large numeral "5,"

11 mm. high, in an oval 20 mm. long by 7 high, is also hand stamped.

The specimen described is hand stamped with the ordinary round hand stamp of Baltimore, Md., and dated Nov. 24th, no year stated and is directed to the present owner and finder.

Impression hand stamped in blue ink on buff envelopes.

5 cents, blue.

Besides these it has been claimed that the stamp known as the "horseman," was also issued in 1860 or 1861, by the Postmaster of Baltimore. It may be described as a rough design of a horseman, galloping to the right, holding a streamer, inscribed: "_One Cent_." On ribbons above, "_Government City Dispatch_." Rough frame of vertical lines with rough ornaments in the corners, bordered by a single colored line.

Impression, 23 by 17 mm., apparently lithographed in color on white paper.

1 Cent, red.

1 " black.

Variety, 1 Sent "

It will appear further on, that at this date, 1860, and long prior thereto, the law prohibited postmasters from recognizing or permitting to be used any stamps not received from the Postmaster General. In a letter published in the American Journal of Philately, July 20th, 1869, W. H. H. Corell, 3rd a.s.sistant Postmaster General, says: "The records of the Department do not contain any reference to the other stamp, Post Rider." It is supposed to have been issued by one of the numerous "City Dispatch" companies located in New York. These facts and the very rough workmanship, so unlike any of the authorized Government issues, would seem sufficient to settle the absolutely unofficial character of this stamp.

XI.

STAMP OF THE MILLBURY POSTMASTER.

In the collection of letters received by Col. Isaac Davis, of Worcester, Ma.s.s., now in the library of the American Antiquarian Society, were found, in 1884, two letters written and posted at Millbury, in August and December, 1846, postmarked with the ordinary dating stamp of Millbury, of the dates August 21st, and December 16th, respectively, and stamped with an adhesive stamp, cancelled with the word "PAID," in large capitals, partly on the letter and partly on the stamp. The earliest also bears a large "V," in an octagon frame, and the other a large numeral "5," in a circle. Col. Asa H. Waters, was postmaster of Millbury in 1846, having received his commission, dated January 2nd, 1836, from President Jackson, "Old Hickory," and retained the office until November, 1848, when he resigned and obtained the office for Henry Waterman, who had been his a.s.sistant. A third copy of the adhesive stamp is in the possession of Col. Waters, postmarked exactly as the first described specimen, but the date is July 18th. Both Col. Waters and Mr.

Waterman state that the idea of the stamp was suggested by the reception of letters bearing the New York stamp, and that the stamp was printed in Boston, from a block cut in 1846. Neither gentleman has any data by which to fix more exactly the date of its issue.

MILLBURY POST OFFICE.

ISSUE OF 1846.

Head of Washington, face to the right, on a colorless circular disk, 16 mm. in diameter, shaded to left of the head, and part way in front by 4 diagonal lines, and bordered by a circular band, 2 mm. wide, edged outside and inside by a colored line. The band is inscribed above, "_Post Office_," below, "_Paid 5 Cents_," in colored block capitals, except "5 Cents," which is in script. There are three five-pointed stars irregularly formed on each side in the band. The outer circle is a little flat between T and O. The vertical diameter is mm. longer than the horizontal.

Impression from wood block 22 by 22 mm. in diameter, in black on smooth unsurfaced white paper.

5 cents, black.

XII.

STAMPED ENVELOPES OF THE WASHINGTON POSTMASTER.

The Daily Union, published at Washington, Wednesday, July 23rd, 1845, and the National Intelligencer, of Friday, July 25th, 1845, contain the following advertising editorial[A]: