Lake Champlain Train Wreck

In 1894, mail from Canada to England must have gone via various routes including from New York City.  One of the main railroad routes went down the Champlain Valley on the New York side of Lake Champlain.

In December 1894, one of the trains went off the tracks just south of Port Henry (Essex County). A few cars including the mail car ended up in the water. The mail clerk was killed in the wreck and the mail car inundated.  The stamps on this letter from Montréal to London were washed off.

I assume that the USPOD applied the red rubberstamped explanation.  The letter was marked PAID when it reached England.

added by USPOD

front of envelope showing where the stamps were originally

reverse of envelope

Crossroads Stamp Show Purchases

Sometimes you find a cover that you just need to buy because it's such a wonderful example.  This cover from Deansville (Oneida County, 1830 - 1894) is such a cover.  Both the 3D star and the circular date stamp are crisp and well struck.  I have always been partial to these 3D stars.

Here's another example that I purchased at the Crossroads Stamp Show in Quechee Vermont from Annie Doubleday.  Again a wonderfully struck cancel, but this time from Keeseville, NY in Essex County (1822 and still operating).  The notation on the cover says "DEEP GREEN" but it's hard to tell.  

However, it's a nice strike of the "KEESE  VILLE" in two works from 1842.

Thanks to dealer Don Tocher,  I have an addition to my Clinton County collection:  a cover from the "Head Quarters 32d Regiment" of the New York State Militia.  in the 1851 - 1855 era.  Until 1995 Plattsburgh had been a major military base since before the War of 1812.

In addition to the ornate corner card, there is a Paid 3 in arc cancel.  This is unlisted in the American Stampless Cover Catalog (1997).

Newly Discovered Postmaster Cancel

Thanks to Doubleday Postal History, I can show a newly discovered New York State Postmaster cancel from the mid 1870s.

Fishers Landing is a post office in Jefferson County on the St. Lawrence River.

The cancel on the cover was a little light as well as being in blue, but thanks to Retroreveal,  we are able to show the how cancel looks.

At the current time, I have a listing of over 600 different County and Postmaster cancels from New York State ranging from 1817 (Cooperstown) to 1902 (Wells).

County/Postmaster Cancels

I'm always interested in acquiring new material for the my NYS County/Postmaster collection. I recently was successful in the Kelleher Auction held at Aripex in January. Just 3 interesting New York Covers this time with a little background information.

Newfane Station was a post office in Niagara County from 1876 to 1899 when the name was changed to Burt.

This unusual red fancy octagon is one of several county cancels used from Kenwood. Kenwood was the name of the post office from July 1889 to January 1922 when it became a station of Oneida.

Footprints was another Madison County post office which was short-lived from 1886 to 1890. The monogram killer is very unusual. I have been told this is the only known cover from this post office.

Continuing with my interest in NYS County Postmarks, I recently acquired these 2 very early examples from the Robert A. Siegel Auction in December 2010. I believe they are both ex-Hahn since his notes accompanied the lots.

Maltaville #1 (Saratoga County) existed from August 17, 1827 until it was discontinued on March 18, 1830. It was reestablished as Maltaville #2 on October 23, 1830 and finally discontinued on February 15, 1908.

According to a photocopy of part of an article from the Postal History Journal (October 1991): "A red oval without rim marking is found used at Malta Ville, Saratoga County. This marking is 35 x 25 mm ..... (The cancel) was used only during the first period (of the post office). ...Two...covers are all that have been reported to date. The item asks the Reverend Smith if he would consider coming to be the Malta Ville preacher."

The same Postal History Journal article illustrated this Fort Ann (Washington County) stampless cover. Hahn's notes report that there are 2 different ovals known, in different configurations. "This a letter prepaid 10 cents and unpaid 10 cents because it was double weight. It enclosed $2 in bills to pay taxes so even a triple rating would have been justified."

Keeseville Fancy Killers

Here are two unusual killers from Keeseville which is a post office on the county line between Clinton and Essex Counties. It is still in operation.

The "US" killer is from the Civil War era and shows a patriotic theme. Obviously the "K" stands for Keeseville.