Lot
4382 
(Route 12717) Steamer Illinois, Sault, perfect strike of "Aug 12 1864" cds on light buff cover addressed in pencil to Pottsville Pa., bearing 3¢ rose (65), short perfs at right, tied by open circular grid and indistinct Mich. cds adjacent, carried from Sault by the Illinois to Cleveland where placed on the rails via Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, Very Fine, Illustrated in Milgram on page 634., ex-Floyd Risvold. Milgram No. 634 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
The "Illinois" was a side-wheeler of 926 tons built at Detroit in 1853 and abandoned in 1869.
In July 1863, Ebenezer Ward was contracted to operate routes Cleveland and Chicago to Otonagon on the shore of Lake Superior. He arranged for name-of-boat datestamps to be used bearing the names of the port that a letter was put onto the boat at. Unusually, the payment was made on a weekly basis at $200 for three round trips per week.
Realized: $600
Lot
4383
(Route 12717) Steamer Pewabic, Cleveland, "Sep 15 1864" cds on yellow cover with "Weaver, Fliess & Co., Distillers and Rectifiers" corner card addressed to Eagle Harbor, Michigan that was on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior, bearing 3¢ rose (65), perf tear, tied by grid cancel; reduced at right with small corner repair and top edge tear, F.-V.F., a rare marking. Milgram No. 1091 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
The "Pewabic" is recorded as using five different datestamps with originations of Cleveland, Detroit, Marquette, Portage and Sault St. Marie.
Realized: $475
Lot
4384
(Lake Superior Line - Routes 12509 & 12717) Steamer Iron City, oval handstamp on orange buff cover addressed to Ellsworth Oh. bearing 3¢ dull red (26) tied by "Cleveland O. Sep 24 1860" duplex; reduced slightly at top, partial flap, top corners with small mend, still Very Fine; signed by Ashbrook on reverse. Milgram No. 645 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Although Ebenezer Ward held the contracts for the Cleveland and Chicago to Ontonagon routes from 1858 to 1865, the Star Route bid registers show a large number of single trip contracts undertaken by the Lake Superior Line.
Lot
4385
(Lake Superior Line - Routes 12509 & 12717) Steamer North Star, bold strike of oval handstamp on buff cover addressed to Geneva Wis. bearing 3¢ dull red (26), nat. s.e. at left, rounded corner, tied by "Detroit Mich. '3 Paid' Jun 7 1860" cds, carried to Mackinaw on the North Star for transfer to the Chicago boat and dropped at Milwaukee for the 44 mile post road to Geneva, forwarded to Denver City Kans. Terr. with partial "Geneva Wis. Jun 11" cds and manuscript "Ford 3" due rating; reduced at left and some edge wear, F.-V.F., ex-Henry C. Gibson. Milgram No. 1016 Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $375
Lot
4386
(Lake Superior Line - Routes 12509 & 12717) Northern Light, Lake Superior Line, Cleveland O., fine strike of oval and "Steam Boat" straightline handstamps on red, white and blue 1776 Flag patriotic cover to Boston, Mass, bearing 3¢ dull red (26) tied by "Cleveland O. Jul 1, 1861" duplex, endorsed "For Master Joseph Bigelow"; some top edge faults, Fine, an attractive and very unusual use on a patriotic envelope. Milgram No. 1015 Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Illustrated in Milgram on page 530.
Realized: $1,100