Lot
413 
U.S. Snag Boat H.G. Wright, Oct 27, 1880, bold and complete double circle handstamp on 1¢ Postal Card (UX7) to Mound City Ill., postmarked "St. Louis, Mo. Oct 27" Levitt machine cancel, unlisted in Milgram.Milgram No. 603A Estimate $500 - 750.
THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE OF A SNAGBOAT MARKING.
The "Horatio G. Wright" was built by the Western Iron Boat Building Company. Launched in June 1880 after being under construction for over a year. Worked as a "snag extractor" on the Mississippi River for many years and finally dismantled in 1941.
In America's steamboat era, the main danger to waterborne travel and commerce was neither fire nor explosions, but rather snags-trees that had fallen into the rivers as a result of bank erosion.
Realized: $850