Lot
16 
The D. B. Pratt correspondence (El Dorado). A fantastic Miner's correspondence from 1852-56 addressed to Grand Isle, Vermont, the group consisting of 39 letters (7 with matching covers) and additional 5 covers, the letters are datelined from such wonderful places as Bludy (sic) Gulch, Brownsville, Coloma, Diamond Springs, Forks of Macasmes, Georgetown, Indian Creek, Jones Hill, Slug Gulch, etc., the best of the letters is a lengthy letter datelined "Diamond Springs, Feb. 20th, 1853" regarding gold mining and the hardships of the voyage across the Plains, "We left St. Joseph the 20th of May and the first that we lay by was on the big Blue. There I was attacked there with the cholera, but by good attendance I got along and in a few days felt as well as ever. The next stream of any importance was the little Blue. Here it was very sickly. We passed as high as 21 new graves in a day. It was the worst sight I ever witnessed. Men, women and children were dying. Train after train would stop to bury their dead, then drive on.", the letter continues with much detail of crossing Toll bridge at Fort Laramie, crossing the Rockies, seeing Chimney Rock, etc., some better California covers accompany the letters including the only recorded "Bottle Hill" manuscript postmark (Williams ELD-160), plus three "Bottle Hill, Cal." rimless cds postmarks (Williams ELD-170), one stampless, one with stamp replaced & one missing stamp, other postmarked covers include Culloma, Diamond Springs, Georgetown, etc., Very Fine, a great lot for the California Postal Historian. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.