Lot
150 
(Utah, Idaho & Oregon Stage Co.) Office Of/The U. I. & O. Stage Co./Pendleton, Oregon/John Hailey, Superintendent. Printed corner card on cover with "Pendleton, Oregon, Feb. 19 1882" cds and duplex target killer, 1881 3¢ green tied, to Portland with "Have Your Mail Addressed To Street & Number" auxiliary marking in red, Portland receiving postmark on the back, docket at left, tiny piece of top backflap missing, Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Although not an express company, this company is listed in Nathan's Franks of Western Expresses "because of a corner card on a cover, as illustrated." This cover bears a different corner card and, in fact, other variations are known. The U. I. & O. Stage Co. was the last stage company to hold the overland mail contract from the railhead at Kelton, Utah Territory, via Boise City, Idaho Territory, to the railhead at Pendleton, Oregon, prior to construction of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. The U. I. & O. Stage Co. company also carried Wells Fargo express. The mail contract on the Boise City route was first let in 1864. The original route extended from Salt Lake City on the central overland mail route to The Dalles, Oregon. The original contractor was The Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company.