Lot
565 
1848 U.S. Mail Steamship Company Broadside, a scarce advertisement by New Orleans agent James R. Jennings announcing the "New Arrangement" of the U.S. Mail Steamship Co.'s "New Orleans, Havana, Key West, Charleston, New York and Aspinwall Line", notes steamships of Empire City and Cherokee will form the semi-monthly line between New Orleans and New York with a stop at Havana; Isabel will connect at Havana to Charleston and Key West; the Philadelphia and Falcon will form the direct line from New Orleans to Aspinwall; some edge flaws and light aging, Very Fine and scarce broadside. Estimate $500 - 750.
U.S. Mail Steamship Company was a company formed in 1848 by George Law, Marshall O. Roberts and Bowes R. McIlvaine to assume the contract to carry the U. S. mails from New York City, with stops in New Orleans and Havana, to the Isthmus of Panama for delivery in California. The company had the SS Ohio and the SS Georgia built in 1848, and with the purchased SS Falcon in early 1849 carried the first passengers by steamship to Chagres, on the east coast of the Isthmus of Panama. Soon the rapid transit time the steamship lines and the trans isthumus passage made possible when the California Gold Rush began made it a very profitable company.
When in 1850 the Pacific Mail Steamship Company established a competing line to the U.S. Mail Steamship Company between New York City and Chagres, George Law placed an opposition Pacific Line of steamers (SS Antelope, SS Columbus, SS Isthumus, SS Republic) in the Pacific running from Panama to San Francisco. In April, 1851, the rivalry was ended when an agreement was made between the companies, the U.S. Mail Steamship Company purchased the Pacific Mail steamers on the Atlantic side (SS Crescent City, SS Empire City, SS Philadelphia), and George Law sold his ships and new line to the Pacific Mail. Law went into partnership with William Henry Aspinwall to develop the Panama Railroad in 1852.
The U.S. Mail Steamship Company only operated for 11 years. On the expiration of the mail contract in 1859 the company withdrew from the business. Its directors were said to be more interested in immediate financial returns than in providing a good service, so there was little public regret at its passing.
Realized: $525