10c Green, Ty. III (33). Vertical pair and two singles, scissors-separated causing few s.e. sides, tied by neat strikes of "New Orleans La. Mar. 11, 1859" circular datestamps on folded letter to San Francisco, endorsed "Via Tehuantepec" at top left, minor edgewear

FINE. A RARE QUADRUPLE-RATE FRANKING SENT EAST TO WEST ON THE TEHUANTEPEC ROUTE. BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY SUCH FRANKING ON A COVER CARRIED VIA TEHUANTEPEC.

According to the Pony Express: Historic Resource Study website (http://www.nps.gov/archive/poex/hrs/hrs1b.htm): "...it began in October 1858, under contract to the Louisiana Tehuantepec Company. Starting from New Orleans, a Concord coach carried mail and passengers to Minatitlan on the east coast of Mexico. From there, the route crossed the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the Pacific Coast. Mail and passengers were then transferred to steamships going to San Francisco. The new overland ocean service from New Orleans to San Francisco took approximately fifteen to eighteen days one way. The accomplishment of the new company clearly presented itself as a shorter and faster alternative to all previous ocean and overland mail routes." Despite its advantages, the Louisiana Tehuantepec Company's mail contract was not renewed by the Postmaster General in 1859.

Ex Kramer. Illustrated in Letters of Gold on p. 105.

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