Mail by Rail on Both Sides of the Manitoba/USA Borderbnaps.org/philatelic/firstthird.pdf · -...

Mail by Rail on Both Sides of the Manitoba/USA Border

A postal history exhibit

Prepared by Robert K. Lane, Ph.D. St. Albert, Alberta, Canada

© Robert K. Lane, 2005

Synopsis

Mail by Rail on Both Sides of the Manitoba/USA Border The availability of rail transport for the mails in western Canada evolved from the development of rail lines between Winnipeg (Selkirk) and the States of Minnesota and North Dakota. This preceded the availability of the CPR for mail transportation to eastern Canada. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EXHIBIT OF CROSS BORDER EXAMPLES. The intent of this exhibit is to describe the RPO runs that extended to the border of Manitoba within Manitoba, Minnesota and North Dakota, and which are inexorably linked to the postal history of Manitoba. Half of the examples are Canadian and half are American, but all illustrate the services that enables a revolution to mail handling in western Canada. The first rail line that carried mail into Manitoba was built by the government in Manitoba to join with the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway line that had been constructed northward to St. Vincent and Noyes, Minnesota. The Manitoba “border” point was Emerson. For a short time, this was the only rail carrier of mail in western Canada. A Canadian, Donald Smith (later, Lord Strathcona), was deeply involved in the ownership of the lines on both sides of the border. He was involved with the development of the CPR and he was also part owner (with the legendary Jim Hill) of the SPM&M Railway. Although the first mail was moved by baggage car (an example is provided), the volume soon justified the use of railway post office cars that used their own post marks. The first of these, ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG / P.C., was the first RPO used in Western Canada. This exhibit is NOT about trans-boundary mail, but about RPOs used both in Canada and the United States on lines that moved between Manitoba and North Dakota and Minnesota. Some lines did not carry railway post office cars, although one – the Brandon, Saskatchewan and Hudson’s Bay Railway – had a 30-year contract to carry Canadian mail. An example is provided. Maps taken from period railway timetables are included to show the relative locations of border towns that were included in RPO designations. Warroad is included because the Canadian Northern Railway line between Winnipeg and Ft. Frances, Ontario passed through Minnesota. Maps of all lines are included, as they are necessary to illustrate the geo-history of this topic. The railways in chronological order include:

St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway (Great Northern Railway) The Pembina Line (now Canadian Pacific Railway) Canadian Pacific Railway Northern Pacific Railway

Canadian Northern Railway Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste Marie Railway (SOO) Brandon, Saskatchewan and Hudson’s Bay Railway (Great Northern)

The three main companies on the USA side were the Great Northern, the SOO Line (which became part of the CPR system) and the Northern Pacific. On the Canadian side, the two main systems were the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian Northern (which became part of the Canadian National Railway system). The exhibit is presented in a combined chronological/geographical format:

1. Pre-1881 2. The earliest RPO postmarks (1881-1907) 3. 1908-1965

All Canadian RPOs but not all Canadian hammer numbers are presented, as these are too numerous and unnecessary for the purposes of the exhibit. None of the US.RPOs in this area had hammer numbers. There is a very complex variety of US RPOs used on the runs described and representative examples are included for those runs. The exhibit concludes with the published example (Harrison) illustrating usage of both Canadian and US RPOs on the Winnipeg-Warroad-Ft. Frances-Duluth run. The exhibit was awarded medals, as follows:

- Royal 2005, London, Ontario (silver) - BNAPEX 2005, Edmonton, Alberta (silver-bronze) - CALTAPEX, Calgary, Alberta (vermeil)

The author is indebted to fellow-collectors in both countries for generous advice. Some personal research is demonstrated in the exhibit and where questions remain open, this is mentioned. Robert K. Lane October, 2005


The first rail-borne mail to/from Manitoba came/went via Minnesota. This established a corridor of mail transport along the Red River, which followed decades of mail transport along the same route long before the railways. These routes continued to be used well after the completion of the Canadian trans-continental railway systems. Mail traveled by rail directly to and from Winnipeg through several boundary points in Manitoba, and in Minnesota and North Dakota. On both sides of the border, this mail was carried usually in railway post office (RPO) cars that bore their own RPO postmarks. This exhibit presents RPO postmarks used on both sides of the border on lines that linked Winnipeg and points in Minnesota and North Dakota. Examples are presented for each railway line, in 3 distinct periods. The first of these railways were - on the United States side - the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway; and - on the Canadian side - the “Emerson (or Pembina) Line”. The former became part of the Great Northern Railway and the latter became part of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Order of presentation: 1. Pre-1881 2. The earliest RPO postmarks (1881-1907) 3. Continuation of established lines (1908-1965)

Cleaned scan of postcard “Crossing the Boundary at Emerson, Manitoba”

Mail by Rail on Both Sides of the Manitoba/USA Border (c) Robert K. Lane, 2005

The Emerson Section of the Canadian Pacific Railway ; Pre-RPO

While plans were being made to complete the Canadian Pacific Railway, Donald Smith and partners built the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway (SPMM) up to the Minnesota-Manitoba border. The first railway line in Manitoba, the so-called Emerson Section (later taken over by the C.P.R.), between Pembina, N.D. and Selkirk, was built to meet the SPMM line in the U.S.A. in January 1879. Before RPOs were introduced in 1881, mail was shipped aboard baggage cars between St. Vincent, Minn. and Winnipeg. [ Cover embossed “Selkirk County Court” sent by registered mail (8 cents) to Brainerd, Minnesota. Marked with Winnipeg split-circle JA 8 1880; St. Vincent transit mark JAN 9 1880; UNCLAIMED at Brainerd; Brainerd octagonal FEB 24 1880; b/s USA DEAD LETTER OFFICE and DEAD LETTER OFFICE CANADA (Ottawa). ]

Scan of the b/s markings (reduced to 80%).

Mail by Rail on Both

Sides of the Manitoba/USA Border (c) Robert K. Lane, 2005

1881 to 1907 – the earliest RPO hammers

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

R.F. = 500

The first RPO service in Manitoba used the ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG hammers between 1881 and 1886, on the Emerson Line (also called the Pembina Line). Two configurations (W-134 and W-134A) were issued. No Canadian RPO hammers were in use on this CPR line between 1886 and 1908. The Canadian Northern Railway line to ND, leased from the Northern Pacific Railway, began RPO service in 1905. There was no apparent Canadian RPO service at all to the Manitoba border for two years, when service began (1889) on the CPR line to Gretna, Man., which linked to the Great Northern Railway at Neche, ND (treated later). Service on the first CPR line on the east side resumed in 1908 with W-6.

W-134 ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG / P.C. – this split-ring postmark is an example of the first RPO used in Western Canada. (JA 20 1882) to James Coyne of St. Thomas, Ontario, grandfather of the later Governor of the Bank of Canada. B/s Windsor and St. Thomas.

1884 map of Red River Valley, showing the Emerson Line on the east side of the river, and the Gretna line on the west.


The second of the ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG RPOs:

[ W-134A (1882-1884) (R.F. = 425); ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG / M.C., AP 24, 1884, SOUTH ]

[ W-134A (1882-1884) (R.F. = 425); ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG / M.C., OC 20, 1884, SOUTH ]. Last Reported Date for ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG.


Cover to C.P.R. Baggage Dept., Emerson, Man. from Simcoe, Ont. (FE 10 83), with Brantford (FE 10 83) and Windsor (FE 12 83) transit marks and Emerson receiver on the back; showing the

UNLISTED TICKET STAMP summarized below, repeated twice on the back. This usage of a ticket stamp was not authorized.

CANADIAN PACIFIC RY

PEMBINA DIV. FEB 19

1883 EMERSON.


Breakage in Continuity of RPO Services in the Red River Valley in Canada

year CPR–east side CPR-west side CNoR 1881 W-134 1882 W-134A 1883 LRD, W-134 1884 LRD, W-134A 1885-8 none none none 1889 none W-185 none 1904 none W-53 none 1905 none W-49 1908 W-6

The last reported date for ST. VINCENT & WINNIPEG / M.C. is OC 20 84 (shown earlier). The next RPO used in the Red River corridor was W-185, issued in 1889 (proof: DE 2 88). This shifted RPO services on the CPR to the west side of the river (Winnipeg – Gretna).

There was no apparent RPO service in the corridor for several years. Likely reasons: faster service to eastern Canada on the completed CPR main line; other

rail links completed to the US on the prairies.

After taking over the Pembina Line, the CPR completed a line to Gretna, Man. RPO services on this line began in 1889 between Gretna and Winnipeg. The USA linkage was at Neche, ND on lines operated by the SPM&M railway (later, Great Northern).

Two RPOs were issued: WINNIPEG & GRETNA M.C. / #, and later, GRETNA & WINNIPEG R.P.O / No.

Northbound: [W-185 (1889-1904) WINNIPEG & GRETNA M.C. / #,

SP 10 97, N, M.C. # 2]


[ W-185 (1889-1904) WINNIPEG & GRETNA M.C. / #, JA 24 98, S, M.C. # 1, cross-boundary cover from the famous Ashdown Hardware, Winnipeg ]

[ W-53 (1904-1917), RF=280, GRETNA & WINNIPEG R.P.O / No. OC 28 07, S, Hammer # 1]


[ W-53 (1904-1917), RF=280, GRETNA & WINNIPEG R.P.O / No. FE 22 16, Train # 23, Hammer # 2] Much traveled (and worn) registered cover from Regina (FE 5 16) to Winnipeg (FE 6 16), RE-DIRECTED TO St. Paul, Minn. (FE 9, 10 and 12, 1916), returned via GRETNA & WINNIPEG R.P.O. (FE 22 16), Winnipeg transit (FE 22 16), then Regina (FE 23 16).


ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS AND MANITOBA RAILWAY

The SPM&M also established RPO service to St. Vincent, Minn. in 1881, withthe scarce ST. VINC. & ST. PAUL AGT. RPO. This RPO linked with the CanadianRPO service between St. Vincent and Winnipeg and was replaced in late 1882.

Cover containing ST. VINC. & ST. PAUL / AGT., May 7 (hammer shows no year)

Po

stcard dated on the back 5/12/82 containing ST. VINC. & ST. PAUL / AGT., May 13.


Map showing the route of the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway, scanned from an 1884 SPM&MRy timetable. Shows St. Vincent, Emerson, Neche and Gretna. Before 1885, new RPOs were initiated on the SPM&M, using the “Boundary Line” designation to St. Paul, as well as the St. Vincent & Fargo, and St. Vincent & St. Paul, runs.

B.LINE & ST. PAUL / R.P.O., DEC 8, 1902, Train # 10


Front of Canadian post card, showing the border town of Emerson, Man. Scan 75%

ST.

VINCENT & FARGO R.P.O.; APR 19, 1907, Train 182. Canadian Post Card cancelled with RPO, received at Crookston, Minn. with flag post mark.


.

[ST. VINCENT & ST. P. / R.P.O. APR 22 1905, Train # 8 ] [SPM&MR] Registered at Prince Albert (AP 20 05); RPO (AP 22); received St. Paul (AP 24); returned and arrived Prince Albert (AP 28). Front scan at 60%.

Mail by Rail on Both Sid

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