1883 Oliver & Phillips Pittsburgh Bar Iron Steamboat \"St. Lawrence\" Bill Lading For Sale

Showing signs of age and handling. Expected fold creases from posting. Substantial paper losses along the left and bottom edge. A receipt skewer hole in the header field. Elsewhere, no other major issues to note. Eye-catching illustrated steamboat vignette. Overall, in poor to fair condition. You will receive the exact sheet seen in the photos. It measures approx. 8 1/2\" x 10 1/2\"

The text reads \"Str [Steamer] Claire\" written next to \"St. Lawrence.\" This indicates that likely, it was the Claire was the specific vessel performing the shipment, while the St. Lawrence (which belonged to the same packet line) was the boat for which the stationary was originally printed.

The Steamer ClaireThe Claire (often listed as the Clara or Claire in regional river news) was a sternwheel packet that operated in the Upper Ohio River trade during the early 1880s.

Operational History: In 1883, the Claire was a regular fixture at the Pittsburgh and Wheeling wharves. It served as a \"local\" packet, meaning it made frequent stops at smaller landings between the major ports of Pittsburgh, Wheeling, and Parkersburg.

The Transition: Your document from July 11, 1883, captures the Claire during its peak years of service. It was common for these smaller packets to \"substitute\" for larger boats like the St. Lawrence if the water was low or if the primary boat was undergoing repairs. The \"Of Str Sonoma\" NotationThe \"Sonoma\" reference actually appears further down in the \"Marks\" column on the left side of the manifest. It reads: \"A/C Str Sonoma\" (Account of Steamer Sonoma).This tells us that while the Claire was physically carrying the iron from Pittsburgh, the shipment was being handled as part of the business account of the Sonoma. This often happened when one boat picked up freight that had been \"booked\" by another vessel in the same line, or when the Sonoma was acting as the primary contracting agent for Stewart & Schonover in Parkersburg.

Shipment SummaryActual Vessel: ClaireAccounting Vessel: SonomaCargo: 20 Bales of Iron (2,226 lbs)Destination: Parkersburg, W.Va.

**Shipped securely in a poly sleeve inside a rigid mailer via USPS Ground Advantage service w/ tracking**

Click HERE to see matchbooks I have available.
Click HERE to see transit and trade tokens I have available.
Click HERE to see billheads I have available.
Click HERE to see letterheads I have available.

For U.S. based orders, the shipping cost for the first purchase is $4.00 and no extra cost for additional similar items such as billheads, letterheads, tickets, patches, post cards, trade cards, stock certificates that can safely be shipped in the same package.

I have over 62,000 unique items here on - Click HERE to visit my store & save with combined shipping for multiple buys.

For U.S. orders on a PC, use the \"add to cart\" feature to select multiple items before paying. If the cart does not combine shipping costs, I will refund excess fees as I pack your order the following morning.

I have enjoyed buying and selling vintage collectibles for over 40 years. Unless noted otherwise, all items I offer are original and not reproductions.Please review photos for condition issues (if any) as they are part of the description, and contact me with questions before offerding or buying.

All items are securely packed and shipped via USPS. Please rely on my 25+ yr. 11,000+ 99.9% response rating as a guide to your buying decision.

I hope all is well with you and your family — thanks for stopping by!
– Jerry