1908 – Mail recovered from a fatal shipwreck between a Panama Railroad Company steamer and a heavy White Line freighter
New York: 1908. Envelope or Cover. This business-size envelope was sent from Nathaniel Fisher and Company of New York City to Mr. C. Roy Miller at Colon, Panama. It bears a New York machine postmark dated November 23, 1918. In pretty nice shape for a shipwreck cover with only moderate marginal damage, a missing stamp, and a very faint water stain.; front and back are attached along the top edge; separated on the sides and bottom.
A rare “Post Office, New York, N.Y. / Inquiry Department Label is affixed on the reverse to seal the back flap. It reads, “The piece of mail herewith was recovered from the wreck of steamer Finance, which was sunk through collision with the steamer Georgi, Thursday, Nov. 26, 1908 / E. M. Morgan, / Postmaster.”
The label is ‘tied’ to the envelope with an “Agencia Postal / Dec 10 1908 / Colon” handstamp (Hoggarth-Gwynnne Type 2).
. Good to Very Good. Item #010634On November 27, 1908, the Panama Rail Road Company steamship, Finance, was just beginning its voyage south in a dense fog when it was rammed by the famous White Star Line’s freighter, Georgic. While the Georgic was undamaged, the Finance, which was carrying 75 passengers, including 19 women and 14 children, as well as a light load of cargo, rapidly took on water and sunk within ten minutes.
Captain Mowbray, of the Finance, immediately appeared on deck with pistol in hand to ensure women and children were the first to load the lifeboats. Once the boats departed, Mowbray returned to the bridge to go down with his ship.
Four people on the Finance, an assistant engineer and three passengers died in shipwreck. As reported in the New York Times on November 27, 1908:
“Irene Campbell, a 14-year-old colored girl, living near Cristobal.
Henry Muller, a railroad conductor, living at Basobispo.
Charles W. Schweineler, policeman from the Canal Zone.
William D. Todd, third engineer, of New York.”
This is the first mail recovered from the Finance shipwreck that I have encountered, but there are likely others around somewhere. Shipwreck mail occasionally appears on ebay and in philatelic auctions.
.Price: $300.00