Mail delivery by bicycle

Because my passion lies in cycling and I want to be involved with cycling in the winter as well, I started collecting stamps (just like in the old days). But as a “Bicycle Enthusiast,” your collection grows so much that you have to start creating sub-themes. The sub-theme “The Bicycle in Dutch Philately” has been published in three parts. I received nice reactions to this, which prompted me to make a new suggestion. The bicycle is such an everyday “thing” that you don’t stop to think about the good services this mode of transport has provided in the past. Using a portion of my global collection, I would like to show you the sub-theme: “Postal Delivery by Bicycle.” Enjoy reading and looking.

Staking Amercian Railway Union

The strike by the American Railway Union against the Pullman Car Co. in Chicago in the early summer of 1984 resulted in a total disruption of train traffic. Because trains were the long-distance mail carriers at that time between San Francisco and Fresno, California, mail traffic was blocked. Arthur C. Banta, owner of the “Victor Cyclery”, decided to start a bicycle postal service over the mountains to connect Fresno with San Francisco. The 210 miles (one way) between Fresno and San Francisco were covered by trained cyclists in 18 hours. During the two-week strike, approximately 380 pieces of mail were transported. Banta used his own special stamps on the mail. In 1935, a commemorative ride was completed in about 10 hours. In 1994, 100 years later, the route was cycled again to commemorate this extraordinary initiative. For this occasion, the following covers and “sheets” were issued. The stamps were both perforated and unperforated! I owe it to my pen pal Bert Schapelhouman from California that I, as a “bicycle collector,” came into possession of these exceptionally unique pieces of mail. Bert visited us for a few days in May 2009. We took him to Huize Doorn, among other places.

Bert & Nora at Huize Doorn

Overview of the privately issued stamp sheets resulting from the American Railway Union strike in 1894. To conclude the strike story, this unique bicycle-latelist piece of mail. The Bicycle List: Jan van Tellingen.