The waybill’s condition reflects its age: the paper is yellowed and shows typical signs of handling, including light creases, edge wear, and a few staple holes near the bottom margin. Despite these characteristics, all printed and handwritten text remains legible.
The handwritten entries detail two specific maintenance actions required: cleaning the engine room floors and adjusting the brake on the right side of both units, with all tasks signed off by inspector and foreman J. Shurtz.
The presence of a circled number 5 in the upper left corner suggests a filing or routing classification used within the railway’s administrative bureaucracy.
The precise nature of “2 Gems Vr Lad” remains an intriguing detail, open to interpretation and further research. The freight bill shows wear consistent with its age, including discoloration, creases, and small tears, particularly along the edges.
The notice originates from Portland, most likely Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, a significant railway city in the late 1800s. The handwritten details provide specific information about the freight consigned to “AM Morse,” which included “2 Dogs,” “4 Cans,” and “1 Box.”.
The waybill, marked as a “COPY,” records car number RDG 79395 traveling from Reamstown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Butler, Morris County, New Jersey. The reverse side is largely blank except for age‑related toning and a pair of small perforation holes near the bottom edge, suggesting it was once filed in a ring binder or ledger.
The two standard file holes at the top and the natural paper toning are consistent with its age and office provenance.
The letter itself is a tangible artifact of this historical intersection.
It has a gentle ivory color that flows the paper without looking flat or dull.
CONDITION : light edge wear, overall smudginess/soil. Lower front right corner creased (see photos).
