Very rare; we haven't offered one of these before. No. 209, issued for 1877 to George Bachelder for all points on Franklin Lines. Preprinted signature of president Echert. Black print on grey/green cardstock. The Maine Legislature chartered this company in 1854. They sought to build a telegraph system extending from the East Coast to the West Coast. In 1869 Atlantic & Pacific leased telegraph lines from the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad, in exchange for shares of stock. The UP attempted to retake control of the lines in order to lease them to the American Union Telegraph Company. In 1880, the A&P obtained a court injunction to prevent the UP action. Through several complex transactions, which included patent negotiations with inventor Thomas Edison, financier Jay Gould acquired sufficient shares of A&P stock to obtain control of the company by 1875. Gould's takeover was contested in litigation; meanwhile, Gould initiated a rate war with competing telegraph companies, most notably Western Union, the largest company in the industry. By 1878, Gould had sold the A&P to Western Union at a handsome profit.Date: 1877Country (if not USA): State: City: Provenance: