IO 
THE MUSEUM. 
probably, from the same fibre, and measuring about 
one yard in width. Whether these articles are very 
old may be doubted, but the report of the discovery 
comes to us on good authority. Such objects would, 
undoubtedly, remain in a fair state of preservation 
for many years, as the atmosphere in that section is 
equable, and rain is said never to fall. The samples 
sent to us for examination are certainly very interest¬ 
ing, and will receive a thorough examination. 
An account of the discovery of a buried city, near 
Moberly, Mo., has been going the rounds of the 
newspapers, lately, in which many wonderful an¬ 
tiquities are described. The story has no foundation 
in fact, but was invented by an enterprising editor, 
to give notoriety to the place. 
For The Museum. 
BLOOD’S DESPATCH. 
Of the numerous local despatch companies which 
existed in the larger cities of the United States a 
quarter of a century ago, Blood’s was probably the 
most celebrated. Daniel Otis Blood, the originator 
of the enterprise, was, in 1847, head clerk in the 
office of the Philadelphia Public Ledger , of which 
his half brother, Mr. William M. Swain, was one of 
the proprietors. About that time an office for the 
transaction of the new business was opened in the 
basement of No. 48 S. Third Street, below Chest¬ 
nut, under the firm name of D. O. Blood & Co. 
Four boys were employed to deliver and collect 
letters. The first stamp 
issued was the large 
square one (of which 
there were three varie¬ 
ties) representing a post¬ 
man stepping over the 
roofs of houses. This 
was the only city stamp 
used for years. 
After the death of Mr. Blood, the business was 
purchased from the heirs, on October 31, 1855, by 
Mr. Charles Kochersperger, who continued it, at 28 
South Fifth Street, as Blood’s Penny Post. A 
BLOOD’S 
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piiilad’aL 
younger brother of the new pro¬ 
prietor, Mr. Elbert Kochersperger, 
now living in Philadelphia,became 
a partner, and from him many of 
the following interesting facts, 
never before published, have been 
obtained. 
The dove stamp (two varieties) 
which is now so rare, succeeded 
the large square issue, but was never a favorite, 
and was discarded for another, which was soon 
superseded by the small rectang¬ 
ular variety, which was used for 
several years. This was first 
printed plain and canceled with 
ink, but afterwards printed in bronze and canceled 
with acid. The next variety to appear was the com¬ 
mon circular portrait of Henry Clay; engraved by 
the Bank Note Co., on which ap¬ 
peared the firm name of Kocher¬ 
sperger & Co. Previous to this, 
a stamp with bust of Clay was en¬ 
graved, but it was considered 
such an unsatisfactory likeness 
that it was 
never used. 
The latter is represented in the 
annexed engraving, several of 
the originals having been kindly 
furnished by Mr. Kochersperger. 
Several circular envelope stamps 
appeared b e - 
tween 1850 
and i860, printed in red. The 
total number of varieties of 
Blood’s Despatch stamps exceed- 
ed twenty. 
For two or 
three years after the company 
was established, small advertising 
mottoes, printed on red paper, 
were at¬ 
tached t o 
letters and circulars passing 
through the office, but the 
practice was discontinued be¬ 
cause of objection on the part 
of customers. These mottoes 
are now very rare. Mr. 
