Branch rate covers carry four cents in postage; one cent as the branch rate fee and three cents to cover the 1/2 oz. domestic postage rate. This rate was in effect in Chicago from July 1, 1862, through June 30, 1863. At that time Chicago had both a West and a North branch. When Don Evans queried me for his book, The United States One-Cent Franklin 1861-67, I stated that there were five or six examples of this usage known.

On Wednesday, September 24, I stopped off at the home of auctioneer Bill Weiss to pick up the lots I had won in his previous weeks auction. In that sale I bought what I believe to be the finest known example of a Chicago branch rate cover. This brought to 15 the number of covers known to me.

On Thursday, I drove down to King of Prussia, PA, to setup for the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition. An hour after the show opened on Friday, a collector approached my table and wanted to know if I was the James Lee quoted on page 195 of the Evans book. I grabbed a copy of the book from my literature display to find out what the gentleman was referring to. Before I could find my quote he said "Would you like to see the rest of the branch rate correspondence shown on page 194." He then preceded to produce eight covers from the A.M. Billings Esq. correspondence, six of which were Chicago branch rates. The covers had been purchased out of a small auction in the Delmarva area.

I asked if the covers were for sale. He wasn't sure how he wanted to dispose of them, so I made an offer he couldn't refuse.