$3 and $5 Ocean Passage Tickets?

This is a continuation of a series of blogs about Ocean Passenger Tickets.

So far we've documented six tickets with on-document usages of the $1 Commerce Documentary paying the tax on a ticket costing up to $30. But no full on-document usages of the $3 and $5 Commerce issues paying for higher priced tickets have yet surfaced. We're confident some eventually will surface as there is ample evidence of usage of those rates.

Piece clipped from Ocean Passage Ticket
W. H. EAVES
TICKET AGENT.
JUN/9/1900
201 WASHINGTON ST.
BOSTON

Above is a on-piece usage of a $5 Commerce issue that clearly must have been used on a ticket sold by W.H. Eaves, whose listing below appears in the 1900 travel guide, Going Abroad: Some Advice, by Robert Luce.

"Mass Boston WH Eaves 201 Washington Street Agent for Atlantic Transport Line Dominion Cunard American White Star Red Star Holland America and other first class lines Also New England agent for Qaze's Tours High class personally conducted parties to Europe the Orient and Round the World at frequent Intervals Programmes free Also Independent travel tickets for any desired tour throughout the world hotel coupons letter of credit etc Correspondence solicited Telephone Boston 3956"

Below is another $5 Commerce Documentary bearing a cancel of The American Transport Company. The firm, American owned, but British operated, was best known at the time for shipping horses, but carried cargo and passengers as well between the US and Great Britain. This stamp, too, likely came from a individual ocean passage ticket costing more than $60, the tax for which was $5.

I was interested to learn that the United States government actually purchased some American Transport Company ships for use as military transports during the Spanish American War.

The Atlantic Transport Co.
MAY 14 1900
NEW YORK.

Finally, compare the cancel on the I.N. Co. cancel (International Navigation Company) on the following $3 Commerce Documentary with the cancel just tying the $1 Commerce Documentary to the American Line ticket below and you'll see they are identical except for the date, suggesting that the $3 stamp came from a ticket as well. $3 paid the tax on a ticket costing more than $30 up to $60.

I. N. CO.
OCT ?? 1898
PHILA.

Ocean Passage Ticket Sold By
International Navigation Company
I. N. CO.
MAR 4 1900
PHILA.

If anyone can report the existance of either the $3 or $5 Commerce issue on a full ocean passage ticket, please let us know at 1898revenues@gmail.com.