On lightweight watermarked paper stock. Showing minor signs of age, wear and handling - mostly toning throughout. Expected fold creases from posting. No major issues to note. Eye-catching legible writing. Overall, in good to very good condition. Will display well in your collection. You will receive the exact sheet shown in the photos. It measures approx. 8" x 10"

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1910 Great Northern Railway Frontier Freight Dispute Letter Transcription: Coburg Mont 5/14 – 10 Bateman & Switzer Great Falls Dear Sirs – Please send us Freight Bills or Bill of Lading for last two cases Soda Water which have not arrived here. We want to put in a claim for them and need Bill of Lading to do so. Freight service from Great Falls to this point is very bad. Can get groceries from St Paul as quickly as from Great Falls. There is always something short, and goods arrive in bad condition. 25 Bottles soda water wer taken from last two cases. Egg cases shipped four weeks ago have not arrived yet Very truly Coburg Merc Co Historical Background & Collector Context This exceptional original handwritten business letter, dated May 14, 1910, provides a vivid, firsthand complaint regarding the logistical challenges, transit theft, and railway inefficiencies plaguing the Montana frontier during the height of the homestead boom. • The Reality of Frontier Logistics: Writing under the banner of the Coburg Mercantile Co., the author delivers a blistering critique of the regional supply lines. While Great Falls was the primary wholesale hub for north-central Montana, the writer notes that the "freight service... is very bad," claiming they can secure grocery shipments from St. Paul, Minnesota—over a thousand miles away on the Great Northern main line—just as fast as a short-haul shipment from Great Falls. • Transit Theft & Missing Cargo: The letter documents the constant risk of shipping valuable, breakable liquid goods in the early 20th century. The writer requests a formal Bill of Lading from Bateman & Switzer to file an official loss claim against the railroad company. They reveal a combination of outright theft and extreme delays, noting that "25 Bottles soda water wer taken from last two cases" and that a shipment of egg cases sent a full month prior had still not arrived. • The Wholesaler's Soft Drink Trade: While Bateman & Switzer was primarily known as a massive wholesale liquor syndicate, this document highlights their highly active manufacturing and distribution of non-alcoholic "Soda Water." Temperance sentiment was rising steadily in 1910, making flavored sodas and carbonated beverages a critical, high-volume inventory item for general stores and saloon counters alike. • The Paper: Written in pencil on a single sheet of lined paper, the document displays beautiful, authentic age-toning and a visible watermark across the top margin, common in high-quality early 20th-century stationery. An incredible piece for collectors specializing in early American railroad history, Great Northern Railway ephemera, western general store and mercantile operations, or pre-Prohibition soda and bottling history. Please let me know if you would like to proceed with the next letter, or if you need any adjustments to the current historical context analysis.

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**Shipped securely in a poly sleeve, sandwiched in cardboard, inside a small rigid mailer via USPS Ground Advantage service w/ tracking**

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