Page:Final Report of the Northwest Territory Celebration Commission.pdf/13

 well as total sales, compare favorably with those of other commemorative issues.

These sales were:

"Ordinance of 1787" Stamp—First Day Sale Authorized to be printed 85,000,000.

717,778

"Northwest Territory" Stamp—First Day Sale Authorized to be printed 65,000,000.

340,516

In addition to these official recognitions, there were many "cachets" put out by many different people, companies and organizations. No estimate of the total number sold is possible. The Marietta Commission for the celebration put out two series of most attractive cachets—perhaps the best we have ever seen.

While not official government mail as to the route followed, one of the most unique postal features was the "ox team mail" carried by the caravan from Ipswich to Marietta. A special cachet was issued by the Commission and letters were officially stamped and postmarked at Ipswich and again on arrival at Marietta Post Office. From Marietta they were re-mailed to their recipients in the regular manner. This was, so far as is known, the only ox team carried mail in existence in the United States. It is almost certainly the only issue of cachets ever so carried.

These were priced at fifty-three cents each, and some 3,200 were sold. This feature was suggested and designed by stamp collectors, but its sale did not come anywhere near up to their enthusiastic estimates. Receipts went, of course, into the general fund of the United States Treasury, as is the case with all cash receipts of this and similar commissions.

Officially. Northwest Territory Celebration opened on July 13th, 1987, at New York City.

It was there on July 13th, 1787, that the famous Ordinance was adopted by the Continental Congress. It was not only proper that this celebration should take major cognizance of this event, but it was psychologically sound that the program should begin in the largest population center of the nation.

Also, it was possible to hold the ceremonies on the very site where the Congress had passed the Ordinance, as this location, the New York City Hall of colonial days, is now occupied by the United States Sub-Treasury Building.

Permission was secured from Mayor La Guardia and assurances given of the cooperation requested of the city.

Federal Theatre Project had agreed to personnel and enact the pageant "Freedom on the March", which had been written by Mr. O. K. Reames as the official pageant-drama of the Celebration.

The program was to take place in the afternoon, on a special stage erected over the broad steps of the Sub-Treasury Building.

There was considerable of a headache connected with this showing, all of which does not need to be rehearsed here. Some points are salient, however.

It was at this time that Federal Theatre Project was beset by strikes and agitation. A cut of some 30% had been made in