Brainard & Co. and Hale & Co., Conjunctive Use, Troy N.Y. to Hartford, 1845 Stampless Folded Letter

Datelined “Troy March 15th 1845,” this letter was carried by Brainard & Co, as indicated by the Red Oval forwarding Handstamp (BRA-F-2), to NYC where it received the Hale & Co. collect handstamp (C-3). Hale carried it to Hartford.
Twenty-four letters originating from Troy are recorded by Gutman. The EKU is 9/3/44 and LKU is 6/20/45. Gutman records 45 letters with Hale markings going to Hartford. The EKU is 7/20/44 and LKU is 3/19/45. Gutman wrote it “is curious”… that Hale apparently stopped accepting outbound letters in March, 1845. But note that the Postal Act putting Hale and other independent mail companies out of business was enacted March 3. The above letter was written 12 days later.