Scott,
The postmark is Hartford, 19 December 1884, 3 pm. The letter is at
Princeton. Our photocopy doesn't show the verso of the envelope, which
would likely have a receiving postmark as well.
Bob

On Thu, Jul 27, 2023 at 10:47 AM Scott Holmes <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Sam and George took a break from their lecture tour following their
> Cleveland lecture December 17, 1884.  It's reported that Sam went first
> to New York before spending Christmas in Hartford.  The Mark Twain
> Project has a letter posted from an unknown location to Laurence Hutton
> on December 19. I am curious about the route Sam took and knowing the
> location of this posting would help with this query.
>
> He would most likely have taken the Lakeshore Railroad to either Dunkirk
> or Buffalo.  From either of these location Sam could take the New York,
> Lake Erie and Western (the name of the Erie Railroad from 1878 to
> 1895).  From Dunkirk he would pass through Salamanca.  Either route
> would take him through Elmira and I have found no reference to his
> visiting Elmira at this time.  Another route from Buffalo would be on
> the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad.
>
> Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
>
> --
> /Unaffiliated Geographer and Twain aficionado/
>