1915 Motorcycle Archive Demonstrates Effort Necessary To Transport Motorcycle Through Customs

(MOTORCYCLES). This archive belonged to R.C. Sahlin, who in 1915 purchased a Canadian motorcycle and had it imported into the United States. The archive consists of three documents: A)Document. 4 x 8. November 15, 1915. Toronto. This document is a bank note for the Bank of Hamilton and its Queen & Spadina Branch, Toronto. The bank note provides On demand the sum of $202.50 To R.C. Sahlin Greenwich Conn U.S.A. This was most likely the money used by Sahlin to purchase the motorcycle and/or prepare for its passage to the United States. The note is stamped with the bank branchs official stamp and signed by WJ Porter. The Bank of Hamilton was established (truncated) in 1872. Like the other Canadian-chartered banks, it issued its own paper money, and this bank issued notes from 1872 to 1922. B)Document. 8 x 10. November 30, 1915. Niagara Falls, NY. This document is from C.J. Tower Custom House Broker and is a letter from CJ Tower to RC Sahlin Greenwich Conn. The letter indicates that his firm has shipped 1 Crtd Motorcycle Car 94125 NYC valued at $203having been shipped from Toronto Ont by WCJ Porter. The letter indicates that a customs declaration is required for imports worth more than $100, which must be responded to for the bond that Tower provided to pay for passage to be cancelled. According to his grandsons obituary, Clarence Jerome Tower founded this customs house brokerage firm in 1913. Just two years later, it was already the customs agent for ten different railroad lines. The company was sold to Fed Ex in 1990, which owned it as of 2014. C)Document. 1 pg. 5 x 8. N.d. Greenwich, Connecticut. This document is the American fright bill for the shipping of the motorcycle. The document indicates that it was shipped by the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company (the document is on paper from that company), that the motorcycle was cosigned by W.J. Porter, and that the total cost of this journey was $54.82. There is also a stamp for Greenwich, Connecticut, indicating that this was the destination for the motorcycle and Sahlins hometown. All three documents are in good condition with some minor folds. (Inventory #: 6065)