Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1833-12-26

| A"ao 4 En- OENERALS REPORT,
we insert, from the Baltimore Gazette, an alb
stract' or summary, Of the leading features o.
this document
The annual amount of the transnor,
alton of the mail on the LIST JULY, ls33
was 26,s54,4s5 miles-of which the
amount of 1922, $40 was in steam.
boats and stages, and 1881, 900. ON
horseback and in sulkies. The whole
amount, as may be supposed, is distri.
buted among the different states and
territories, very nearly or quite in pro-
portion TO their respective population.
The whole length of mail route in
the United States, amounts now TO
1926 miles, which is apportioned
in like manner.
The number of Post Offices in the
U. States on the LIST July, 1882, was
1927.
The increase of the annual trans.
portation of the mail within the four
years ending the Both June, 1888, is
IL, I'D, 4s5 miles, nearly equal to the
whole amount of transportation in
1929.
The increase of the annual amount
of hostages within the same period, is
g9O9,l19 IS, and the whole amount
is more than the double Of what it was
in 1925.
The average expense of transport
ing the mail in 1929, was eight cents
and four-tenths of cent per mile. 1t
is now Z cents 57-10O making a DIFF.
ference for the whole service equal to
s222,s92 % per year less, in proper
ton to the service performed, than the
expense of transportation in 1929. be.
sides a great increase in expedition be-
tween the principal commercial cities,
and a much greater proportion Of the
whole performed in stages.
The method in which the accounts
of the expenses of Transporting the
mail have always been kept in this de-
partment, has led to a misapprehension
of the means of extending improve.
ments in mail facilities. 1t appears,
from the earliest records of the depart.
ment, to have been rule not to enter
to the credit of contractor nor to
charge TO the account of transporta-
ton, the expense of carrying the mail
on his route, till after he had signed
his contract and returned them to the
department with proper security, tho
the service may have been regularly
performed, and, in many instances,
the moneys actually paid-It has some.
times happened that contracts of the
greatest magnitude have, from various
causes, remained for more than a year
unreturned. In such cases, though the
expenses have been incurred, they do
not appear in the transportation &C.
count, and though the moneys may
have been paid to the contractors, they
stand on the books as balances to that
amount due from them to the depart
ment, constituting a part Of the sur
plus fund; when, in fact, they consti-
tute part of the actual expense incur
red for the transportation of the mail.
The consequence has been, that the
expenses for transporting the mail,
within any given period of time, as
shown in the accounts, and reported
annually through the Executive, have
been always calculated to exhibit an
amount considerably less than what
has actually been incurred. This is
an imperlection, not Of recent origin,
but one which appears to have been
co-existent with the department. When
the number of contracts was few, and
the surplus revenue bore a large ratio
to its whole annual amount, the effect
was unimportant; but in the increased
number of mail-routes, and the dimi-
mutton of its surplus revenue, it was
calculated to produce serious inconve-
nience. From the statements grow.
ing out of this system, thus illusory in
their results, together with the great
expense of carrying into effect the law
of the last Congress establishing new
mail routes, and disposition to graft.
fly the wishes of the public in this i'm.
provement of mail facilities. / wa:
led to carry those improvements &c
an extent which it was found the re.
sources of tho department would no
well sustain. When the Inconvenience
was felt, the cause was carefully inves
tigated, and the following result wa:
disclosed. Prompt directions were gi
ven for the correction of the error ir
future. It's MOI possible to determine
to an exact certainty, the whole ex
pense incurred for transportation with
in any recent period; because it vii
often happen that improvements vii
become necessary, even for the fulfil
ment of existing laws, and expenses o
which, for want of proper evidences
must be reserved for subsequent ad