Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-12-13
POST MASTER GENERALS REPORT.
Richmond. Dec. Z, 1858.

". ;nsart f.om the Baltimore Gazette, an
abstract, or summary, Of the leading features OF
this document:
The annual amount Of the transportation nI
Tho mail ON the LIST july, 1888, was 2o,oo4. 4oo
,n;,as-of which the amount of Is. 500, $40 was
in steamboats, aud stages, ard S,5Sl.9o9 on
horseback aud in sukIes. The whole amount,
"a NAV be- supposed, is distributed among the
d;H.rsnt states and territories, very nearly or
unite in proportion to their respective population
The whole length Of mail route IN the United
States amounts now to 1926 miles, which is
aoportioned IN like manner.
The number Ut Post Offices in the Z. States on
the LIST July. 1882 was 10. t21.
Ths increase at the annual transportation OF
the mail within the four wears ending the 30th
lane. 1858, is Is, l54.4S5 miles. nearly equal to
the whole amount of transportation IN 1872
The increase of the annual amount OF hostages
within the same perIoh is S9O9, ll9 80, ana the
whole amount is more than the double oil wha' IL
was in 825. =,
The average expense Of transporting the mail
in 1920. was eight cents and four.tenths OF a
can't nor mill. It is now Z cents 57-1O0, max
mo difference for the whole service equal to
5000. 500 % per wear less, in proportion tn the
service performed, than the expense OF transpor'
ration in 1899, besides a great increase in expe
di,ion between the principal commercial cities,
and much greater proportion o! the whole per-
formed in stages
The method in which the accounts OF the ex.
oen,es of Transporting the mail have always been
kent IN this department, has led to m'saPpre
hsos;op of the means Of extending improvements
in mail facilities 1t appears. from the earliest
records Of the department. to have been rule
not to enter to the credit OF contractor nor to
charge to the account Of transporton, the ex'
pense Of carving the mail on his route, I'LL a'ter
he had sisnsd his contract and returned them 70
the dep,r,ment with proper security. though the
s.rv;cs NAV have been regularly performed, and,
in MANY instances. the moneys actually paid
II has sometimes happened that contracts OF the
Greatest magnitude have, from various causes.
remained for more than year unre'urned. In
sucb cases. though the expenses have been incur
red. they do not appear 10 the transportation &C
count. and though the moneys may have been
maid 10 the contractors, they stand M we DOORS
"a balances to that amount due from ihem 70 the
Jep,rtment, constituting part OF the surplus
fund. when, IN fact. they constitute part OF
the actual expense incurred for the transporta'
,;o, ~ the mail. The consequence has been,
tina, the expenses Tor transporting the mail WITHIN
any uiyen periOJ Of time, az shown IN the &C
counts. and reported annually through the Exc
cutlv.. have been always caicuiaten to eA"ot al
amount considerably less than what has actually
bcen incurred. This is an imperteicn, MT OF
rec.n, origin. but one which appears to have been
CO existent with the department. When the
number of costracts was few, and the surplus re-
venue bore large ratio to its whole annual
amount, the effect was unmportaDt; bot in the
increased number of mail routes, and the dimi.
mutton Of its surplus revenue, IT was calculated
to produce serious Inconvenience. From the
statements growing out Of this system, thus illu.
sory in their results, together with the great ex
pense Of carving into effect the law Of the last
Congress establishing new mail routes. and a dis
nosition to crafty the wishes Of the public in this
;mnroyement of mail facilities, was led 10 car.
nv those improvements to an extent which it was
fo,nd the resources Of the department would not
y.I sustsjp. When the Inconvenience Was felt,
che cause was carefully investigated and the fol.
having result VAS disclosed Prompt directions
mere given for the correction OF the error IN fu-
ture. It is not possible to determine. to an ex-
.ct certainty. the whole expense incurred tor
TRANSFORMATION within any recent period; because
Il will often happen that improvements will be-
..,,a NECESSARY, even for the fuifilment OF exist
inc laws. and expenses Of which. for want OF
,.,one, evidences. must be reserved for subse-
ppnsnt adjustment, and we come into the account
for later period thar that in which the services