Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-06-18

was formerly two horse stage line, under con- |
tract to Hays and Bennett, to be performed
three times week. through in two and halt
DAYS, at 2,700 dollars year. Their contract
expired on the 31st OF December, 1881. In June,
1881, the route was advertised for proposals to
renew it in the same way; that is, in two horse
stages, three times week; the trip to be per-
formed each way in two days and half John
and Benjamin Bennett proposed to perform the
service through in two days. in Jour morse post
coaches, for $500 dollars year. There were
two other proposals received for this, both to
run as advertised, viz. E. Plat &; Co. for 1880
dollars year, and Moore Lebs d Co. Tor 2,45O
dollars a year. The bid of Plat & Co. wasac
cepted This route constitutes part OF the
most direct line from Philadelphia and Harris
burg to Erie, the northern part of Ohio, and Mi
chigan The lines with which it connects at
both ends are four horse coach lines. There
were many applications to the Postmaster Gene
raj from persons of the highest intelligence and
Responsibility, calling for the Improvement OF
this into four horse post coach line. The Post
master General at length determined so to I'M
prove'it Fifty per cent. on two horse stage
line, is estimated by the Department as the pro
rata increase for Improvement to four horse
coach line. The proposal, therefore, of Mr..
Bennett was lower than any other: except that
| ofPlatt & Co. But Plat & Co. voluntarily with
drew, their proposal as appears from docu-
ments on file in the General Post Office; and
there appears to have been good reason why the
! Postmaster General should have permitted them
to do So The proposal of Mr.. Bennett was then
accepted and contract made with them to
perform the service three times week in four
| horse post coaches They also stipulated to
run through each way in two days, instead Of
two days and half Their contract is dated
October 18th, 1881, but it does not appear to
| have been signed by them till the Goth March,
! 1882. On the contracts the following note APP
pears: On account of unusual freshets and de-
Struction of bridges, that is, Sugar Greek Bridge,
Franklin Bridge, with material other changes
on the road since the 18th October, 1881, to the
| goth March, 1882, we agree to run the mail in
two days and a half each way from Belefonte
! to Meadville, and back; and it is understood
that as soon as the bridges are rebuilt we shall
adopt the foregoing schedule mentioned in the
within contract No delay will be occasioned
at Meadville, in consequence of the last men
| toned schedule"
| " The above statement is just and true.
| DANIEL ANDREWS, p NJ"
In consequence of this statement. certified by
| the Postmaster at Meadve, they were permit
ted to take the additional time, two and half
instead of two days, while the bridges were gone
| and the roads out Of repair. 1t is stated at the
Department, that the contractors claimed addi-
tlonal compensation in consequence OF the in
creased distance and expense to which they
were subjected by the loss of the bridge and inju.
ny ofthe roads; but this was denied them. The
additional time, however, seems to have been
very properly allowed. John Bennett has since
deceased and Benjamin Bennett is fulfilling the
contract
Avery, Tompkins, and Saltmarsh, are con-
tractors for transporting the mail on several
routes; among which are the routes from Peters
burg, Va. by Warrenton, n. G.. and Raleigh, to
Fayetteville, 203 miles, constituting part OF the
main daily line between the northern and south
ern States, to New Orleans These routes are
involved in their contract with other routes
which do not belong to the main southern mail
line, at round sum for the whole, without defin-
ing the proposition which belongs to each sepa
rate route
One Of their contracts is for running four times
week, in four horse post coaches, between Pc
tersburg and Warrenton, SIS miles; for running
four times week between Warrenton and RAJ
leigh, 81 miles, in four horse post coaches; for
running daily between Raleigh and Fayetteville
81 miles, in four horse post coaches; for running
three times week between Halifax and Raleigh
ST miles. in four horse post coaches; and for the
whole of these five routes, they were to receive
$4,000 year. Another is for running three
times a week between Nashville and Tarbo
rough n. c.. % miles, in two horse stages, at
$3.50 year, and for running once week on
horseback, between Enfield and Marlborough, !
"a miles, at $40 year These contracts all
bear date October 20, 1880; to commence Janu- !
airy l, 1881, and to continue four years.
from the hrSt OF the above routes they were |
required to run cross mall diverging from the |
main route at Diamond Grove, nine miles, to
Jacksonville, for which an additional allowance !
was made of $3.50 year.
The routes from Petersburg to Warrcnton,
and from Warrenton to Raleigh 142 miles, were !
afterwards directed to be run daily, instead of |
four times week, and to be so expedited as to
gain half of an hour each way. The route
from Nashville to Marlborough, % miles, was d-
IN he N horse in
stead oftwo horse stages. The route from En-
field to Marlborough, "a miles, was directed to
be performed three times week in four horse |
post coaches instead Of once week on horse I
back. For these several Improvements, the |
contractors were allowed an additional compen-
sation at the rate of nine thousand dollars ayear
Whether this allowance was greater than what
law and equity would warrant is a proper sub /
ject of inquiry; pro rata allowance for three
additional trips per week between Petersburg
and Raleigh, via Warrenton, provided no more
is allowed for carrying the great mail on the
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