Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-07-04

I November last the rsrt OF the route between Guyan-
week, aud deduction made from his compensation OF
500 dollars per annum The present steamboat con-
tract therefore, run twice week each between
Guy audote aud Cincinnati, aud daily between Cincinnati
and Louisville and the annual compensation is 5000 dol
lars
The mail route between Mobile, Alabama, and New
Orleans, Louisiana has been subject of nvestg alton
Il appears that the rsct Tor this outc had been snnu
on account OF the failure of the contractors; and the
Postmaster General advertised II the 18th OF April,
1929 for proposals be received till the H. July 1922
three times week from Mobile, via Peso goulA in
stages and steamboats,, the terms indefinite. IL was
cepied TO James Ree-de & CO. at 25 coo dollars year;
the made with them, that rate transport
nail In stages aud steamboats,, or in steamboats,.
might be found eligible, Tor four years. from the 18th
November 1929 The contract Is dated uly "a 1929,
signed by James Reesdc Richard &. Stockton, VIM. Is.
Stokes John Ii Avery, Edwin Porter, aud the Potomac
Steamboat Company, by Frederick May.
The General determined in the fall Of 1881,
improve the mail route between the Atlantic cities and
New Orleans to daily line; but the enterprise Of this
company had IN many respects proved disastrous he de-
conue the contract the for this part
of the line TO the responsibility oil individual who might
select his associates hut stand personally pledged for the
this contract by new one, with Edwin Porter, 10
daily, instead Of three mc- week. aud to receive Tor
his annual compensation 40 900 dollars This contract
bears date October I5 1884, commence on the Let
January 1882 and continue isnr 1t is signed by
Edwin Porter, PRINCIPAL and by Sidney Porter aud Will
Allen, as suretes. Under this contract the mail sp
pears 10 be carried at this time.
has been suggested, this liable
exception. Ii should be remembered, that the Posima
General is expressly auhoiized by the act OF 1925
the mail he transported by water, from the city
oil Mobile TO the city Of New Orleans IL put into
before the present Postmaster General came in
Office advertised, and regulal let TO contract, in
July, Is29ihe transportation between the above manned
places be iiweeky at the price Of 25 900 dollars per
The additional Is 900 dollars for the additional
four trips week, to make the service daily, al 49,
900 dollars per clearly less than the pro
allowance which the Postmaster General is authorized by
the law TO grant.
II is alleged, however, that this the large
Of 49, 600 dollars while the nett received for
postage in the year ending the 3lst March, 1888 in the
whole State OF louisiana only $i67i8 49, and this
time greatly exceed that ia the State
Alabama, the nett amount OF hostages in the period
only S37 6S2 5S. Were these States alone in
teresied la this il would be readily admitted that the
expense produced by wou be unreasonable, but when
il is recoecIed that New Ofeans is the point which
the whole surplus agricultural products OF the
crn States aud the western parts OF Pennsylvania and
Virginia transported TO market and the purchasers in
great measure are the eicanis aud traders Of the
cities, il will be that tho whole States
aud great portion oil the trading community
an interest In securing certain, hequen and speedy
transmission OF intelligence by this principal Oh
ject OF expedition in mail transportation, is, that n,e
gence through that channel may become general among
those who have articles 10 seli before purchasers their
agents, acting by means OF private information, pro-
cured through expresses, and otherwise, obtain
that advantage which those acting with knowledge
OF the stock Of the market in other parts OF the world
always have over those ~ o do not possess similar in
formation. In this view OF the subject, whole
country is deeply interested in keeping up this
route, what 1t msy-wihout il they might be ex-
posed the danger OF sacrificing the products OF their la
hor without obtaining lair equivalent, and citizens OF the
Eastern portion Of the United States interested in
procuring certain and early intelligence OF the kind and
quantity Of Western productions that probably may
he in market at New Orleans IL is rue that
failures have occurred this route, ewing chiefly The
incapacy of Mr.. Porters agent, Tor which fines the
amount OF about 6000 dollars have been imposed; but
since The has liked his residence at Mobile and
New Orleans alternately, and given TO The route has i'm
mediate personal attention. the transportation of the mail
has become regular, aud well with the great
| natll Mohf fl,A n
rangemenl the tine OF transporting the mails l.om New
Orleans Washington, and the cities East it, several
days less than IL was previous 10 lis adoption.
AZ hrst view IL may seem exceptionable that the Post
master General has granted such important mail facilities
in the southern and western Staes and has TO greater
extent discontinued reproductive routes in those sections
nasmuch the hostages received in those States in no
stance equal the expense Of the through
them is true that by the act OF 1926 he is directed
that whenever, within the term Of three successive years.
route shall Tail 10 yield neiourh Of the expense Incl
dent 10 its establishment, discontinue the same unless
Ia cases where IL may be necessary
nuance Of route OF routes, and provided he shall de-
prive seat OF justice in any county OF mail going
and from IT, We are not that this Injunction OF The
law has been jisre garced, have had time infinitely
10 investigate This subject, attention having been
directed to objects deemed important One
general fact however, is apparent: that the southern ard
western States DO not though the Offices in them contr-
butte to the department. equal to the expense Of
transportation This arises from several causes
mercidi and manufacturing community have
ponaehce' ana OF course contribute greater proportion
oil the revenues OF the department than an agricultural
people. a dense VIII contribute more than sparse popu
laion Besides the expense Of uausporion through
old and lhck country whore the roads well
liz Proved and here many in mail
will be much cheaper than in quarter OF The country thin
y Inhabited, and where the roads in high
OF improvement But il should be Observed that the post
ages returned TO the General Post Office from the Offices
Ia the southern and western States, do not contribute
The whole amount that mail facilities those sections con-
tribute 10 its bIuch OF the hostages received m
the large eastern cities arise from received
from the citizens OF the southern and States But
suppose the fact in this particular be, that The southern
aud western States have yantsge il may be safely
affirmed that this is the only department Of the Govern
meDt ia which they footing OF equality with
other sections OF the United Stslcs the bene accru
ing from The disbursement OF public moneys To say no.
thing Of the unequal operations OF the laws upon
the different parts Of the country, Is apparent that the
public moneys principally expended the eastern
ohcations, and many other obects oil expenditure that
might be named having no corresponding disbursements
in the States. We thersiore think that the cir
cunstance of less money being collected by the depart
in the southern and States than the cost OF
trsnspo tsiion Of the mails therein constitutes solid
lection either 10 the Legislation OF Congress this SUBJ
ect (Ior the objection would equally apply iD the
administration Of the department
Our attenon has been particularly drawn OF the
incidental accounts OF the department Among others
the account Of moneys paid Tor the department by Mr. Gou
verneur Postmaster York. seemed require special
attention. Upon lulI nvestg alton OF this account, every
item constituting was found 10 be by its
propiaie voucher, aud the items themselves
y 10 be suci lad been ordinarily under former admins
uaions, paid by the Postmaster at New York, and ac-
credited TO him at the department, as in this instance
The accounts for printing executed for the Department
by Francis II. Blair, editor OF the Globe; by Mr. Penn
Louisville, Ky; by Messrs Hill aud Barton Of Concord
N III aud by Messrs. True Greene, Of Boslon Mas
from the 1 OF October 1881 TO the LIST OF January 1884,
supposed TO require n,inue examination. We
pared the accounts with the vouchers which accompanied
bpu sd all Hama in The