Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-11-21
VOL. xxxE.--yo. "a.

engagements made have the mail transporter in
packets between those two places at $40 Per trip each
way, and as often convenience, depending wind and
weather. would sduit This mode, necessarily ire guler
and uncertain cot the Department at the OF Si2 iso
year, Tor three trips per week, each way
"Tbe mercantile interests Of the country required a re-
enlar aud prompt communication between New Ofeaus
81 VITAL interest TO the hole OF the Western States aud
Territories, and 10 The great mercantile establishments of
every maritime State in the Union Tn. interests agr-
ehhnre OF commrice, and OF manufactures all conspred
10 demand H. Tao unsuccessful efforts had been made
Tor Ms accomplishments which had excited high experta-
tons lac follow osy With disa TO the pub-
lie. ruin the contractors The most mpor,an, cor
respondence began be diverted rcm the mail ha-
z'idons elements Of the ocean, less prccarou than the
only moie which now remained; ard the consequence
was that The revenue of the Department, far do
pended upon that source, was rapidly declining.
The only remedy wac, perseverance in the mode
which my predecessor had wise introduced ha trans
porting the mail between Mobile and New Orleans nv
steamboats, therefore issued an advertisement, accord
ing 10 law, Tor proposals TO carry il that way Several pro-
petitions were made but OF them by persons Of whose
competency and efficiency there no satisfactory evil
dencc The highest bid for $50 900 year The low
ettii. in Which full confidence was warranted Tor faith
'i performance, was S25, 900 year This accept
ed aud III. made Tor four wears beqinnios
IN December iast, with company whose long come xon
with the D. parment contractors had proved them COM
peien 10 any uHrrlaking-men whose energies and per-
severance are seldom cqualed and surpassed They
have already invested nearly $50 900 in that service
They have two steamboats, IN operation and are
ing u the entire saisiact on of the Deperne nj and f no
public.
before this route established The eominunica alton
between HE commercial cities aud New Orleans was by
way oil Tennessee, Alabama, aud Mississippi, by Which
route communications from this place could not reach N
Orleans ia less than twenty-five days. BY means Of the
present come zion between Mobile and New Orleans
Unicaiions from this city reach that Mace in 6cen
day.; making difference Of days earlier than with
our iI- arrangement. subsequently 10 the year 1881
the communication between this city and New Orleans
has been made within twelve days which expedition ia
still preserved While tie commercial inter ess OF the
country highly benefited hy this Improvement
Tire celebrity aLd regularity with which conInunica-
tons are now conveyed, give TO the mail such de-
eided advantages over The Transmission by packets
sid DINER vessels, that correspondence between New
Orleans snd the Atlantic States is now carried on
principally by this route the quarter is
rapidly increasing and II is believed that its increase in
eonse quepss 81 this contract, will fully the whole
expense OF the contract" (See Sen. Doe No 1885, 2Ist
Congress, LIST session.
These reasons presented in favor OF nv contract
OF 1922 Tor tri weekly mail Bgi, in the fail Of 1881
directed an Improvement to daily mail communication on
this route at The price Of $40 per annum and the Late
report OF the minority of the Senates committee on the
Post Office affairs, sin more cogen'y suslains tho policy
OF The department IN these measures, az follows:
81" has been suggested that this (he exsing) contract
was Ilabe 10 exception Ii should be remembered that
h.e Posmas General Is expressly authorized by
o $50 to cause the mail 10 be transported 10y from
the city OF Mobile TO the city OF New Orleans IL was
put ao operation before the prese Postmaster
came INTO ONCE was advertised, and regularly con-
tract, IN july 1879 the transportation between The above
named places 10 he W ~eeky, the prire $40 900 per
The additional s 600 Tor the additional lour
trips week TO make the daily al $40 600
per annam was clearly less than the pro rata allowances
"neh the Postmaster &c neral is authorized by the law to
grant.
"It is alleged, however that this route cos, the bro,
sum oi $4,000, while The nett amount received for
posagesn the year ending the 3Isi oil March, 1888 in
ue While state oil Louisiana, was only &i67IS 43 cents
sai at is fine greatly exceed that sum: and i'm
e oa'e OF Alabama the nett amount al posiages the
same period, was only 37 6S2 5S cents. WeIs these
Two state alone Interested in this route ould be readily
admitted iat The expense produced by t. would be un-
reaonabe; but when IL objected a N Orleans 10 tb
' nt TO which The whole surplus Of dgcuuIal products of
HE nine western States and Tho western parts d pennsvJva
MA aDd Virginia transported 10 market and The mr.
lp
Of the eastern cities, viii be that whole western
States aud great portion of the eastern trading cornu
MY, have interest Ill securing certain ire ouc MT ami
speedy transmission OF intelligence by this romte.
~ 'FS view il may oxCeptionabc that the Post
master General has granted such important mail facilities
III 'he southern and Western States. and has not 20
greater extent, discontinued unproducIve routes in those
scc'ons nasmuch as the hostages received those States
10 no Instance tqnd he expense OF the Transportation
through them IL IL true, that by the Of 1926 he is
directed whenever, within the term Of three successive
years shall Yicd one fourth of the ,nnnsa
incident to IT'S establishments 10 discontinue the same un
les 10 cases where ii may be necessary, as connex
ion or continuance Of route routes, and provided no
S"oi ho' drpnyc seat OF justice IN any county of one
mail going TO and from IT, We are not awago Ina, III.
Junction al tie law has been Gisrs saiacd nor have we
had Time m'nuely TO investigate dis subject our aiten-
'"n having been dhected 70 shecis deemed port
ant One general idc - however, apparent lL,t tho
southern a1d Western States do not through the offices in
then, contribute to Tie Department an amount eousl 10
the -NPensc OF aipoLlatns. Bbis arises Lou several
causes. y Commercial aud manufacturing eoniuunitv
has correspondence aud, OF course con,ribntes =
greater proportion OF ihc Of the Department. hsn
an agricultural people drIrse viii contribute nor bsn
srtrfe population Besides the expense OF tiansport
ton through an old thcklS settled country, where lie
roads afe well improved, and where many passengt rs tfa
vel ~ m"A stages, will lie mitch che per tian in quarter
oI'e oouhuy hihy inbaLiied, aud whore the roads are
not IA so high stsic oil Improvement But should Ia
ohser"si that The Poages f6lUned tie General Post
Ohee 'Fom ihe Offices ~ tie Southern and Western States
do no contribute tbs Whole tha nail facilities
IN those sections contribute It's revenue Much of
tie p0stagcs eeeived IN the large Ea.cin cities arise
from SpOndence received tom the citizens of tho
Southern and WeSern States. But, suppose lie lart
iD 'bi4 particular 10 he, that tic southern and Vast
ern states have some advantage; IL may tie sah ly
affirmed, that this il lle only department of the
Cove rninehi ~ which they ooling of equslitv
vi Oler sections e the United States ia the LetcGts
arcTuing rom lie dihufscn,ents ol psbEc moneys 10
sa nothing 81 hs unequal operations lo revt nue. aw
te public moneys .rncpaly pended on lie eastern
srs board ~ instances, hghhonsrs beak-w aiers hsr-
hors, lohrashs, aud many Cher objects Of expenditure
Wh might lie nsned having corresponding disburse
meh- IN ti5e States W. tbefelyp bink dat the
circumstance 81 punoy being c0l, cied by tho Dfpsf
mthi ~ the Southern and Western States hsn the coet
nl Uanspofaon 0h te nails cioin constitutes 40 oiid
~ icOn 90 hsf TO the legislation ~ CODgfcss This sub
irr Tor tho o. ieson would fqpsy apply 10 IT, az the ai.
70 inJrtlinn ni The Department" See Sen Doe No.
49,. Pasfs PES
H. III re'renchmsnt Of lie expenditures Of the Drp,r,
ment, made ~ December, 1893 by he reduction Of mail
hfiies hr nghoU ihe UuioR. his daily sonie between
Note and Now eahs. considered Of too great i'm
fosnce 20 'he publ 10 he reduced cunSiled though
ihc reduction then ordered amounted s20s 166 per
The heus which The Depofmsn. had been compelled 10
obtain Of tie bsnls, ON iha credit Of s oNn rcsources