Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-06-20

A nll ri,i
ports OF the Department.
The annual expenses OF transporting the mail under
existing contracts with all mprov ements, was. by the
~ o. '"e postmaster General oil the 3olh Nov, 1888
sc. Gown own at 2,O33, 2s9 ~
The Blue Book of Sept, 1882, gives the sg-
gregate OF all mail contracts and extra al
'o"'hee al 1892, 92O IA
Making difference OF expenditure not ac-
This difference is wholly xplained No answer has
YET oeen given 10 call made by Senate on the Hi
Jay oil March last resolution offered by one OF YOUR
onee, ior statement, OF the sums paid Tor ,rsnpora
uon ana extra allowances any Omitted in the Blue Book
which would have enabled them prese an explanation
u me discrepancy; aud we perceive oil OF ac
counting Tor IT, consistent with the correct administrator
OF "e department, aud careful and accurate exainina
"o OF me papers which issue from and under oific
authority.
Your Committee has also caused to be selected from
the report (o allow ance) made BY The Postmaster
General 10 the Senate the 5,h ay of Al arch last all
heve been there set down subssng allow ances since
.ne <9h Gay oil june 1888. which ought nclsde all
That are embraced in The Blue Book.
Their aggregate, BY that report amounts TO 35I 573 80
i"e" aggregate by the Blue Book, Is 3779i7 Ct
Making a difference Of 20 374 SO
Tins the Blue Book gives aggregate les, thar the
s"'aa ' report OF 4O369 OF 2
the Blue Book, 26374 So
Error between the annual report and the re-
port oi March Sd, 1854 es6 7ta GIG :, o
The Postmaster Gen ,a in his annual report accomua-
nying the PresdenI's Message Dec LII, 1892 states
asurpus OF available funds ahcr driraviny all t,e
pensss the d. parimen down the lst Of July 1882
az az $780,, Sll 40
instead Of having had OF hand that amount
OF available iunds, the DEPARTING mt was at
that time really indebted beyond the whole
amount oil its resources, Including its cree
dts, eet IN
showing an admitted error in that report Of S2O5 G55 80
In descending 10 the items, and comparing one by one
,ne contacts as set forth and certified report of the
Postmaser-General, with the contracts az set
III anoner oil ms reports discrepancies still more re-
narkaDe fsur committee have forth lew of these
instances by way ol example,
The Postmaster General, in his repor of The 18Th ~
hpti, 1882 1Doc PIP, p ~ states that Stockton and
Me," nsd eonroced to carry the mail Nos
iZoi isO2, 1909 aud 400; that is say from Cumber-
land to Wheeling, Washington Frederick and from Ere
derrick TO Winchester, at 1000 dollar. per annum,.
by the advertisements, these routes were 10 qo into
operation on the Is OF January, 1882
In his report to the Senate OF the 81 of March 1891
DOC iSo' Zo1 he states the contract at 10 $50
dosrs per "nnum' exclusive OF extra alowan.
cess which, they do relate TO he branch of the sinh
sSs now under consideration we by for The present
me dlnerence between The report this contract in
April 1882 aud March, 1884, $50 dollars per apnnm
amounting, IN The four years, the duration of The contract
In his repo', OF April 49, 1892, doc 2l2 r. I7A he
states mat H. O. Stockton and VIM Nell are
70 carry .iie is on route No l501, and others udng
compcnsalion or % routes principally ia Ohio. at annual
la his report OF March g. 1884 doc I3s. ~. "''''
2l0) he states that VIM. N ell s. Co are con-
tractors on the same routes, at an annual com
A, pshsa''on ,, o. 6O,HO
contractor.
per "nnun'oi 2O,4I0
DnIi,g 'he contract OF sl,64i
In bis report Of April 49, 1892 Doc 2I2 p he states
that Reside Slymaker contractors Tor carving ,b
mai. from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, at an annual COM
pe"ranoh OF 1000
io'" i"sou's =" 10 washington, $50
Ma,sing'in The aggregate, $3.50
La las report OF March g. 1884, doc ISs, n 1873 he
states the contract Phade pia TO P,irsbnreb E
FPmisbnreh TO Washington, aud from H1ashingfon 10
m ann AL
Making difference, per annum, of 1880
And in four years, of 20 coo
The line iom Washington TO Wheeling is included in
me sonr'ct OF Stockton and NELL, in The report OF April
1882 (Doc l3S p. POI lii not mentioned as mar, ~
the contract Of Reside and Slaymaker
Ia his report Doc 2l2 p. 2)o the Is of April 1882,
The postmaster General states that James Rees;de il H.
contractor for carrying the mail from Philadelphia to New
YORK daily, at an annual compensation Of S6 600
1884, be states The con ract as tvs ice
day. aud the compensation per annum at 20 500
mS"'"s "'hefence' per annum, OF ii 500
And in four years of exc ooo
Ihcse are but alew out OF numerous class OF cases
many OF which will be Sc; large in subsequent
part OF this report +. uiem your committee has heen
constrained 20 draw conclusions uniayorsbIe 10 tho
genefa' accuracy of the department. and though all or
nearly all oil the which follow have Teen e,eut
y represented in different reports of the department
are hol seieetcd wh special view 10 that
ns detail them because they form parts Of transactions
with individuals some, il is true OF small ,npor,ance
aud befs OF great magnitude, but altogether nyoIyna
almost every conceivable variety OF abuse; some O, he
Ia direct violation OF law and some subyefye Of the con
mon principles OF justice and lair dealing between man
and man. "-'
Tho brs case examined by your committee ,as con.
tract hiih General George House. Of Galipoli. in tse
State Of Ohio and the following is The Transaction some
"hat ~ de'sn as u appeared IN evidence.
At the lettings doc III, D. 81 ia October 1870 route
NO 1910, hon Colesmouh 10 Gsi!ipols, was rsken by
John Back al the yearly compensation OF 1891 com,
mencing on the LIT Of January 1891 ending Tie sIs,
December, 1884.
On the flee Of the department, is a letter from,
House TO the Postmaster General, dated az Washington
January - 10 leo IN which he proposes TO carry the
mail Three tines week in steamboat from Charlc ston
kanaNhs, TO Galipolis, at $50 per mile, per annum TO
commence as soon as his boat .hould be ready in e
Spins aud he adds that his proposition made in mar,
susnce OF request or directions Of the department made
10 Judge Hayward in December Chem last The e.ii.
mailed distance, sixty four miles eqId ~ 81 800 wear
In communication from o. b. Brown To- the po.,c,as
er.Gcneial dated the 1ih Of February 1881 he s.a,ss
The oler Of George House OF 900 for carving tie n
twice week 10 steamboat the ssne roule and t,t
the steamboat VIII be ready "ssy the lst of AppI" ne
suggess iat Tie contract Nth black may be suspended
aud asks 'shali IL donel" The Postmaster i3eoersi
Black received orders 10 discontinue his route from the
LEI OF April, 1881 No appears TO have been
eeuted by House, and Black continued TO carry The IN
on horseback his sub contractor 4 he effect Of the
whole Transaction shift the contract out of the hands
Of Black, and place II IN The hands Of House who IL eli
known a. an active aud Influential political partisan
eter written by House 10 Tie Postmaster General
III Of August 1881, states hat be had yet got hs
steamboat prepared end does know when he shAll
nd lie 4. 4