Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-06-19

being made known to the Department. and as
there is a considerable amount OF property on
this route, which, by the rules OF this Depart
ment must be purchased by the under bidder,
it is believed that he does not possess the means
to purchase the same. The bid of the contrac-
tors is, therefore, accepted as above" Against
the names of Gay & Homer, above, is also
written, in the hand writing OF MIR. Mclean,
" accepted at 1000 dollars" Thus, it appears,
he was not accredited by the late Postmaster
General for daily mail, AZ miles, but another
proposal was accepted at nearly three times the
amount of Mr.. Horizons. We should, under
all these circumstances, conclude that the &C
ceptance of Mr.. Smiths proposal in preference
to that of Mr.. Horton, for route OF 200 miles
in length, was judcious and proper.
The contracts with Gen. George House, OF
Ohio, have also been the subjects of investiga-
ton. He under contract with the late
Postmaster General, for transporting the mail,
once a week. between Gallipohs, Ohio, and
Chillicothe, 62 miles, in two horse stages, from
January l, 1923, to December 81, 1881, at $500
q year. From the 1st November, 1929, he was
allowed, by the present Postmaster General, an
additional sum of 5000 a year, for running
twice week in four horse post coaches. John
Black was contractor for carrying the mail be-
tween Gallipolis and Coalsmouth, Va, twice
week, on horseback, from January l, 1881, TOR
1894 year In the spring of 1881 George
House appears TO have contemplated the es-
across the Ohio river, and up the KanaWha to
Coalsmouth, Va, so miles, where it would con-
meet with the stage route from FREDERICKSBURG,
by Charlottesville, Staunton, and Guyandotte,
to Calettsburgh, in Kentucky; and for the pur-
pose of having the mail carried by steamboats,,
House was directed to extend his mail route from
Gapohs, from April, 1881, which superseded
the contract Of Black. He did not succeed
with his steamboat, but carried the mail on
horseback, for which he received no more com
pensation than Black was entitled to under his
contract. The contract of House expired on
the 31st of December, 1884, and in the summer
of 1884, when the routes in that quarter were
advertised to run three times week, in four
horse post coaches. The proposal of Gen.
House was, to extend to Kanawha Court House,
81 miles, which would double the distance, and
to carry the mail in steamboats,, between CALI
polls and Kanawha Court House, for $4,000
year. His proposal was rejected, and that Of
A. L. Ross & Co. accepted at S1100 year, to
run from Chillicothe to Gallipolis 60 miles, and
to run through in 80 hours Though Gen.
| House has not succeeded with his steamboat,
| he appears to have had one in state of for
wardness, preparing for the route up the Kama
wha; and the Department appears to have been
| anxious to have the steamboat line established,
as a connecting link between the Guyandotte
stage route in Virginia, and the stage lines from
Galipolis, by Chillicothe to Columbus and to
Cincinnati, in Ohio. In conformity with the
wishes of the Department, A. l.. Ross, there
| FORE voluntarily relinQuished the route between
Gallipolis and Chilicothe, that it might be given
| to House. and extended, by steamboat, to
Coalsmouth or Kanawha Court House.
A contract was then made with Geo. House,
| to carry the mail three times a week, in four
| horse post coaches, 81 miles, through in one
| day; also, to extend, three times week, on
horse back from Gapois to Coalsmouth, so
miles; and if it should be found practicable to
run steamboats,, then to extend to Kenawha G..
| H., 62 miles, and to carry the mail in steam
boats between GalipOs and Kenawha c. H.,
and to perform the whole service for $500 dol
lars year 1t appears from the reports from
Postmasters, that Gen. House has often failed
to deliver the mail, on his route, according to
the directions of the Department, and the PEN
aties have not been generally enforced. These
failures were frequently occasoned by the high
and impossible state OF the waters on this route,
and in some instances the penalties have been
imposed; still we cannot think from the evil
dence now in the possession of the Department,
that sufficient rigor has been exercised.
William Smith is contractor for carrying the
mail in coaches on many routes, among which
are the most of those constituting the line from
Washington City-by Fairfax G. H., Warren
ton, Va, Culpepper G.. H., Orange c. H., Char
lottesville, Lynchburg Danville, Salem, N. c.,
Yorkyille, S. c., and Washington, Ga, to Mil
ledgeville. The route from Washington to
Lynchburg, 300 miles, he contracted to run three
times a week, in four horse post coaches, from
January l, 1881, to December 81 1884. at So
900 per annum. In April, 1881, such alteration
was made in times Of arrival and departure, on
this route, and on the route between Lynchburg
and Danville, and such increased expedition
given, as to require considerable additional eX
pense. The object was to perfect the connex-
ion south of Danville, with the route from Sa-
lem, n G. to South Carolina and Georgia. SO as
to save two days of time, which would other
wise be lost and it is stated that it would re-
quire two additional teams of horses. For this
alteration, he was allowed 800 dollars year ex-
ira pay. In the August following he was di-
rected to make such further alteration, on that
part of the route between Warrenton and Wash
ington city, as would bring the mail, once in
each week, into the latter place, one day earlier
than it would otherwise do This alteration evil
IDENTITY subjected him to increased expense, and it
is stated that itrequred an additional team; and
he was allowed for it 800 dollars year extra
compensation. He was afterwards allowed l,
300 for improving it from tri-weekly to daily
L.