Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-03-05

THE POST OFFICE.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
On the Post Office and Post Roads,

Continued.
This letter is dated Dec ath. 1881. an
on the 29th, December 1881. an order /
issued from the department directing tina
the trip be performed 10 twelve hours in
stead Of the time set forth 10 the adyer
/ tisement. Sec Doc. III.
Next follows letter from Robert ]
| Ward. addressed TO the Postmaster Gene
raj, bearing date the 18th Of April, 1852
I 10 which he refers 10 calculation mad
/ Ivy Mr.. Robinson. He goes into partic
ular detail of increased expenses in con
I sequence OF the increased speed; sneak
of the remarkable punctual,ty with whicl
the contract has been performed. All,
concludes by pressing upon the depart
ment the allowance OF four thousand dol
lars year for the daily line. And then
letter from j. L. Robinson to the Post
master General OF the lIth June, 1882
contains an estimate of increased expense
in consequence Of increased speed. whicl
he fixes at $4,000, and ends by claiming
that the compensation ought 10 be inCgea
sed to $1,000. year See Doc. rs.
This is accompanied by certificate
signed by II. r. johnson aud John Hutch
ms. in which they vouch for the correct
ness Of air. Rohinson's statements ans
estimates, aad say that the compensation
asked is very reasonable for the services
performed. Sec Doc. No. 10. Also. q
certificate by Milns w. Dickey and Rob
ert NJ Ewing, saying that they are ac-
qaainted with the line, chat the property
stated in the letter is employed, and that
the ADDITIONAL compensation asked Is reaso
nable. See doc. No. 30.
These papers appear 10 have been for
warded 10 the department, and examined
and a letter is addressed by Mr. Brown
10 Mr. Robinson, dated the 9th If Deem
Der, 1882 (see doc. No. ~ saying. that
the Postmaster General directs han 10
state that he does moi reject the eisi.a.
though he cannot grant Il on the ground
Of the calculation furnished 10y MIR Ward
and adds no extra allowance IS lawful
unless it is based upon the original con
trac.." lie then, after stating that il was
necessary 70 run through IN | , hours IN
stead of ID, proceeds to say, what no
person it seems. had thought OF before.
+" that they had during the best season OF
the year for passengers, 20 rna from Gin
einnatti TO Georgetown in the night in
stead Of the day" lie then refers some
special questions to j. Huichins ADD J O..
Chiles Tor their decision, on which he
says the allowance can be based. Where,
upon Mr. Robinson calls upon Messrs.
Hutchins and Chiles; they certify. See
doc No % MIR. Milus w. Dickey and
Robert NJ. Ewing again repeat in sub
stance their former certificate See doc
No % !; and John Dudley certilfes. See
doc, No. 81. And thereupon the allow
ance Of $4,000, a year is made to com
mence with the contract See doc. No rs
In this negotiation it is curious TO OBJ
serve on what nice points the department
made stand before il would consent 10
grant the allowance. Mr.. Brown says.
q no extra allowance is lawful unless il is
based upon the original contract j" there
fore, let MIR. Hutchins and Childes certify
the additional number Of teams and stages
required, and the yearly cost of those
teams and stages. and that will form ba
sis for the allowance. The law does in.
fact provide that no additional allowance
shall be made unless il is based upon tho
original contract /; and it also provides that
AiGi tlp hAAittJHdt ttVtbiSNhphhth ob-h
be allowed TO exceed The exact proportion
Of the original amount to the additional
duties required" The original contract
of Robinson was 10 carry the mail at $1,000
year. He estimates the stock required
to run per advertisement, 10 teams and A
coaches; to run according 20 alleged in
creased speed, IL teams and coaches. -
Expense Of teams 5000 year each wear
and tear OF coaches $50 dollars year
each; so that by his estimate the cost as
per advertisement, would be yearly &c.
600 90; additional cost for increased
speed, S4 800 90. So that an extra allow
ancc which should be 10 "the exact pro
portion of the original amount to The ad
ditional duties (said to have been) "per-
formed" must bear the same proportion
to $500 dollars that 1000 dollars bear to
5000 dollars this would give S727 81 as
the extent to which the law would have
allowed them to go, had every thing been
true as stated in these papers.
But, strange as it may appear, the
whole is fabrication from beginning TO
end The inducement, ths details, every
thing relating to it, except the mere fact
of making extra allowances, is entirely
without foundation.
According TO the general arrangement
for The transportation Of the mail on all the
several routes referred 10 in this negotia-
ton, the speed Of the mail lines on The
other routes had nothing to do with the
speed Of shis, and il did not require that
this should be at all FASTENED in order to
give the interior OF the state OF Kentucky
the full benefit OF the other rapid lines
The eastern mail for the interior Of the
state Of Kentucky entefed the state al
Maysyilie, and passed Onward through
Washington, Paris and Lexington, and a
branch Of this same mail went from Paris
by Georgetown TO Frankfort The prin
cipal mail for Louisville went from Gin
cinnaui by steamboat, and It was only fol
short time during the suspension q
TINT -