Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-02-03

that the mail should run through every day,
each way, i'm IA hours. The Postmaster Gene
raj, before the service was commenced, requir-
ed that the contractor should run through each
way in II hours, instead Of l4-.for the Postmas-
ter General agreed to pay the increased expense.
From the Report OF the Postmaster General,
and the letter ofthe Superintendent ofmail con-
tracts, both the majority and minority OF the
committee believed, that by reason of this
change, night, instead of day service had been
required Of the contractor but from the testmo-
ny before the committed it appeared that no such
change was produced; and that any increased
allowance must rest upon the increased eXpedl-
ton alone. Respectable and dsinterested men,
selected by the Postmaster General himself, estl-
mated this increased expense at $4,000; and OF
this sum, the Postmaster General allowed $4,000.
This is believed to be too great an allowance,
when compared with the original price and
compensation. An examination has also been
instituted, to ascertain whether the service had
been performed as order 1t is believed that the
proof establishes the perfcrmancesof portion
of it, A part of it has not been executed as
ordered.
The committee also re-examined the cases of
the routes between Philadelphia and Pittsburg,
and Pittsburg and Wheeling. The contract
was for double mail in four-horSe post coaches,
daily between Philadelphia and Pittsburg; one
line to run through in So hours, aud the other
in so hours. The line from Pittsburg to Wheel
ing to run through daily in IA hours. 1t is prov,
ed by Saymaker, one of the contractors, anu
also by the then superintendent ofmal contracts,
that il was the mutual understanding between
the Department and contractors that The news
paper mail was to be carried inthe SLOW line
| On the lst of April 1882, the contractors were
required TO carry all the newspapers IN INC iast
line. This produced considerable expense ana
loss 10 them, for which the Postmaster General
allowed them at the rate of $4,000 year.-
The committee is opinion that some compen-
saton should have been made to the contrac-
tors. Whether $4,000 should have been the
amount of the allowance, they have not the
means Of Judging. The true rule ii seems to
it on such subjects is, that the inCrease Of mail
matter upon line Of transportation, produced
from any other cause than the action Of the
Department ITSELF should be borne by the con-
tractor. But when the Department, by its own
act throws burden upon the contractor, which
could not have been foreseen at the time OF max
ing the contract, then justice requires that com
penSation should be made. 1t doubts, however,
very much, the expcdieni y of divdinga mail
ready for delivery at the time Of departure in
any case 1t might be better practice so to
make the contracts as to require the contractor
TO send on the whole mail at one time, even
should more than one coach or stage be neces-
Sary for the purpose. From the fact that Mr..
Brown had borrowed money from Reside and
Slaymaker. the committee entered into a very
$4,000, minute account of which is contain
| ed in the report. The result is, clear eXoncra-
ton OF all persons employed in the General Post
Office from any participation in, or benefit
whatever by, this extra allowance.
The route from Hagerstown to McConnells-
burg has been re-eXamined, and the minority
deem it no part of its duty to determine whelh-
er MIR. Reside was actually mistaken in his bid
or not Such representations were made to the
Postmaster Gen. as to authorize him 10 believe,
that such mistake did exist; and he therefore
allowed the S., 400, instread of the $40 contain
| ed in in the bid In the execution OF the con
| tract it appears that Mr. Reside has received
| fer part of the time for transportation in
coaches, when in fact the mail was carried on
| horseback
! Upon the route from Bedford to Washington,
Pennsylvania, No. 1888 the contract originally
was for tri-weeky mail in four-horse post
| coaches, at 1925 per quarter. On the first of
January, 1892, the contractor was directed to
run daily at a pro roia allowance, which in
creased his pay to 81 69l 81 per quarter. Mr..
Reside did carry the mail daily, according to
the order ofimprovement; until about the 1st of
September, 1882, from which time to the present,
it has only been triweekly mail. He has re-
ceived from the department from the lst of Sep.
tember 1882, to the lst December, 1885, at the
rate of 1866 67 per quarter more than the SER
vice performed entitled him to.
The route from Baltimore to Chambersburg
was bid off by James Reside at 81 800 Il year,
the mail to be carried in four horse post-coaches
daily He had also made another proposal,
which made his departure from Baltimore de-
pendent on the arrival of the steam boat mail
from Philadelphia, and to arrive at Chambers
burg on the same day, so as to connect with the
Philadelphia and Pittsburg line, for S3, 495 year
He was directed to comply with the last propo-
SAL When the service commenced, the Phila-
delphia line arrived at Chanbersburg at 10 o.
clock, P. Nj. This made it necessary that the
Baltimore mail should arrive at o'clock p. NJ,
according to the schedule agreed on. When a
change was afterwards made in the Philadelphia
line, so that the mail arrived at Chambersburg
at from to s, A. NJ. there was no occasion for
the increased expedition in the line from Balti-
more. 1t does not appear that the mail on this
route (ffom Baltimore to Chambersburg) has
been transported with any regularity.
The route from Meadville to Bellefonte Penn
syvania, has been again examined, and so far
as relates to the original bids and contract, the
minority refer to its report at the last session.
No reason is seen upon re examination, to doubt
lie correctness iS stated in al1itinn IN II