Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-04-09

I EGali on route no Sol, from Philadelphia TO New
I Y orlS, was noticed in a former report Of your
committee as evidence olthe iHcoTrectness OF tho
official reports from the department and also Of
the exlrayagance of extra allowances which had
bee n made 20 iavOfite contractors. We propose
here to consider it only aits latter aspect as to
that the evidence since taken is confined: so far
relates 70 this point, il is noticed in the for
mer report Of voal committee page IL, as follows:
Il is stated IN the report oi the 18th u April,
1884, tdoc, 2l3 p. % that James &ecsidc is the
contractor Tor the transportation Of the mail
I from Philadelphia TO New York, in four horse
post coaches, daily, al annual compensation Of
$4,000, for four years, from the LIST day Of Jan
uary 1882.
BY the report Of the Of March, 1884,
the contract is stated at twice day,
and the annual compensation (doc.
iss. ?, 1867 at S2o,sOo
He was allowed Up. 1917 for extra
services yearly compensation OF $5,l25
Increasing this compensation on this
route from $4,000, the legal contract
TO $4,000
And an express mail was ordered TO be
run on the same route, at the yearly
compensation of $3.50
---
Making the grand total yearly SOS, 575
1t was impossible for the committee at that
time, toinvestigate all the circumstances connec-
ted with this route, and they have considered II
proper to pursue their inquiries in relation 10 il.
This became the more necessary, as the POST
master General, in his address 10 the people Of
the United States, comments upon this part the
report, denying its correctness, II is due there
fore, TO the exhibition Of truth, and proper I'M
derstanding ofthe conduct of the department, that
the facts should be fully detailed.
That the facts might be correctly understood,
the committee called for the advertisements up
on this route 95l, the several proposals which
were made, and the contract which was exceu-
tod fHr,T &c
The advertisement is the guide, and the only
guide by which bidders make their offers
Tor carrying the mai unless il happens uniortu-
nately for the public interest that they have
well wishers' in the Office, and are permitted to
know, not only the open and public wishes Of
the department, but its secret purposes also. This
advertisement is
'95l. From New York. N. Y, by Jersey
City, N. j., Newark, Elizabethtown, Railway,
New Brunswick, Kings ion, Princeton, Trenton,
Morrisvile, Pa, Tully Town, Bristol, Andausia
Holmcsburgh, and Frankfort, ninety miles and
back every day in four horse post coaches leave
New York every day at 3, p. NJ. arrive at Phil
adelphia next day at 6 A M; leave Philadelphia
every day at p VI, and arrive at New York
next day at A Mp
plain bidder, IMMERSED in the management of
post office contracts, would naturally suppose that
the whole mail was to be carried once day and
once only each way, starting at and arriving at
W
tainly lead him 10 an offer which the department
would not accept. Under this advertisement,
fonr bids or proposals were made, the copies OF
which are referred 10.
Doremus and Thompson (scc doc. 90 } offered
TO carry the mail (" agreeably 10 the advertise
ment,' for the yearly compensation Of s l9, 500,
and " furnish guard for IT free OF expense TO the
Post Office department" Ezra Plat s. Co. (sec
document 93) offered TO carry itfor $4,000 " ac-
cordng to the advertisement" or for y $4,000 in
eleven hours, or in safety carriages for the
press purpose of conveying the mails, in ten
hours, for s 5000 The Union Line Stage COM
pany (scc doc. 94) offered TO carry il according
10 the advertisement. for $4,000 for the first
ofthe four years for the remaining their offer
was 10 carry the great daily by the steamboats,
and the Camden and Amboy rail road leaving
each city at o'clock, and arriving at IL, making
9 hours the mail by land ON the route, and with
10 the hours stated IN the advertisement daily
in horse post coaches. They further offered
10 carry the morning mail as il at that time
carried, for the first year. and for the three 9TH
err wears by steamboats, and railroad, leaving at
q NJ, and arriving at y Nj, being nine hours,
for l6 900 dollars, in compensation for the whole
service They offered also TO include the then
contractor, MIR Reesrde, in their contract.
James Reside offered 10 carry the mail, ac-
cording to the advertisement, for $4,000, or 10
! make the following Improvements, (which he
adds " are required by the present state of the
country, to carry il twice day during The run
ming of the steamboats,, the principal mail 20 go
from office to Office in thirteen hours, leaving at
| 6, p NJ. and arriving next day at s, NJ, for
! s. ,0G0, which TO include all the improve
| nicn:s 70 which he bound himself The improve
men;s he states in his bid to be;
! /. Such increased expedition TO The mail be-
, tween New orlS and New Haven 10 leave n.
| York after the arrival Of his mail, aud arrive at
New Haven in time 10 keep the conheXion per-
| feet. and without any interruption delay TO
! Boston, and also the same expedition in return
| ing which Improvements, he stated, ''would
| REQUIRE foar additional teams, and Increased cx-
! pense of at least $4,000 per anunm This, by a
/ corresponding improvement between Washing
ton city and Philadelphia, which is perfectly
feasible, will expedite the mail one whole day
between w ashington and Boston, and prevent
many failures by causing the mad 10 cross the
Hudson at all times by daylight"
! .. The other mail to leave the cities in The
steamboais at 6, A NJ, and arrive at 5, z NJ, be-
ing eleven hours"
3. g The mail shall always be guarded witt,
suitable fire arms, and during the night always
/ attended with double guards, at my own expense,
defence rendered necessary by the importance
Of the mail"
4 ~ hepcyer Government expresses shall
be required, yill convey them IN the shortest
time practicable, withoutany expense to the de-
partmont
man and horses, or machinery Wila4lVWs Whcih-
e. on the rail road when completed, or any part
Oil. whether by steamboat during the season, or
In four horse post coaches at all times Of the day,
and al any season Of the year, always using such
expedition as may be prescribed by the Post
master General, and with the same raPidity as
any express can be conveyed"
&. 81 BY postscript it is further distinctly I'M
dcrstood thai at the two Offices oil New ork and
Philadelphia. the department deiraying. the ex-
pcnsc of barge and oarsmen IN ierrying II across
The river.''
6. Z" Ii is also distinctly understood that the
mail shall at all times, beth winter and summer
Nm tbrough 10th WAYS from Office 10 office in
thirteen hours. And when times OF arrival and
departure are altered, the same expedition shai
be kept up without any increase Of expense to the
department"
Hinder this advertisement. ard these scvera