Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-07-06


tion to the allowances on the routes from
Baltimore and Washington to Wheeling,
and others in Ohio connected with them,
the committee spoke as follows, viz:
"On the 18th October, 1882, Stockton
and Neil entered into a contract for the
transportation of the mail on twenty-five
routes, from 1st January, 1882, for four
years, at the annual compensation of
$37, 900. These routes extend from
Washington and Baltimore to WheaIing,
and thence through considerable portion
of the State of Ohio. The agreement
was 10 carry the mail on these twenty-five
routes, as Advertised, at the compensation
before stated; and it also expressly pro-
vided, that for the further sum of Sc, $50
per annum, the contractors should make
all the Improvements stated in the propo-
sails of Reside and Stockton, or any part
thereof in the same ratio, whenever the
Postmaster General should direct; also,
tina: for the further sum of 100000 per
annum, they should in like manner make
all the improvements stated in the propo-
sal of William Neil and Co. or any part
thereof, in the same proportion, whenev-
er the Postmaster General should direct.
These improvements were all ordered
from the commencement, so thatth con-
tract price, including the improvements
therein provided for, was $65, $50 per
annum. There are extra allowances en-
dorscd upon this contract, most of which
took effect from its commencement, and
which exceed $40, 900 per annum. The
annual expenditure, therefore. upon these
routes, from lst January, 1882, exceeded
100000.
Although nearly the whole of these
extra allowances took effect from the COM
mencement of the contract, yet the evil
dence shows that much of the extra SER
vice, forming the basis for the allowan.
ces, was not performed until long after.
the contract had gone into operation; (see
letter of R. c. Stockton of 26th March,
1881
"This letter urges that the greatly in
creased weight of the mail between Balti-
more and Wheelingrendered an additional
line OF stages, or some other provision
for the emergency, necessary; and asks
an extra allowance as matter of Justice
to the contractors. The letter allows that
double line of stages had not previously
been run on the route, but it was immedi-
ately ordered, and payment for it, as an
extra service, has been made from the be-
ginning.
"The committee have not examined
this contract with view to form an opin-
ion of the justice of the extra allowance
in each particular instance. 1t might be
quite impracticable, from the contract,
and the endorsements upon it, to discover
precisely the additional services for which
each separate extra allowance was made.
1t is fit case for general comment, and
one in which particular detail may very
we'll be dispensed with.
"Either there was very great inatten-
tion in adapting the advertisement to the
proper service, or these extra allowances
have been made most improvidentialy.-
The service in the advertisement was se-
cured in the autum of 1881, at $37, 900
yet it is rapidly run up to more than
100000. Certainly it is not an ordina-
ry case, and some extraordinary reo-
son should exist for this sudden and enor-
nous increase.
"Additionallines of stages were order
ed and paid for; postillions and extra hor-
ses, tolls, and ferriages, were all paid for;
but upon what ground of reason, proprie-
ty, or justice, some of the allowances were
made, the committee do not perceive.
Many of these services, however,
have been retrencheds amounting in the
aggregate to about $4,000. This re-
ceivcs the harty approval Of the commit
Tee. They believe that it was contract
which demanded at least that reduction,
and they think the public interest would
not suffer by an increase of that amount.
1t is contract for twenty-five routes at
gross sum; it contains provisions for two
separate classes of additional improve
ments, both of which were ordered; add
to which that extra has been allowed upon
extra until the, original sum is but little
more than one third of the total amount
of expenditure"
The Solicitors award adds $19,254 a
year, from January 1, 1882, to the ag-
gregate compensation before retrench-
ment on the ruotes to Wheeling only, on
the same contracts for the same services,
and during the same time, and also re-
stores all the retrenched allowances from
the day of the retrenchments.
The same committee examined and
reported upon the contracts on the
routes from Washington, through Balti-
more to Philadelphia, and were Of opin-