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

January and February, 1885.
On the routes from Washington, through
Baltimore to Philadelphia, the advertise"
ment of 1881 invited proposals for one
daily mail between Washington and Bal.
tmore, to run through in five hours, and
supply the way Offices. Proposals were
also invited for one daily mail from Bal
timore TO Philadelphia, to run through
one way in twenty hours. and the
other in twenty-five. and supply the way
Offices. These and several other routes
we're assigned to R. C. Stockton, for
Stockton and Stokes. at combined bid
Of $14,500, as advertised.
At the same time,the Stocktons offered,
for the iditional sum of S20.15o, to
make variety of improvements, among
which were the following, viz:
son route No. 1871. Philadelphia to
Baltimore, No. 1872. Baltimore to Wash
ington, | will leave Washington, during
steamboat navigation, with the great mail
after its arrival from the South, say l2
o'clock. midnight, arrive at Baltimore by
a. nj. Leave Baltimore at 81 a. m.
and arrive at Philadelphia at 81 p. m.
same evening. returning with equal expe"
dition, or as required; or say, leave Phi-
ladelphia at a. m. (New York mail
having arrived, reach Baltimore by 6p.
m. and Washington by 12 same night.
"Or, l will carry the mail throughout
the season, from Washington TO Baltimore,
and thence to Philadelphia by 81 a. m.
the next morning after its departure from
Washington; departing from the latter
place, as at present, or at pleasure of the
Department. and return with like expe-
dition over the whole (botb) routes, or as
required; giving, underthis arrangement.
second daily mail to the cities OF Phila-
delphia and Baltimore.
81 will also give, on route No 1879,
from Baltimore to Washington, two addi-
tional daily mails, to be run as the DE"
partment may direct, &c,
"And on such (or ally of the above
routes as may be required, will furnish
guards and express mails WHENEVER and
wherever required"
This proposal was accepted, and so far
as regards the service in question, incor~
porated into the contract, with one excep-
tion: twenty-three hours being fixed for
the last improvement offered between
Washington and Philadelphia. The ex"
ception referred to was the omission OF
the offer to furnish express mails when
ever and wherever required" which con-
ek;t,,tal ~ oF ha
cording to the offer of the contractors and
the acceptance of the Department. The
compensation was also. reduced $4,000
below that proposed in the original and
improved bids combined, probably on ac-
count of this and other omissions of &C"
cepted service.
The contract made in pursuance OF
these proposals, were of themselves OBJ
viously provision for the whole mail
service between Washington and Phlla"
delphia. The service contracted for seems
clearly to have been as follows, viz:
l. One daily mail from Washington to
Baltimore, and from Baltimore to Phila-
delphia, as advertised.
Q. A second daily mail from Washing
ton TO Baltimore in six hours, and from
Baltimore to Philadelphia in twelve hours,
to be run "during steamboat navigation" !"
Or, if the Department preferred it, a
second daily mail from Washington to
Philadelphia in 90 hours, to be run
throughout the season." giving second
daily mail to Philadelphia and Baltimore.
The first alternative evidently contem-
plated steamboat mail from Baltimore to
Philadelphia. as it required 6 hours be>
tween Washington and Baltimore S8
miles; and only 12 hours between Balti>
more and Philadelphia. SO miles. The
second evidently contemplated rapid
land line all the way and throughout the
year, requiring only Al hours between
Washington and Baltimore, and about 8
hours between Baltimore and Philadel-
phia. If the Department took the first
alternative, it would have second daily
mail from Washington to Philadelphia by
steamboats, in part, run through in l8
hours, during steamboat navigation only;
| if il took the latter, 1t would have second
daily mail in stages run through in 90
hours, throughout The gear.
8. Two additional daily mails between
Washington and Baltimore.
In ADDITION to these four daily mails
between Washington and Baltimore, she
contractors were bound 10 run another
unnl 31s. December, 1884, by an i'm.
proved contract, on the route from WASH
inyton 10 Winchester, Va. made the pre-
ceding year. For all these services the
contractors were under pay. The SER
| vice herfornaed on these routes under this