Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-12-29
6 l. MN /.

a.
Tie ffn. nr Ill sCw i!!s rs IRE % e CT
Ecui;ies between Post U:ce Department ana ;:e South
Railroad (, mpamis, in rgIfd to '!F F"n'P'r:a'n
OF the mail and the condition III when The hes''''i'"
stands:
81 tie Act of Congress passed July 1h, lc@o, every
railroad wi hin the limits If the United States Is MADE
post route and tie poa'tiascr General ~ 10 c:cc 'e
na.i 10 transported thereon. provided he can nave
Il, done reasonable terms and not paying more 'na
twenty FIVE ger ceurm over and above what s!:H!ia!
transportation would cost IN pcs; co:crs
ne transportation of ti;e ml Uy railroad IS TO Sc 4:
iea.t twelve miles hour F!"si The termination o.
the ,s.!lrC al ihc in Moth Carolina 10 hO.usin, TIC
Postmaster General endeagorrd 30 get tie mi' carried
in post caches miles hour, but was unable 10
e.! r:"p"sas 10 cary u at that sFced tor rss fce
than $40 mile per annum. If 10 this were atucd
Tie % pr cent. for the difference speed between Tie
and w elve miles, 1t would make S}i3 a., cents
iIut the prop stion OF the Southern Railroad ComPa-
MES carry it for $500 mile, being The price pad
for railroad transportation North Of Washington city
The Pos,mas Genera! objected 20 taking critic
the asked for carry ing the mail south OF The
railroads, miles hour because lie bad declined
making contract for that speed and be objected elso 10
The compensation paid 10 ie Railroad Companies north
ut Washington being taken as guide. Between BAL
,mo!e ard Washington il admitted that The com.
penGaiIon l2 OGO year DI carrying the WaIl III
miles but there !Ic Pos Gas;er General -ad, two
mails day. which il answered, That the second
mail local mail between the t:Yo cities, like
The second mail between Richmond and Petersburg and
no, ru,ai 10 importance 10 the Western mail which it
was contemplated 10 CARY from Richmond TO HE june
ton with the Louisa Railroad without any additional
compensation. Between Baltimore aud Philadelphia, IL
WIS admitted that there second daily maiI, and
the compensation S27 800 year for distance of few
miles than 90; but, the mail said 10 te heavier,
which il answered, that the additional weight
made bnt little difference and was certainly not
material the gre difference IN Tcgrd 10 hours There
the mail carried in tic day HIe at certain fixed
hours agreed upon BY the Department and the Company
II re il to b" carried any hour which mig lie
prescribed by the Department. whether day or night -
This deemed very ateriol dierence-so material
that the Southern Railroad com panes expressed per.
willingness 10 take Tie mail for the 7 80 offer
I'd by HE Department. If il were carried ty them in
the day time.
The criterion Of compensation fixed on by the Post. |
master General was tie average cost Of transportation
The great mail line west That average he said
$50 per mile, 10 which adding % per cent, made the
S2j7 30 offered by him. The Companies thought il
would ne nirer To take criterion the cost Of mail
transportation seven miles hour in the same section
Of country with the railroads. instead of taking as
guide the pay IN the Western Country But they said
further, that If the Western lines resorted 10 as
guide, they thought That portion of il should he looked
u an which the expedition greatest, and Tor which
the compensation vas highest Between Fred2r rick and
Cumberland, distance cf ninety one miles The com.
pcrsai'on was S2ci per mile, aud # 10 this were added
Tie - per cent for the difference in speed between Sc
ven nnd twelve miles. it would make S35l mile per
an mum. instead Of $500, the charged
Besides the question 10 the particular rate Of com
pensaiion there were other questions regard the
connections for he travel An important line Of liaysl
to the South, 10 wit that from Charleston
iImipgton 10 augsburg the Roanoke, has not
hitherto been mail Line. Gearyshurg is thu poin, at
which The Portsmouth intcrsectS the Petersburg road
amd /" ts point there two Competing tor the
travel iFcm Balt more By The Bag steamboats, and
oGl.;nCuh road. and the Other through Washington,
fredericksburg. Richmond and Petersburg. AS it was
important 10 the companies That the travel should pct
fran Baltimore By this about soon az By the
other, and The travel could 90 faster than the mail it
was deemed important that The mail should be de-
tanned al tie post Offices this Ioutc any longer than
nigh! be necessary 10 assert it. II therefore asked
Tia: the Mai! should not be detained in WashnCt city
more Than hour and half in Frederick burg or
Richmond more Than hall an hour, in Petersburg
than an hour 1t was stated, however that if the
department, 10 contract with The Wilmington ccm
pauy for a daily mail between Gearysburg and Will
mrglun any stpuntions in regard TO the time Of de-
tcHtnns might he Dispensed with for. in that case the
Wilmington company would have to connect with this
line FOR the mall and connecting with il for the ma
would # cfu.:e connect with il for thr travel
Nhiis tie department objected to making The s'nula.
lions which asked, it has in fact made contract
with the Wilmington Company, for daily ma! from
yshu;g To Wilmington and 'hms enove The great
cs, obstacle IN r nf arrangement. Since that
contract. the Railroad Companies have been willing To
refer the question of corporation for the mail
sr"ce to abi'ra;crs, say whether The comp rs0iinn
should be 500 per mic, :SZ37 jG--Gr
sum But being in!nrmcf that the department would
BE- Hing 10 refer the question: and The great ucon
vsnencs that the public would sustain if deprived Of
the mail facilities that the railroads afford being strong
~ urged upcn them, they have under the influence Of
this consideration, agreed TO accept the of 31 90
offered by the department. provided The connections for
The travel be preserved On this subject the only
& fl" uy existing, is between Fredericksburg and
Washington. In September last. stage and :
atea mhoat company formed, which purchased out
The property Of the former company at valuation This
company has at very considerable expense put upon
the line fine steamboat and new stages and has
,lactcd for an additional omnibus al Washington, and
made other arrangement FOR having good line. This
Tpense has been encountered under expectation of
with The railroad for !hr travel and the consi
dsr"ona nj propriP'y strong TO induce tie company
preserve The connection w theRi. in this there would
be grra; wadIess. If the mail carried in
neccn with different company II ar?rare, however,
that while the contracts between Fredericksburg and
Roanoke kept open, that between Washington and
Fredericksburg has been closed and In Two ind
vduu who 10 be their purpose To establish
NJ line. II is hoped that arrangements may yet be
made By which the present Stage and steamboat c"npa
ny mag get he contract Tor the mail between FfeGericks
bury and Washington at the price which the department
formerly offered Them Should this he done. the com
panips have stated TO The department. Iha! il may coms.
der The offer Of ;s2}7 81 mile per anmum accepted
So far this company ia concerned, the amour; ct
mail pas in any Pon, OF view. very small matter II
is moi So Tor the trip, and bnt !e more Than would he
received from fYe passengers. The subject is one OF
importance chi, Nv because of The Inconvenience that
the public would sustain if the mail not carried On
the railroad.
s-x------rr---.~--n~--a
Correspondence cf The y jntciiigeneerl
..Nry ToRK December 10.