Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-12-29
THE MAILS,

We lay before readers the following letter from
Washington relating to The disagreement between the
T. o. Department and the Railroad Company. We can.
but hope notwithstanding present appearances, that
some arrangement may yet be made by which the Mails
may be conveyed along The Railroad No coach cart
can convey them with the rapidty ms the cars
and the change would be too great in this respect not to
be felt by the whole community, both here and else
where to the South We shall not yet despair Of
commodation:
"WAsHIHGTos, Dec. Goth, 1898.
"Dcar Sir-I have received your letter Of the 18th
inst inclosing eSspaper containing statement re-
laye to the difficulties between the r. O. Dept. aud
certain Railroad Companies concerning the transporta
ton Of the mail
s3y the statement itself the public will perceive, that
mos, Of the matters stated in il Irrelevant TO the
present attitude Of the question; the Railroad Companies
karing consented 10 accept the terms oDeredby the Depart
mont But, not content with negotiating their 0cn busi.
ness with The Dept, and obtaining acceptable terms for
temSelufs, they standing out because the De.
parmsnt will not contract with particular for
the transportation Of the Mail from WASHINGTON to frrd.
cr;r.sburg! Not wishing &c state any thing IN which
am not fully sustained by The documents in the case,
procured and forward you copy OF letter from
e. Robinson Esq with the reply Of the 7. NJ. Genl.
You will perceive that Mr. Robinson says, 81 hope that
arrangements may yet be made by which The New Stage
get S a
price heretofore offered them. Should this be done, the
Dept MAY consider It's offer Of 1897 so per mile, per
ann,i,n accepted" The reply Of the 2. Nj g. with The
you clearly shows the attitude Of the Department The
stage and steamboat company referred TO, asked,
believe, at first, $4,000 per unnum for carrying the
Mail from Washington to Fredericksburg. They finally
fell to SIS 00O The Department offered them Sll 900
as lis ultimatum, which WAS promptly rejeced-it then
made an agreement with Messrs Brown and Waller at
SlOG4O-Now the former concern are willing TO take
The ST OO0 and the power of The Railroad Companies
is brought to force the Department to violate It's faith
and give the contract 10 their favored concern he
public will decide whether the P M. General is right in
the attitude which he now maintains
q" learn that the contractors have applied 10 The
Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad Company 10
know whether they will in connection with them:
and have been answered pcremPtory IN the negative
If that Company refuse connect with The mail line
,hey cannot carry the mail Of The result will
be The conveyance Of the great mail for few months IN
wagons and afterwards, by daily line oil Seamhoats
through the Chesapeake bay, with The consequent with
dawal Of that mail and large portion OF The Northern
travel from their own roads, and the important comnu
mites through which they pass. -,
"And all this when they have the assurance oil the
contractors backed by that of the Post Office Depart.
ment that the mail line shall be made to accommodate
the travel ut any other can don't, and when they
must necessarily in connection with The mail line
South. because the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad
have become contractors of the Department Indeed II
REQUIRES only the assent Of the Virginia Railroad Com
panes to complete an admirable mail and travelling line
from Washington 10 Georgia. contract having been
agreed 10 with the Charleston and Hamburg Railroad
Cvmpany II is proper to add, that the comPensa on
agreed on with this Company $500 per me and that
of the Wilmington Company about Sl2o