The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-02-07

- tt. !. 4
Il is strange that in the very regions wherf these
difficulties exist and are known, we haze the
most unsparing abuse poured out upon the Post
master General, for inefhciency in the mail
service. Whilst ice and snow have coashined
in the North and East to obstruct the mail, the
water AMI mud in the South and West have
rendered the highways impossible. n Con-
gress does its duty in protecting the Depart
ment against violations Of the rights Of the De-
partment, the service will be well conducted UNI
der the interchangeable exertions Of the present
Postmaster General. s..s !,
New YoRx, Feb. A, 1874
DEAR Sln: first heard of the suspension Of the
Sound Navigation Wednesday last in the interior
Of Rhode Island Anticipating trouble in transport
ing the steamboat mails over the land route, imme-
diaely proceeded to Boston, and on Thursday after
noon, finding that two New York mails were over
due, left by the evening railroad train for Spring
field, New Haven, and New York / expected that
the back mails containing all the letters for the Br
fish steamer, south Of New York, would arrive at
Springfield at 9 P. NJ Thursday, by the Telegraph
line and 10 prevent any delay at that point made
arrangements to send the letter mails through to
Boston by express, in which they would reach the
city before the departure Of the steamer Unfortu
nately, no mails arrived at Springfield from beyond
New Haven. ia
At il o'clock, A. NJ, on Friday, the back mails
from the South reached Hartford The energetic
contractors on the Hartford and Springfield route,
with commendable promptness, Immediately sent
them forward 10 Springfield in extra coaches and
wrote the Postmaster Of Springfield to forward them
to Boston by railroad express, if it could be Obtained
upon reasonable terms-if not to despatch the prn-
cipal letter mails by horse express
Upon my arrival at New Haven on Friday, found
that the Northern and Eastern nails which had been
accumulating for three days at that point had not
been sent forward I'LL the day previous, Thursday
the Postmaster hesitating to become responsible for
the expense, without express authority from the
Department -
During the night friday very heavy mail from
New York, weighing more than two tons, arrived at
New Haven, and upon going to the Post-ofice, Sat
urday morning, found that the railroad cars had de.
parted, leaving about one-half of this mail behind
Whether this was the fault of the railroad agent
the mail messenger of the Post Office, had no time
to ascertain Finding several important letter-bags
among those left and one labelled as containing mat
ter for the British steamer Immediately despatched
locomotive with the mails which had been left with
letter TO the Postmaster of Hartford, to forward
them to Springfield in season for the afternoon train
to Boston, thinking they might possibly arrive before
the steamer would be able to leave the Boston bar
bor
/ The expense of running this locomotive from New
Haven ($25) is to be paid by the Department, unless
the mails left through the negligence or fault Of
the Railroad Company. tss.
The mails, since Thursday, have been carried reg
ularly between Boston and New York by the land
route in doing this the contractors on the New York
and New Haven route have been obliged to put on
line of four horse coaches and the mails, particu
larly going East, have been heavy that they have
been compelled to refuse all passengers, though their
coaches might easily have been filled at the fare of
So passenger. 8e
The Postmaster OF New Haven, on Wednesday
evening, made arrangement with Mr. Camp Gone
of the persons interested in the Route, to pay him
SOS for carrying the mails then in his Post Office, to
New York, and the same sum for bringing the back
mails from New York to New Haven. In addition
to this sum of go for the transportation of the back
mails agreed with the contractors that they should
be allowed by the Department $50 per day exclusive
of Sundays) for transporting these extra mails, du-
ring the suspension of the Sound navigation. This
considered very reasonable, when the same stock
would have earned them more than double this
amount, if employed in conveying passengers ii
am happy, however, to say that the steamboat
navigation in the Sound will be resumed on Monday
and that it will no longer be necessary to convey the
mails over the land route.
1t has been fashionable of late to find fault with
the Post Office Department and every one connected
with it, that have thought it proper to make this
particular report of my doiugs for the last three
four days. The extra expenses in forwarding the
mails, which thought it proper to incur, without
the express authority Of the Department we're, in my
opinion, required TO meet the reasonable expectations
OF the public; ank knowing the anxiety Of the Post
master General 10 remedy all Irregularities and
guard against all Interruptions of the mails do not
doubt he will sanction my proceedings.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
f. r. BRIDGE,
Mail Agent p, o. Dept.
Hon. s. r. HoBBIE, r..t
LIST assistant Postmaster General.