The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-21
MAIL SERVICE.


of the mails between this city and New York, and
the Inconvenience to travellers from the want of a
proper connection between the routes. This in
duted us to inquire at the proper department into
the causes which produced the arrangements COM
plained Of The attention of the Postmaster Gen
eral was called to this subject by repeated complaints
of the unnecessary delay ofthe mails as well the
travel between New York and New Orleans, and
particularly to the delay in the city of Philadelphia
The New York mail reached that city about nine
o'clock, and laid over until the next morning; thus
losing ten twelve hours upon the principal mail
line. Two daily mails were run from Philadelphia to
Baltimore--one leaving in the morning, and the
other in the evening at o'clock-for which the de-
partment paid $500 per mile; the highest price
which the law allowed. Various efforts were made
| by the Postmaster General to induce the company
% change the time of running from o'clock in the
evening until 10 o'clock, that the great mail from
New York might be taken Immediately OH to the
South. This the company was unwilling to do,
without all additional compensation Of $4,000
This Mt once rejected by the department. and
various and repeated efforts were made to induce
the several companies between New York and New
Orleans to agree upon schedule Of running time,
so that no delay of the great mail might take place
| between those important points, other than what
was necessary deliver and receive the mails the
several post Offices. This could not be done. Some
of the companies insisted upon running altogether
il, the daytime others demanded a still higher
compensation Notwithstanding they had been placed
in the first class under tho law, and the maxi
-, ~ h,,t 4, .,oJ
possible to induce them to surrender their supposed
private interests their convenience to the public
interests; which certainly demand that the great
southern mail between New York and the southern
cities should be taken Immediately on without de-
lay. After repeated efforts to accomplish this all.
important object by an arrangement with the con-
sent of the contractors, and repeated failures the
Postmaster General thought that the interests and
convenience of the public demanded that it should
be done. He, therefore, prepared schedule, COM
mencng at the city Of New York at the close of
each business day, about o'clock in the evening,
and running on to New Orleans with no other delay
than what was deemed necessary to leave and re-
ceive the mails at the several cities on the route;
and required the several companies in the service of
the department to be governed by it. He thought as
the several companies on this line had been placed
in the first class, under the law, and were re-
ceiving the highest pay allowed by the law that a
corresponding service should be rendered the pub
lie. The regulation required that the second train,
instead of leaving Philadelphia in the evening at
S o'clock, should leave that city about 10 O'Clock
Immediately after the arrival of the New York
mail. This was refused by the company, without
the additional compensation of $4,000, as stated
The other companies between Baltimore and Rich
mo,d run the new schedule as required, and hence
due connexion was not formed at Baltimore
We understand the Postmaster General imme.
datey despatched that active and efficient officer
Major Hobbie, to the North, to adjust the difficulty
with that company, or TO make new arrangements
with some other company, for the speedy transmits.
sion Of the mall but that arrangement has yet beer,
completed, the Philadelphia company still refusing
TO take the mail at the times specified in the new
schedule, without additional compensation, though
they have reduced their demand from twenty thou
sand dollars to seven thousand five hundred dollars
This the Postmaster General does not feel himself
at liberty to pay, the company now receives the
maximum allowed by law.
II is probable that some arrangement will be
made with the State road of Pennsylvania, by
Columbia and York, or with the steamboat routes
across the bay, for the transmission of the mails;
by which it is hoped that the Postmaster General
may be enabled to avoid the exorbtant demands of
the company having control of the road between
Philadelphia and Baltimore.
No arrangement with the Pennsylvania road, or
with the steamboat lines the bay, can be
made, that will give the speed to the mails desired
by the Postmaster General, and required by the
public interests, and which should be given the
country by the Philadelphia company.
1t is hoped, however, that some arrangement
may be soon completed with some other company,
that will expedite the mail on this great and i'm
portant line and meet the expectation and just de-
mands Of the public, lift should not do SO, still