Mobile register and journal., 1845-02-04
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT, }
 January l5, lS45. {
To E. T. BRIiGE, Esa,


 Sr:-lt is represented that private express is run between CovngIon. Ga,, and Montgomery, Ala, for the purpose of conve, ing mail matter particularly certain uewspi pers published in New York and New Orleans, in advance of ihe mail. You ate her,b directed and instructed. of te special agents of ths Department To proceed To that points and as- cera;n all the facts and circu,ns iances connected with this matter. and repon the same io me.
 The mail IS conveyed on railroad from the great Eastern and Northern cities, South, far as COsing- ton, in Georgia Thence goes in four horse coac- | es 10 Montgomery in Alabama, by WAY of Columbus Ga, distance of 204 miles. The contractor has permission ip use the Uphaupa and Montgomery Kaiload, and probably ayails himself of be privilege.
 The Schedules make the mail depart from owing ton a' y AM and arrive at Montgomery by II PM, ol the next day Tn summer; in winter by 10 M of | the I'd day. IL leaves Montgomery al AM {, in summer, aud l2 NJ. in winter, and arrives at Coving lon by I'M :, next day m summer, and 0 winter by PM, of 2d day,-making a period of 39 hours in summer, aud 50 hours in winter, going; and 37 hours in sumner and 49 hours in winter, returning There iS a shorter road by wh ch To reach Montgomery from tovingon, namely, by West Point, Ga The length ol this route, striking the Mont ig"mer at tlphaupa, Is about l90 miles It is presumed that the Express is established upon this road and that by running relass of horses al speed of something more Ihan ID mi les 10 the hour, Cor something less II the winer schedule Is cUniormed by ihe maIl coach,) they are enahled 10 effect d gain of 24 hours upon the movement of the mail, and thus convey in- telligence 10 Mobile and New Orleans from the North i m advance of it.
 You will. in ihe first place. ascerta in how the mat ter thus conveyed by express over the road menion ,d, IS despatched to Covington. IT by mail, to whom II IS addressed, and by whom taken and plac ed | in the Express; and whether il is again replaced in the mail at Montgomery at Mobile, or al any other loin, or IS taken on, out of the mail, to New Or leans; and like enquiries i'll be made in regard 10 | the matter sent North.
 | You wiIlascertain who the Express, and whe- iher any contractor contractors for conveying the United States mail Is or are concerned, in any way, m getting up or running said Express. You will n- vestigate the state of the roads, and other circum- stances touching the question chang Ing the route of 'he great mail from the Columbus to the West PoInt road; and see whether the summer schedules at eas may mol be run during the winter, and the winter schedule be entirely dispensed with. Further wheih- CT any expedition may be effected in the running vf ihe great mail, so 10 render it impossible for an express to make gam upon il of "A hours. In con- necIon with this, you will ascertain whether the con- tractors between Montgomery and M Mobe cannot, in any resort to the 4S hours allowed in their winter schedule Also, whether the express is extended upon this lIne. and the contractors upon it have any agency in the running of the express. g... -
 You are priIcularly instructed to ascertain at what rate of cost per mile n daily Express could he set up and run by this Department, the speed al which it could be run and the weight of the mail that could thus be conveyed at speed of ten miles the hour, or at such speed it should be necessary to adopt. You will also ascertain he particulars in garJ to an express to be run as often ;s the mail steamers between Liverpool and Boston perform their triPs' understood 10 be once month in ihe winter, and twice mouth the residue of the year. s4t
 You hereby authorized and adv isad to call the postmasers and cont,actora, and all others in the service oi the Department, for any necessary ful assistance in the matter. sf - .t...
 (ssned) CA. wICKLIFFE