The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-12

Making reduction for the first year, I'M
der the law, when compared with
the annual average expenditure OF the
nine preceding years, OF llj,29t 80
And when compared with the expenditures of the pre-
yous year, a reduction of S236,43I II
The whole expenditure for the year ending the 3Uth OF
June, Il Is, amounted 10 81 OS4 ,297 22
The income for the same time, including
the hostages paid by the different
branches of the executive government
amOuntedto 3ASI,l99 80
Leaving deficiency of revenue of S507yO07 81
The deficiency was supplied by drafts from the reasu-
n the service required S65O,OOO %
Leaving a balance in hand on the first of
July, OF the moneys drawn from the
treasury during the fiscal year, of $4,000 %
The tables submitted by the First Assistant Postmaster
General, accompany this report marked c. /, ., 3, and
furnish many minute and interesting details OF the
service
Texas is performed by 1880 contractors on l2eo post
routes the aggregate length of which 1862 miles.
Its transportation throughout the year ending the 3Oh OF
June last amounted to 81 39S Ala miles, and the engage
ment for said transportation, stated by the year, amount
ed to 81 GG5,07S.
This exceeds the amount of service rendered the pre-
cedng year. the length of routes miles, and In the
annual transportation of the mails, l5 miles, but 1t
less than the expense of the preceding year by the sum
of $2O29l3. There is, however $i,S93 excess IN the
cost of mail agencies for the last the preceding year
and about So, lS9 for 2 months transportation OF mails
Texas from the 10th of February to the 3oh of june
sIG 10 be deducted from this difference, which would
year less than that OF the preceding year.
This saving IS not produced by retrenchments IN the
service for whilst the rerenchmens ordered during SAID
year amount, when stated by their annual results, to
about $4,000 the and improved service, eXclu-
siye OF that in Texas, amounts to about $4,000, OF
which $3 900 is the cost of the routes put IN opera
ton under the post route act of March Sd, 1915.
1t is the saving effected in the releng OF the contracts
in New England and New York, that produces the re-
ducon in the of the last years service and also the
amount that the and additional service costs over and
above the retrenchments ordered during the year:
And gratifed to state that saving in ratio
equally great is effected in the reettng of the mails IN
the northwestern and southwestern States and Terrific
RES the service under which has gone into operation
since the close of the last contract year Comparing the
cost under the present contracts in that section OF the
Unionstated by the year-wth those that expired on
the 3Dh of June last there appears reduction OF $685.
9ol per annum being saving of 80 per cent ms, as
in the of the New England and New York contracts,
not produced by the curtaments OF the service, but by
the reduction in the at which the contracts were
taken. SO far from essening the amount OF accommo-
grade from coach to horse conveyance whenever re.
CURED by the special provision in the postage act OF
1915 the department has, in the contracts increased
! the frequency and despatch of the mails.
The mails have been expedited one business day be-
tween New York city and New Orleans and twenty -four
hours from Washington to St. Louis and Nashville BY the
way of Louisvle-hfty five hours to St Louis by Spring
tween Montgomery, Alabama and Vicksburg, by Jack
by Tuscumbia and Holly Springs and to Nashville, BY
the way of Huntsville, and r weekly to Knoxville
similar increase in speed and frequency of trips has
been given to other sections proportion TO the mpor-
lance of the routes which is sufficiently shown by the
increase of transportation over million and half OF
miles during the year.
The operation of the of lsi5 has been favorable
to the of the department by reduction in the
cost of transportation in the two sections of the Union
let to contract under it. The regulation of the depart
ment which compelled an under bidder to take the stock
of old contractor repealed and the contracts were
directed TO be given to the lowest bidder without REGARD
TO the of transportation other than what was ne
Cessary for the educ CELEBRITY, certainty, and security Of
the mails" These provisions enlarged the field of com
petition for the service and caused reduction in the
cost While the of the department have beer
benefited by these provisions the service has been oc
casionay greatly impaired. The department has beer
compelled, in many instances, TO reject the bids OF con
tractors of established reputation, well known to il fo
their energy and efficiency well ability TO perform
the service and accept in lieu of them and ineNpe
rienced ones wholly unknown TO the service, and o
doubtful means when there but difference oil
few dollars in their bids The provision of the law in
troduced species of bidding and contract until that TIM
unknown TO the service, by which the bidder proposes
to take the mails with educ CELEBRITY certainty, and secur
ty reserving 10 himself the right to any mode of con
yeyance that his interest might requires thus taking iron
the department the right to prescribe specific mode
transportation which had always before been exercised
many instances the department constrained to accer
that Of service especially from old w