The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-11

The classification well the prices have given
to occasional complaints among the companies owning
railroads and steamboats, though the service has been
generally well and satisfactorily performed and paid for
at the prices above stated
Some of the companies performing single daily
vice insist that the maximum of $sooper mile for "one
or more' daily trips, authorizes the payment of
than 1927 50 per mile, and demand larger sum- Others
contend that the performances Of the service in the night
lljus,fy the payment OF % per cent. upon the maxi
num- Others insist that there is limit upon the price
Tor steamboat service when connected with railroad
and claim enough the steamboat part oil the route to
make what they aege TO be adequate compensation"
for the service on the railroads In other railroads
connecting and performing portions OF the trip over the
same road. but in different cars, claim double pay over
part of the same road In other cases, roads running
parallel with each other serving the same offices, and
under the control of the directors claim the maxi
mum for service on each road
The department not insensble TO the many a1van
lagos which the government and the community derive
from the establishment of railroads by the enterprise Of
the citizens and the States and the benefits TO be derived
from them in period Of war, in the transportation OF
troops and munitions of war from part Of the coun
try TO another well as the increased expedition given
the nails and sought to enforce the law in its true spirit
and meaning, and with that lberty which should char
acerize the transactions of the government with its c
zens 1t settled the maximum for the different classes OF
service above stated and at once offered to the
panies. II was difficult, if not impossible, 10 discrin
mate in he pay between the different roads OF the same
class, By the speed with which the mails taken, hv
the goodness badness. directness crcuiy of III
roads or by the ice that would impede the progress OF
the mails than others; or by HI;
dangers incident to their transportation in the open
in the sounds or lakes twas believed that fairness an
equality OF compensation among those OF the sans
class performing similar service, would be more nearly
attained by such course, than by attempting to dis
criminate for any such causes The maximum rates
thus settled by the department believed to be LIBERAL and
greatly beyond the prices paid for transportation OF any
other kind in the country; has contract been made
since the passage OF the act OF lS45 for greater sum
There is but known to the department. since the
passage OF the act of 1898, in which greater than
1927 so per mile for single daily service has been paid
that was to the company owning the road between this
cltyand Richmond.
The Fredericksburg and Richmond company refused to
contract for the service under the decision Of the Post
master General in 1885, although the cost OF the service
by steamboat and coaches prior to the making Of that
road only $5,445 and in consequence of their
usal at the maximum price, ARRANGEMENTS were under
taken for transporting the great southern mail from Bal
the passage of the act of the 22d January, 1885, in
which the decision OF the Postmaster General was con-
irmea The company yielded, and took the great south
ern mail over their road at 1927 SO per mile, and were
paid that sum from the st of January 1882 until the
Both OF June, 1915 when the service was to be reet
AT these lettings increased compensation again de-
manded by the same company, of my immediate prede-
cessor, amounting in the aggregate to $500 per mile
They were offered 1897 So the mail was refused with
by reference to the late President Tyler who decided
to allow them $95oo for the railroad service, or at the
rate OF $500 per me and the service thus continued
until the LIST of July last when the contracts were again
10 be let They were offered the maximum price, 1927 SO
per mile for railroad service, and twelve and one-haf
per cent less for the steamboat service, which amounted
service making $40 263 less BY $3J than the amount
received under the award Of President Tyler
This company at first demanded for the service $3e5op,
far to accept the pay allowed by the awarl Of Mr.
Tyler. could make no such contract because the de-
mand exceeded the price which was authorized to pay
by the settled adjudication of each of my predecessors
since the passage of the act Of 1885, well as by my
self and recognised by Congress in the acts OF 1899 and
1915. Nor would have done SO, if the law had permitted
me to pay higher BECAUSE in my judgment, the sum de-
manded greatly beyond just and fair compensation
for the services and because every other class road
performing single daily service which had been let to
contract since the act of 1915, had accepted the Of
Tered this company, and performing the service for
i; and could see no reason why this company should
orm the service their roads both ways in the night
whilst this company performed the service most OF the
year in the day time
Before the establishment Of this railroad the mail to
Richmond in steamboats, and coaches cost 5,4i5 per
num- and the price paid since $40 for steamboat aud rail-
road service has increased to $50 per annum whilst
transportation OF everything else than the mail has been
greatly reduced.
The company declined the service, and arrangements
were IN for contract 10 take the great southern
president Of the company (Nr. E3win Robnson) pro-
essed Willingness to continue the service and to trust
70 my sense q justice for an additional compensation
Believing that the services of the road would be
ceptable to the public than any other after explaining
him fully my settled opinions of the law, and my duty
under IT, agreed at once to permit the service to be
nued and abandoned the arrangements by the Bay route,
which could at that of the have been a1van
ageousy made The service has been continued under
this arrangement since the st of July last On the 25h
lay OF October formal notice given the department
that the company would decline taking the mails after
the 10th December without additional pay Would il be
to suppose that the president of the compa-
ny, in his communication, intended to induce the depart
nent to continue the mails the road without written
contract had been the since 10, until the open
Ing OF winter and the meeting of Congress, under the
expectation that no arrangement could be made for the
in the winter, or, made, that bad roads,
Nc would render the service Irregular and create
in the public mind, and the department.
Congress, both, might be induced the readily
yield to the exactions of his. company The compen
hon offered that company is at the rate for which
he service is performed from Richmond to Petersburg,
Weldon, and to Wilmington; from Charleston to Angus
"a and to ATLANTA, taking the great southern mall
and OF the roads performing the service both ways
n the night, and one of them with speed than
given this route where the service in the day
time for great proportion OF the year. ,is
The compensation offered for steamboat service from
his to Aqua creek is at much higher than is paid
ipon any steamboat route in the United States except
he sea between Charleston and Wilmington when
S paid at the rate offered this company From
louisville TO Cincinnati, about 40 miles, the service is
rendered daily in steamboats, at $3,s00 from New York
o Troy, about $50 miles, daily in steamboats, during the
season of navigation, (about months for the
sl3,7J0; from New York to Sonington about 1926 miles,
he mail is taken, daily in STEAMBOATS, for the sum Of
s9OO0and so on other routes; whilst on thus route of
~ miles long, they demand 2,7j2 and on the railroad
sl9,500 Arrangements have been since completed for
he transportation of the great southern mail from Bait-
more down the bay and though the service may pot be
70 good that the railroad, yet there will be no
serious inconvenience experienced except in Virginia,
this route, where it will be impossible to give the
anne expedition TO the mails by any other conveyance