The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-28

ToSl ,oS2 ~
Thus showing the sum of 1901 $50 10 unexpended
of the past year, including the former appropria-
tons granted to this Department for the transpor-
taton OF free matter Of the Departments.
ESTIMATES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR ENDING JUNE
80, 1850.
The provisions of the laws of IS45 for reducing
the cost of mail service having produced their
tire effect all the contracts Gas all have now
passed under their influence) before the
mencement of this year, twas expected that in the
further contracts clear and decided advance of
cost would ensue. This expectation i'll some
measure verified by the letting 10 contract last
spring the northern section, including New Eng
land and New York. The aggregate cost for the
service was al that letting much increased. The
whole cost for service in that section, under the
contracts made in 1915, including agencies,
was .............. S. 53l ,4l2
The whole cost for service in that section
by the contracts OF lS4s, is. ..,........ 62S,393
Making an increase of.,............... 96,9Sl
One cause of this is that more service is now con
racted for there to be done Instead of l0,9l9,l74
miles of transportation per year, IL 56S 1875 miles is
performed, being increase OF 649,65l miles per
annum. Another cause, and the greatest, perhaps,
Is owing TO the change of mail service from coaches
to the many newly finished railroads in that
ton which is much expensive service.
The service, III that section, in carriages
horseback which was open to free competition, has
now been let at even more reduced rate than be-
fore, and amounts only to about three cents for
each mile the mail is transported. On the other
hand, in the railroad and steamboat service, where
monopoly excludes competition, the expense is in
creased, and the transportation amounts to nine
cents for each mile the mail is carried, under
the law OF lS45, fixing maximum of price to the
classes of service.
The expenses of the service of the Department for
the current year, ending with June next, will,
therefore, be increased by the amount of increase
in the eastern section, $50 9Sl also by the of
routes in other sections, ordered by Congress,
! S5T 1888, and by extensions and improvements
dered by the Department about S2S ,0S3, to which
must be added probable sum of $4,000 for Cali
fornia, and sum to meet other contingencies of
S25, 600. These additions to the expenses Of the
service of the last year will constitute the amount
of the expenses of this year. thus stated:
Expenditures last year. ......:. S., 479,0 49 l3
Additions-Excess OF cost of service
in eastern section. ..........-... 96,9Sl 90
New routes let in other sections. 81 1893 90
New service ordered. .............. 2S,0S3 90
Expenses for California. .......... $4,000 90
Expense of mail across Isthmus .. 1862 90
laws 5000 90
Other miscellaneous items. ......... $4,000 90
Whole expenditures Of the service Of
the Department for current year. S4,T50, l3S ID
| To meet this expenditure in addition to the
100000 appropriated by virtue OF the 18th section
of the of ls47, to pay for the ranked matter OF
the Departments the entire reliance Is receipts
\ from postage. II becomes necessary to estimate
/ that amount. This cannot with safety be done by
taking the income Of the past year, and adding
thereto the same per cent of increase that year
shows on the preceding. The effect from reduction
of postage had passed. and the two preceding years
, showed little more than the fuE5.ss and natural
increase, keeping pace ~ith the grc~h Of the
country The great incra~-s ~ the i-yt year was
unnatural. and owing ~ temporary causes Of dis
! turbance which have passed by. some more safe
basis of estimation must be found.
To exhibit separately the increase in the revenue
! deriyad frOn and ir,Eu DrlntFd
ter the following comparison il instituted between
the mast and the preceding wear: