New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-03


! proved February a. 1851 2o,5ss ~
| Leaving as the amount of ordinary er
penditures Of the year-...-...-....se,O 24 sec -
| This amount being deducted from that
Of the gross revenue OF the year, as
before stated, Leaves az the balance OF
revenue over the ordinary expendi-
,ure .-.-............ s7O3 ,e99 %
The cost Of transportation has been much increased
within the last two years The new contracts made
Uncer the letting for the Northwestern AMI South
western sections embracing the States Of Michigan.
Indiana. Illinois Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas,
Louisiana AND Texas. and the Territory Of Mime
sofa which letting took place April $780, increased
the annual cost OF transportation from the ls day Of
July 1880 about 1896 900 ana the subeque Mt failure
of bcders and contractors together with the
rareemenis usually consequen. upon the change of
service which follows a letting added largely the
increased cost of this service The rates of such in
crease were about 10 45ths per cent If and
% per cent aggregate cost. Much Of this increase
is d. uptess attributable to the unusual scarcity and
high prices If the coarse grains in that section during
the year 1850.
The new contracts for the Southern section, lem
braclng the States Of Virginia. North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia and Flofida,) which were
n ade uIeer the lettings in April last sho = an In
case CUP 20 The Goth day Of Septem5er) Of 9i7,707
miles Q! annual transportation and of Sol 9il in the
annual ccs Cvef the transportation and cost unduT
tire contracts which expired with the 30th day Of
June 1851 beng aD increase Of about ~ 800 per
ceIt IN service ond 97-l10 per cent in aggregate
cost
The ooeDing and extension Of the New-York and
EiejHallro adj OF the railroad from Cleveland 70
Columbus, and Of other railroads IN the different
sections OF the Union the establishment of two
daily lines carrying the mail from Baltimore, by the
way Of Cumberland, Wheeling and Columbus, TO
Cincinnati the increase of mail facilities on the
routes leading from the Atlantic cities to important
points IN the West the greatly increased mail facil
Itos on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and in al
most every section OF the Union, have added and
similar Improvements VIII continue to add, largely
to the extent and consequent expense Of our mail
tran poItatlOn. The placing ofthe steamers Frank
lin" and "Humboldt" on the New-York and Havre
lire has also added $4,000 per annum to the cost
of the foreign mail service, chargeable upon the
revenues of this Department.
Until the passage Of the act OF March 3, 1851, the
increase IN the cost of transportation occasionally
the increase and extension of the service, had been
almost entirely within the discretion OF the head
OF this Department. That act declares that "no
Post Office now in existence shall be discontinued,
nor shall the mail service on any mail route IN any
of the States or Territories be discontinued or d
'minished, in consequence OF any dimnution Of the
revenues that may result from this act and IL shall
be the duty of the Postmaster General to establish
new Post Offices, and place the mail service any
new mail route established, or that may hereafter
te established in the same manner as though this act
had not passed" And there having been a large
surplus 10 the credit of the revenues OF the Depart
ment at the time OF the passage of the act 1t would
seem to have been the intention OF Congress that
the Postmaster General should continue and increase
postage and large annual increase IN the revenues
had continued By adopting this rule the expendI-
lures o, the Department for the transportation OF the
mails must be increased from ten to fifteen per cent
per year, If the wants and interests OF the country
require it, unless other rule for the government
of the Department be sanctioned by Congress.
The other expenses of the Department Che princi-
pal items of which the compensation OF post
masters and their cleYkS) necessarily increase at
nearly the same rate as the business Of the Depart
ment and itsreceipts for postage when no change oc-
ours III the rates of postage The usual compensa-
ton Of postmasters, being commission calculated
at certain rates per cent upon the hostages collected
at their Offices, increases in nearly the same proper
ton the revenue. Since 1916 the average increase
n hostages and in the business o. this Department
has been about IL per cent. per year. During the
present fiscal year the receipts from hostages may
not tYO thrcs the amount receive last year.
while The abOrs OF poStmas.crs are likely 10 be In
creased from Is to 30 per cent IN consequence OF the
increase II the lumber OF letters ard OF other malta
be matter, under the reduced rates of postage, and
the free delivery Of newspapers IN The counties Of
iheir publication, as provided by the act OF March 3
1851.
By The sixth section ofthat ac, the Postmaster
General authorized, III ms discretion, 70 increase
The commissions TO pOsiInasiers III certain cases. IL
desirable hat this authority should not be eXer-
ciscd th The accounts for the las. quarter were so
far adjusted and settled 10 enable the Department
10 MAKE some rehable estimate % the amount 70 be
derived from postaPes III the present fiscal wear But
the anxiety o! posmas,efs and the desire OF the Au-
dior 10 fix the amount OF commissions allowable TO
each postmaster at the time OF setthng his accounts
for the quarter seemed 10 render 1t expedient to hx
the rate of allowance before the settlement OF those
accounts especially as such settlement could not be
competed IN less than three months after the expira-
ten of the quarter.
An orter was, therefore, made on the 10Th day OF
October last, OF which the following Is a copy
Increased Commissions 20 Postmasiers.
Numerous applications having been made toll Deput-
UeLt for the allowance OF increased COMMISSIONS 70 post
masters authorized under cerln condtcn bY the SKIN
'sen 81 An ae, 70 reduce sIE R"S NE
p4I hay lepu ala IA
most Tie labors Of The postrnasiefs have beea m
creased and their ccmuis sens red iced oy the operation d
MS ordered. Tha, whtneyerihe Auditor ofhe Treasury
for The Pest Office Department shdl nave fa'ls,aesoS
master have been increased ard his commission reduced
provided for by sad sct he sha eo Aha o's1t seen
postmaster with commissions according 10 the Following
i Whe the commissions Of such pos,mssters for the
ffca year end ng Joth june 1851 DID not atcesd MY COL
i ,,s,qs Ger remt eadSd fIsrrto shah he allowed and
the postmaster foI the fiscal year cAdns June
"a Where the COMMISSIONS of such pcs'mssers for the
fiscal year endyg seth Iune iSJ eIceeced fy dollars.
and not exceed one hundred dollars f.s s0me amount
Sgste 80 shall he allowed and credited ts he post
Tor the fiscal year ending 5V.h June lSoz ~
sd Where the commissions % such postmssefs y. me
FISCAL yesr ending seth June ls exceeded ee hnadted
and did not exceed Eve hundred dollars te same aoysi@
cs.t ddeG fteTe.o shall be allowed and credited TO the
pcstmssie, for he hscal ending seth June 10
4,h Where the ccusnsson Of such postmaster iot tns
fiscal year eudns 30h June lS) exceeded I'VE nuhulee
0oars hc amount " COMMISSIONS G4oEsdI oT "a
,,qT A n PER cent addsd thereto, shall be allowed ana
credited postmaster ieI the year ening sOh ne'
1859. ., NJ =,
rorfed alseogs That the commissions % he allowed AZ
any post-oacr (oher distributing ONCE, sha nor
eycesd the hostages collected az such Office during the pc
nod fo- h,ch such allowance Is made Fforded ss0i
That spec az application Tor further ao.1nes 70 S
distributing office may BE- made Whenever tae Aa 10 ~
shall certify that the commissions Authorized 70 ee III
oy, under this order ae insufficient 10 pay ihe se.ai
and necessary Of such 0ce including the c9m
r,nsa,lcn Of the postmaster And provided, tHTf1er
That there shall not be allowed a. any once WIZ w
ctuUeI saon OF the postmaster by law limited 70 hkeo
aayy OF con nsaton greater sum than shan es re-
CURED 81 pas such slarJ compensacn AM Tie sc'o
and ne cessarT expenses Of his orics
The rate Of allowance after the present isca wear Sc
,yea toE fture eracn and Will be determine voa
s, The counts the FIST three quarters OF the rres
In Alln.faL h. A