Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-20
e. Mr.. EDIron AT your request, give

~ Mr. EDITOR AT your request, give
you some account of the practical workings Of
the present Postal Arrangements, for the Post
Offices on Grand River, between Grand Rapids
and Grand Haven. On this route there are sew.
en- Post Offices, viz: Ono at Grandville, Tall
madge, Steers Landing, Polkton, Crockery
Greek, Nortonville and Mill Point, and to ac-
commodate the people, there should be at least
two more estabished-one in Georgetown and
another in Allendale From these offices, most
of the $500 inhabitants of Ottawa, and some
of those of Kent County, receive their mail
a sufficient number surely, to deserve pretty
good accommodations from the Post Office De-
partment, and to pay well for such accommoda-
tions. But how stands this matter of acommo-
dation! You, at Grand Haven, are better off
than your "side" neighbors, in this respect;
having your mail three times per week during
the season of navigaton-but only having one
per week during the long winter season, you
can somewhat sympathize with US, who have
only one mail per week, and that in summer
but one way, from Grand Rapids down to us
and back again; but none at all from us to
Grand Haven, except by the circutous route
via. Grand Rapids; thus letter mailed at Nor
tonville, must travel seventy -four miles, and &C.
cupy two days time (after leaving,) to get to
Grand Haven, distance of three miles, and the
same distance to return an answer, both occu
plying from eight to fourteen days in doing what
could and should be done in thirty minutes
each way, down at evening, and back by boat
next morning. Also, a letter deposited in this
office yesterday, (Tuesday) for Stees Landing,
four miles distant, or any other place above
named, would leave here for Grand Rapids next
Monday, and the following Saturday Twelve
days after0 IF ii aoem direct, would reach the
place OF its destination! need not add taking
time enough to send to New York or Boston
and get returns. Now sir, is it at all wonder.
fui that under such circumstances business men
among us should almost entirely abandon the
mail for the more expeditions mode of commu-
nicaton by private conveyance; (though this
is not done from choice, but from necessity.)
that the master of our river mail steamer refu-
ses to take the usual oath of mail carrier, and
leaves the official charge of the u. s. Mail, to
the pilot, or some one else that without exap-
geration, there are more letters carried by these
officers daily, out of the mail, than is brought
to them weekly, in the mail bags that Post
Masters are so poorly compensated that
Post Masters themselves, must sometimes car
ny mailable natter over what is once week
mail route, or say plainly to their friends that
their official obligations prevent their discharg-
ing this duty of common courtesy in life, and
despite their utmost vigilance, that but little
revenue is brought to Department? do not
write these things to indulge in spirit of CON-
plant Both you and the Department, know
me to be Wing, and an officer under the pres
ent Administration; but if these facts were
fairly brought before our enlightened and enter
prising Postmaster General, would he not speed
lily apply remedy to this state of things!
| suggest the following: lst, let us have
the mail three times per week, regularly on the
whole route, both winter and summer. I'd, let
the Department furnish each office with an ad-
ditional bag, in which to discharge, as well as
to receive the mail both of which can be done
in the same moment, without detention of the
boat, and with little or no additional expense to
the contractor Have we not the assurance that
this will soon be done, in the recent establish
ment of special route across Lake Michigan,
which would seem only to mock and torture
us under the present arrangement?
Yours, &C., VIM. c. COMFORT, p M.
Pokton. August l3, 1851.
New YORK, Aug. IL.