, 1853-12-17
Abuses in our Postal Arrangements
UnwarTantable Failures - Proposed

has been ably as agreeaOIy superseueu' INV
writer is a gentleman who thoroughly un-
derstands the sui ject under consideration,
and in the absence of a Delegate in Con-
gress from this territory, We trust thai
Gen. Lane will use his influence in per
fecting the reform suggested:
al am not ignorant of the fact that
among the many arduous duties devolving
upon our able Postmaster General, none are
perhaps more difficult OF satisfactory per-
iormance than such as arise in the arrange
ment Of the mail service on the coast of the
Pacific. The great distance of that coast
from the seat of executive power; the al
most impossibility of maintaining an &C
countability BY sub agents sufficiently strict
10 insure promptness and dilligence on their
part and the general looseness, negligence
and even recklessness that pervades every
department Of business in country where
prices are inflated, speculation is rife and
wages so richly remunerativc all conspire
in some measure 10 apOLogise for occasional
past failures, but furnish no ezcuse for abuses
so aagrant as the people Of Washington and
Oregon Territories have been frequently
called upon to put up with. Nor has the
proper Department at Washington in former
times been permitted to remain ignorant Of
these failures and abuses. Remonstrance
alter remonstTance, petition upon petition
have been sent 10 Mr.. CampbelPs prcde-
cessoE, without elieiiing remedy for the
evil. With an abiding confidence that
this remedy may MOp be obtained, submit
for the consideration Of the Postmaster Cen
eral and the public, the following facts,
aud indulge the hope that The suggestions
therrin may meet a speedy and prompt
adoption, or may at least be the means Of
calling out some sort OF remedy for the
crying evil.
The Rrst object of our Just animadversion
is the Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
whose almost every act upon this coast
particularly such as is connected with the
mail serVice--is characterized by a most
reckless disregard Of erery public interest, and
frequently, by the most tranton violation Of
COnirdet stiPHIaiiOns. Twice within the
last six months they have utterly failed toI
make the regular semi-monihly trip from
San Francisco TO the mouth Of the Colum-
bia river, and so repeated have been their
failures to connect al San Francisco with
the Panama-going steamers, that persons in
these Territories have lost all hope Of sup.
plying their friends on the Atlantic coast
with mail matter FREsHER THAN TwoI
MONTHS OLD, when intelligence OUGHT Tol
he transmitted from Astoria 10 New York
in TWENTY SEVEN DAYS AT FARTnEsT. By
their contract they are only required 10 run
their STEAMERS from San Francisco 10 As.
toria, ten miles above the mouth Of the Co.
lumbia. BY doing this, ample time was
had 10 make all their connections at San
Francisco regularly but instead of stop
ping at Astoria, they have seen fit 10 run
up 10 ST. Helens, a town just below the
mouth of the Willamette, and Of but little
commercial importance, ia whose prosperity
the company feel lively interest, since
they are The principal property holders in
the place. By this arrangement two days
art lost which frequently results in failure
TO connect with the Atlantic going mall
Not only this, but in their zeal and anxiety
TO enhance the prosperity Of their special
favorile town, they carry mail matter des-
tined Tor Astoria and Rainier EEYoND those
points and leave il 10 find its way back as
best il can; thus frequently disappointing
the citizens Of Washington Terrific Of
thriT entire mail, all Of which should be
len at Rainier, except such as is destined
for the upper Columbia, and not taken on
TO 81. Helens or Portland in Oregon. This
Questionable feature in the service has been
brought about, too, by policy long per.
sisted 10 by the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, 10 enhance the value of lis p!i
Vais property and increase its freight and
passenger receipts al every sacrifice Of pub
lie interest, and It's obligation to perform ihr
mail service as stipulated. When It be
came necessary for them to send steamers
mp TO 81. Helens in order 10 increase the
value of their town property at that place,
a ready excuse was found for so doing. by
BUYING ouT the original contract from As.
toria 10 Portland which had been taken by
an employee Of the company. This ar
rangrmeDi begat the necessity of passing bv
Astoria (ihe former and proper dist. ibuig
Office for these two Tel ritories), in create, |
haste Than was consistent with proper dis. I
tTibutiOn Of mail matter there; so, 10 sub. |
serve their purpos S in this respect and 10
do away with the Necessity of any delay at
points between San Francisro aud THEIR
owN Dept at St. Helrns, they procured
the removal Of the Distributing Office iorI
O.egon and Washington FROM AsroRIA, al !.
the mouth Of thr Columbia, to SAx Fran
CISCO, in California, . distance of over sew
en hundred miles from The arrest point Of
destination Of any Of the matter The hare
mention of tbts fact, thlnk, will br sufFi-
cient 10 iasur, ,he speedy, pron,lh, and er