The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-01
The Post Route Railroad.

Inv ioColulueHudtlOn OF the POSTMASTER
General In relation to the more speedy trans
portation of the mails between Washington
and New York, and the rumored intention Of
Governor DoTY to introduce bill to secure the
object, are becoming matters of discussion with
the press in various parts of the country. New
York and Washington journals are not now
united for the first time upon the subject, but
they have hitherto been without assistance
from more distant contemporaries. We are
glad to perceive, therefore, that the advocates
of the change now derive support from quarters
which maintained unbroken silence when il
was mooted twelve months ago
The Boston .advertiser has an article upor
the subject from which we extract the fol.
lowing:
cit cann,t be denied that the mail service be.
tween New York and Washington, compared with
that in other parts of the country and particularly
in New England, is grossly defective; and when
the importance of this route, lying between the
national capital and the chief commercial city of
the country, is considered, the deficiencies in this
service cannot but be regarded as SO excessive as
to demand remedy, even if the remedy require
extraordinary measures.
"The distance between New York and Wash
ington is almost exactly the same as that from
Boston to New York. Upon the latter route the
mail is carried in three days WITH much prompt
ness and regularity that an occasional detention
OF fifteen minutes, il it happens to occur excites
remark and perhaps complaint. Two Of these
mails go by railroad in an average time of about
nine hours. The other goes partly by railroad and
partly by steamboat in an average time of about
thirteen hours. being taken however at such a
part OF the day that the public is as much accom-
modated asif itwere carried in a less time. There
are besides two other entirely distinct routes Of
travel, by either of which the mail might be car
ried with equal speed.
"Such being the facilities for postal communi.
cation between Boston and New York, one would
naturally expect to find still greater conveniences
on the line Of equal length between New York and
Washington, not only on account of its greater
Importance, but also because it masses directly
through two great cities, Philadelphia and Balti-
more, all of travel and Communications of which
are to be added to those of the main thorough
fare. Any such expectations, however, are sig
nally disappointed by the facts The shortest time
in which it is pretended to get any mail through
from New York to Washington, the route being
wholly by railroad, is twelve hours, or one half
more than the corresponding line between Bos-
ton and New York. This, however, is not the
worst feature of the case. The difficulty 10
aggravated by the extreme want of punctuality
upon the railroads. especially between Philadelphia
and New York; which results in very frequent
to connect causing repeated Interruptions
In the regularity of correspondence. Thus the
train which leaves Jersey City, opposite New York,
at 81 in the afternoon, has Eve hours in which to
travel ninety miles in order to reach Philadelphia
In time to connect with the train for Baltimore,
which leaves at l0l. Three hours should be enough
time, but the arrangement gives five; and yet it
repeatedly happens that che train arrives 90 late
that the mail lies in Pfilddelphia over night. to
reach Washington in the afternoon of the next
day-I new detention in Baltimore does not
chance 70 delay its arrival until the evening.
~ sf9 > sss7 Is - s.sgs5
The advocates Of the most rigid construction
Of the authority given to Congress By the Consti-