, 1853-08-20

A. l.. LovEJOl, ESQ:
Nir-They are making great fuss about
this mail route at the Sound, and Tor lear
YOU may think there Is something wrong on
my part, take the liberty Of writing you
and explaining matters. Except On one
occasion, the 18th July, to which lhey re-
Ter in their paper Of Both inst, the States
mail has nerer laid over at Rainler. On
that occasion the mail was called for as
usual by the carrier. At that time the
Postmaster was away, aud the person act
ing as deputy, through some mIsmanage-
ment, delivered only the Oregon mail, which
the carrier, snpposing all right, received
and delivered at COwlitz. | was away
from home myself, or | should have dlscov-
cred there was mistake and had it reetl-
fed.) Our arrangements are thus: our
boats connect with the steamer Lot Whit
comb on Monday evening, on the arrival Of
which, taking mails ami passengers 10 Mon
ticello. Al the same time we have q boat
always remaining at Rainier, which on the
arrival of States or any other mail matter
before O'Clock Tuesday morning, is imme-
diately dispatched by the p. NJ. 10 Monli-
cello also, from which place the boats start
at 8 O'Clock A. NJ. A disconnection Herer
has occurred and cannot possibly occur.
The main cause Of all complaints hereto
fore is this: land it is understood by few
or none at the Sound) the mail leaving ac-
cording 10 contract time, O'Clock Tuesday
morning, should the States mail arrive a
day or an hour later it must lay whole
week until next mail day before II is for
warded; it generally lays from two 10 five
days after its arrival, and the only remedy
see is to establish an express mail 10 start
Immediately on arrival Of the steamer.
Mr.. Coe, while Postal Agent, saw this
difficulty, but could not remedy it without
breaking up all regularity on the route, the
mail at that time not being Of sufficient con-
S quence to warrant the expense of an ex-
press, which would not be short Of fifty dol
lars each trip. Yours, &c,
A. TOWNSEND,
Contractor.
P. During the whole of last winter
the mail missed but one trip on this river,
and that was on account Of extreme high
water and dTil wood. The mails instead
Of accumulating at Rainier, were lying at
Cowlitz post Office during the snow and
high water. A. T.
Mr.. TowNsEND's statements are unques-
tionably true, and We are by no means do
fcient in respect for him personally, and
for the facts he lays before us, but so long
as those annoying causes Of failure are sus-
ceptible Of being obviated, their being par
tlcularized 10 US affords no sort Of saiisfae-
tiOn, nor in the slightest degree palliates
wha. we regard as an oppressive and tor
meniing series of offences. We attach no
blame whatever TO Mr.. TOWNSEND, nor
have we ever heard that any portion of the
complaint was or ought to be against the
Postmaster at Cowlilz Landing. The par
ties, as far as we have been able TO CLEAN,
upon whom censure should fall, are the
Post Office Department at Washington, the
Postal Agent in Oregon and the Postmaster
at Rainier, and we hope they may all do
better in the future than they have done in
the past. There is room for reformation,
and this the culpable ones know foil we'll.
One thing is clear, we are entitled 10 one
mail every week, and each alternate week
mail from the States. We want, and teiH
hare all that we are entitled 10, and If a
change of day for starting from Rainier is
necessary, why should not such change be
made without so much { fuss p II is well
that We should propose a remedy for the
trouble, and here it is: Let the mail
steamers arrival at Rainier once every
fortnight bo waited for by the Cowliiz mail
carrier precisely as the steamer Columbia
herself awaits at San Francisco the arrival
of the steamer from PaBS,J,a. The Depart.
ment expects The mails 10 connect, and any
change Of arrangement mad1 by a Postal
Agent TO insure such connection will of
course be sustained by the Departments
Another item is the safe custody and spec
dy dispatch Of tue mail at Rainier, upon
which we shall say nothing at present, but
only hope the Postmaster will consider his
elbow slightly logged. We do not wish to
be compelled 10 speak too plainly. .
n9- Bark Cagib," Capt Plummcr, &