The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-07
PUBLIC DOCUM MENT.
Posr Orf,cE DsrARrArsr,

Posr orf,cE DsrARraEsr,
Decemee l. 1853
Sn; The whole number OF post offices in the United
States a le close OF The last official year, June 30 s53.
w ~ 800 VI ins number 255 OF the highest class.
The poslmasters al which appointed by The Presi-
dent Al the present date, Qsl December 1882 The TO-
tai number OF post otces is ~ 6Ss During the past
year. commencing Isl Jaly 1884, 1888 post offices
established; 479 disseminated; and there were a
pointed 10 oce during said year, besides The lsgs post
masters TO the WY established Offices Aforesaid $3.50
upon resignation, 2a5 death, 1872 change OF site, 81 where
the postmaster had moved away. aad 2.32l On removal
Of prior incumbent; being 1867 posnaslers appointed
during the year ending 30,h June, 1853.
AL the close OF the fiscal year ending on the 3oth day
OF June last there were In operation within the Uned
States 6.692 mail routes; their aggregate length was
27 743 miles. and 1888 contractors were employed
thereon.
ne annual transportation Of the mails those routes
81 ,sol,5ia miles the annual cost thereof. ai.495,
96s; being about seven cents two mills per mile.
oi tAeae 81 se2542 miles OF annual transportation,
~ $780, 705 miles required to be performed on rail-
roads, al cost oil VI 6ol,32o being about twelve cents
three mills per mile 6.6o5u65 miles in steamboats,,
cost OF 632 36s being about nine cents four mills per
nlle II ,33U,326 miles IN coaches, al co,t OF $,206
45S, being aboul five cents Six mills per mile and 90
O4i6 miles in modes not specified, at cost of = ,035
3l3, DeiDg about five cents per mile.
Ihe inland the close OF the last fiscal year,
when compared with the the close of the pre-
ceding year, shows increase OF 3.i52 miles in the
ensth OF mal-routes; ol 2,yoo,sl4 in The number OF
niles OF annual transportation, and OF $685. in the
annual cost OF transportation.
OF such increase OF transportation. the railroad and
ST anboat service amounts TO 235 383 miles, at in
csead cost OF 52.3o2, being increase OF IL SO 100
cent in the transportation, and about 25 39loo per
cent IN the aggregate cost the coach service 63l
396 miles, al an Increased cost OF 7972 being in
crease OF about 20 per cent in trAnsportaos, and
10 per cent in aggregate and the transportation
nodes not specified TO 39,S25 miles, at increased
OF 25663. being an increase OF about 43l00 per cent
ran.potaton anu 4e-l01 per cent in The aggregate
annual transportation in California Qncuded in the
Jfesux eslimale) al The close OF the fiscal year
Jo5. 500 miles, annual cost of $l432l4, being
within the OF 95,sl7 miles. 10 So 100
c-nl. of annual transportation, ard $l4,334 IL
~ 100 per cent in the cost thereof
The annual transportation in Oregon at the close Of
he fiscal year lUs,274 miles, at annual cos, OF
fl5 52l, about AZ cents per mlle O this service IT.
ais miles is performed steamboats,, an annual cost
st7.ouo and the residue Of 80 900 miles in modes
specified, at cost OF 522 about 81 cents and three
.,,ii per mlie
should be added to the other cost of ansporta
ION, as above stated, The conpensa Of rouiesgens.
Sl65,22I 35 mail messengers, $50 334 03 and local
gents. Sil.49s 40 making IN all $@33 0o7 addliona
acindins the pay 10 agents on the foreign routes
In table attached TO tie report OF The Second Assistant
Postmaster General, marked d. the length Of railroad
VIA De seen, aAd tue prices respectively paid TO
Zach company. The sums pad 10 these railroad conpa.
fixed under the acts OF In july 1898. January
IS 1889, and 81 March, lS45 Usder the last
made duty The Posim aser General 10 ar
range and divide The raoai routes into three classes
tnd to pay then according to the OF the mails. the
of the service. Considerable difficulty has always ex
listed with this branch OF Inc Sums demand
from The department, which in justice great public
interests II cannot consent to pay The i'm ortance oil
the service TO public the great question consider
the head oi the departments but be, aud the
Presidents and managers OF tue railroad companies do
Importance alike, the mail Is thrown down, and
he public caused tneseoy grIevously to suer This
q done sometimes, too, The most summary manner,
without any notice being given by which the department
could be pepared 10 put other service; and this
nr 4
sure 10 suner The ciuzens OF the diderent States
leepy Interested IN this question and II they wish TO
continue TO receive their letters and newspapers at
cheap rate OF postage, iney must not permit these compa-
dictate TO the department their own terms. In
OF the States OF the Unon provision has been in
serted the charters OF the railroad companies providing
tor reference IN case OF disagreement between tue
Postmaster General and the companies In neither OF the
acts which have cited any power gtven TO the Post
master General 10 agree 10 a.y such reference ana "
should very much doubt its policy. In Eng
and this eement TO acted uniayoraby TO the
government and see reason why Congress, hrst CIV
ag each company n foil opportunity OF being heard,
should mol hx the SUN which they each respectively
10 receive.
In kogland. also in France, and in the other coai
dental States the time Tor arrivals and departures 10 so
liked BY the Post Odce Departments best 10 suit the
public interests.
In our own ordinary mail contracts the time for arri
val aod departure entirely subject 10 the order OF tins
department. by which IT 10 enabled 10 maintains an un
broken link OF connexion but in the majority Of
cases though contracts have been drawn and submitted
10 railroad compsnles they have not chosen TO sign them
The consequence has been ba though receiving the pay,
they may be said be entirely beyond control OF the
and the public interests have thereby greatly
suffered After entering upon my duties bead OF the
dep tmeDt, complaints made oil the nsuflcency OF
q. mali Cars. and OF the want OF proper accommodaons
and glazing these defecs ances. that
agents unable properly 10 discharge their
duiies becoming daily important owing 10 the
increase of the way distributions. To remedy this evil
had prepared model oi ma-car, which had trans
mted 10 the presidents OF the different railroad compa
nies but in very few instances have my wishes been
complied with IN those Cases where the contracts gave
The power To build ma-csr, when the one in
unsuisd to the purposes, have ordered il TO be
done, and the cost charged to the companies but that
class at in which they have declined becoming par
ties 10 any contract, | am remedIless.
Wnie such have been of the difficulties which
the department bas had TO encounter with these railroad
companies, that service with its necessary attendants
mail agents and mail has absorbed more than
onethrd OF the entire revenues derived from po-tages
On the 3oth OF September last there were in operation
gate length I34103 miles ard the OF mail trans
portation thereon Sl,645432 33being at the rate of
SI20 26 10 per mile. Include the pay OF mail me sscn
gers and local agents. the whole expense Of this
service s increased 10 e6l 49, or si39 3s 61o per
mile.
upon the aggregate length OF routes II Is discovered
that The average Of steamboat service is S3t as per
mile coach service Ss22 SO per mile and oil modes not
specified 81 So per mile.
Such being the condition OF this branch Of the service,
and prices psd for the attention oil Congress par
uculariy fequesiei to this subject
BY The section Of the OF Congress establishing
post roads &c, approved August 81, 1854 u was mad.
duty OF the Postmaster General 10 issue proposals
and contract Tor The transportation Of day mali pe.
tween Lo0syis and Caro- st LOUIS and Csfo Cairo and
Memphis, and Memphis and New Orleans, and TO supply
!. tnf i,xp po,n IN he