The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-15
POSTMASTER GENERALS RspoRT-AN AB-
STRACT

Number Of post Offices, June 80, 1852, %, $40
Dec 1, % 6SS. During the past year, COM
mencing Let July, 1852 l s98 post offccs were
established; 479 were discontinued and there
were appointed to Office during said year, be
sides the l 500 postmasters to the newly estab.
lished Offices aforesaid, 1850 upon resignation
225 death, 1872 change of site, 81 where the
postmaster had moved away, aud 1921 on re-
movsl of prior incumbent; being 1867 post
masters appointed during the year ending 30th
June, 1853
At the close of the fiscal year ending on the
3Oth day of June last there We're in operation
within the United States 6 692 mail routes
their aggregate length was 2i7,743 miles and
| 1888 contractors were employed thereon.
The annual transportation of the mails on
those routes was 81 1872 $40 miles the annual
cost thereof 81 495, 96s; being about seven
cents two mills per mile.
OF these 81 1924 miles of annual trans
portation, 1885, 7O5 miles are required to be
performed ON railroads, at cost OF 81 sol .329,
being about twelve cents three mills per mile
6, 685 065 miles in steamboats,, at a cost of
S632, 1868, being about nine cents four mills per
mile; 81 $50, 1926 miles in coaches, at cost of
81, 206 95S, being about five cents six mills Der
mile; and 20 500, 446 miles in modes not spe.
CITED, at cost of Sl,055,3l3, being about five
cents per mile.
The inland service at the close of the last fis-
cal year, when compared with the service at
the close of the preceding year, shows On in
crease of 3459 miles in the length Of mail
routes; of 2, 1906, Sl4 in the number of miles Of
annual transportation, and of 1855, 997 in the
annual cost of transportation
Or auph nf fro sxat, L.
road and steamboat service amounts to 2. 235 500
miles at an increased cost of S452 1862 being
an increase OF IL SO per cent. in the TRANSPORT
alton, and about rs 80 per cent in the aggre-
gate cost the coach service to 63I. 1896 miles,
at an increased cost Of S77972 being an in
crease Of about sos per cent in transportation,
and 6s per cent. in aggregate cost and the
transportation in modes not specified to 80, 1875
miles at an increased cost Of S25 $50, being an
increase Of about I.43 per cent on transport
alton, and 40 per cent in the aggregate cost.
The annual transportation in California lin.
cluded in the foregoing estimated ut the close
Of the fiscal year was 5s5 s06 miles, ut an an
nual cost OF Sl43,2l4 being an increase within
the year Of 1917 miles, or 10 SO per cent. Of
annual transportation, and sI4,334 or Hip
per cent in the cost thereof
The annual transportation in Oregon at the
close OF the fscal year was los, 274 miles, at an
annual cost of S45,522, or about AZ cents pcr
mile. Of this service, ~ 27s miles ia performed
IN steamboats,, at AN annual cost of SIT 900,
and the residue of 90 900 miles in modes not
specified at a cost Of $2s, 522 or about 3l.3 per
mile
There should be added TO the other cost Of
transportation, IA above stated, the compensa-
ton Of route agents, Sl65 PA SIS; mail messen-
gers $50, 1874 05; and local agents, 81 ,49s 40
making in all 1898 057 additional, including
the pay to agents on the foreign routes.
The Postmaster General complains with JUS
tice Of the outrageous impositions Of the rail
road companies and Of the summary way in
which they reject mail matter when their de-
mands are not complied with-thcrcby subject
ing the citizens Of the several States 10 great
annoyances He sees no reason why Con.
gress, first giving each company full oppor.
tunity to be heard, should not fix the sum which
they IRE respectively to receive"
In ordering mail contracts, the times for
arrival and departure arc determined by the
Department, with view to suit the public in
terests but not 40 in the contracts with these
companies, who FIX the arrivals and departures
to suit their own convenience, without any
reference to the public welfare.
The service ON these railroads, owing to
these enormous exactions, &c, has distracted
more than onc.t third Of the entire revenues de.
rived from hostages
On the 3Oth Of September last there were