The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-07

Only one bid received within the prescribed time
eth kovcmbsr) and that being for $500 ooQ did not
feel myself at liberty to accept 1t. second bid at
much reasonable rate received after the regu-
lar time had expired.
There nov no great mail lines in operation with
which to connect the proposed at Cairo Tho time
however, not distant when necessary counec
win be effected by the eomnetion oil the Illinois Central
Railroad to Cairo and Of the Ohio and Mississippi road
to its point CT intersection from the with the I'LL
DoA Central am informed that by the LIST OF January
the Illinois Central will be completed and that by the
LIST Of July the Ohio and road will make its
eastern connection with that road. The chain OF rail
reads between the Atlantic at various points and the
Mississippi river thus completed viii attract large and
important mails, which conveyed other
routes and most materially enhance the Importance OF
steamboat route between Cairo and New Orleans.
Moreover reasonable 10 anticipate such increase
OF trade and travel in the direction will go very
far towards sustaining line OF boats thus reducing the
present the principal If not the only support Of
the line, would be from this department; and have,
therefore, deemed duty not TO enter into contract
now but await Developments to be- expected,
enabling 10 negotiate much advantageous
both TO the public and this department.
In the meantime mails regularly conveyed here
tofore by the trip between Louisville and New Orleans,
and st. Louis and New Orleans.
have also contracted for separate service between
New Orleans and Vieksburg, Vicksburg and Napoleon
and Memphis.
239 railroad roues their aggregate length 10 62
miles and the cost Of mail transportation thereon
81 923 TAT 50. Add to this the paid mail
gers route and local and the whole cost Of this
service win be s2,l9o,24o 50.
In adjusting the rate per mile to be paid these rail
roads great difficulties continue to exist The principle
which should regulate their pay seems to be agreed
upon The companies allege that the government
should not ask expect them to perform for it any
service at less rate than that paid by individuals
similar services. This principle has been denied
or disputed by the Post Office Department. but on the
contrary it has always Northumberland this has been
the great of difficulty between the depart
ment and the conpanies-that the government has
than those paid by indisiduais whether this be-
not, is matter that could be easily settled by
computation. And when the Post Office Committee Of
the House of Representatives its last session. pro-
posed bill fixing certsin rates per mile for mail trans
Them that the rates thus fixed too low, consider
ing the weight of the mail its Importance and the fac
ties and space given for its transportation salts
fed they would have at increased the rates. What
is required is to fix fair and just prices companies per-
forming similar services to receive the pay which is
the case all Of them paid according to
the bulk of the mails the speed with which they are
conveyed, and the accommodations required. The
paid BY express companies would be avery unfair cr
teron by which to regulate the charges TO be the
conveyance OF the mails Controlled by competition
excepting such it is in the power of the railroad
which may be demanded of them, and assess It upon
their customers. 1t would be unjust too to found
twenty Ave feet in length, fifteen for mail room,
and ten for post office, and then to estimate and
charge both for weight Of and mails at fourteen
ed both for the security of the mails, and to en-
able route agents properly to discharge their
OF the companies but these accommodations have
been given. Many of the railroads. DESTROYS OF pro-
perly serving the public, devote car exclusively for
mail purposes but in the great of
is divided between the and the express
panies space is apportioned oil for the route agent
the mail being placed with the baggage in and the
balance Of the appropriated for a smoking room.
The calculations which have made, and those which
show that they receiving for the mail much
than for first class freight but the question whether
the calculations Of the department the companies be
correct could readily be settled by committee Of Con-
gress; and if the companies wish government to pay
them only such prices they receive from individuals
the whole matter is Of easy solution. In the opinion
that this government is paying much for railroad
mail service than 1t is WORTH have been confirmed by
the prices paid similar services in England France
Company in the latter country tho department in March
last entered into contract To the United States
mail from Suspension Bridge New York to Detroit Mi
chigan, for the Of thirty doAars mile The
carry the local Canada mail and il the Canadian
government allow this company thirty dollars mile in
addition to the received from this department. this
important trunk road win be receiving sixty dollars
mile.
1t is Of very great Importance that kind relations
should always exist between the Post Office Depar
and The different railroad companies because when such
Is the the public interests always better served
1t has been and will be- effort preserve these
relations Exorbitant demands for services, however,
will always be refused; and when schedule is arranged
not by the Department Alone because it has such
power but by the joint Of the Department
and the company who have always regard to the local
business the road the public officer would erelict
in his duty who would not exact conformity thereto.
Unless such we're the case there would be no order or
regularity in the mail SYSTEM and business in its thou
sand rami6catioDs would be seriously disturbed When
fine is laid, il afterwards good be shown, it is
always RENTED; but it is not asserting too much say
that every delay OF the mail embarrassment, IL
not injury, 10 hundreds and therefore every excuse
should be carefully examined. The merchant manufac
turer and farmer rely upon the mail principally for their
remttances All classes OF citizens anxiousy await
the arrival Of their letters and newspapers; and If
through the nattenton neglect of the railroad
panies their agents delays take place what good
son be assigned why they should be treated
other contractors
BY the act I'd July 1886, it is provided that con-
tracts SHALL in all cases. be awarded TO the lowest bid
der In order to guard the department against fraud
and imposition the form OF a bid IL prescribed by the
regulations. guarantee is likewise provided from the
act by which two responsible persons undertake that if
the party bidding be accepted he shah enter into the
contract for the service proposed with good and suf
cient securities certificate is then required to be
signed by Postmaster Judge, Clerk OF Record. who
cerfes to the suiiciency Of the guarantors hotwt-
standing these precautions irresponsible frequently
become bidders having design Of performing the
vice, but with the sole object of selling out their bill
Failing to 6nd purchaser they refuse TO enter into
the contract, and when inquiry is made into the
cheney OF the guarantors in order to institute action
against them 1t is discovered that they pecunriy
worthless On failures Of this description the contract
is awarde, to the next lowest bidder but ~ he il not
bound by his bid after the acceptance lowest bid
der 1t very frequently happens that he declines its
cePance, and the department is thus Obliged u pay
much more for The service than could have been had
for, than 1t il really worth Such instances occurred
frequently at the last Lettings which have increased
very much the cost of the service. Some discretion
should be lodged in the Postmaster General TO prevent
such frauds but in its absence, have determined
the next lettings to designate certain Postasters in
each State in which letting is to be had who alone
win be authorized 70 give the required certificate
The proper distribution of mail matter in a country
vast ours, with many mail routes and SO many
post Offices H. subject attended with great difficulty.
and to which the attention Of predecessors has FREE
quently been directed Letters instead of having
most two, distributions have been distributed
five times before their arrival at the destined point
The consequence has been that tho distribution and
livery commissions have almost consumed tie postage;
but the worst evil arising ,rom this practice has been
that great delays have been occasioDed, which have
tta satat
of mail arrangements, and this the department. alone
have. II the postmasters at the various distri.
buting post Offices permitted u make their
distribution schemes with their necessarily imperfect
knowledge, great mistakes occur and instead Of
letter being mailed direct 10 the distribution Office
which it belongs II would b. mailed point point
along the route until IL reached its destined point 10
proven these delays, and at the time 10 possess
myself OF the LEGAL knowledge of the postmaster at the
distributing post offices. caused forwarded to
the different schemes of distribution. them