The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-12-06

Alabama $4,000 per annum which are not included
IN the foregoing statements The of pay for
vice as IN oreraton 30th September between New Or
leans and St Franeisvle by transient boats is S93ssO
II proper therefore add for the new regular service
S4l,32o which, with the $4,000 on the Alabama river
route viii increase the cost of the service for the
year s7632o-naking the whole additional of the
contracts S4693 To these must also be added the
cost Of additional agents local agents and mail mes
sengers appointed since lst July amounting to Sz9ss
There were in service on the 3oth June last 236
agents at compensation Of Sl8l 500 per annum 2 local
agents at l5f9o per annum and a6s mail messengers
at se2, l3l so per annnn making total Of S2s9-
22l 80 per annum to be added the other
portaton, stated above at S4,6306TG
Pursuant to the of Congress Of 9th August 1854
invited proposals the 3st August for conveying mails
from Cairo Illinois to New Orleans and back daily in
steamboats,.
Only one bid received within the prescribed time
10th November y and that being for 100000 did not
feel myself at liberty to accept it, second bid much
more reasonable rate received after the regular time
had expired.
There now no great mail lines in operation with
which to connect the proposed at Cairo The time is
however not distant when the necessary connexions
Will be effected by the completion of the Illinois Central
railroad to Cairo aud Of the Ohio and Mississippi road
Central am informed that by the lst of January the II
nos Central win be completed and that by the st of
y the Ohio and Mississippi road will make its
nexion with that road The chain of railroads between
the Atlantic at various points and the Mississippi river
thus completed, will attract large and important mails
which are now conveyed other routes and
the steamboat between
Cairo and New Orleans Moreover it is reasonable
tcipate such increase of trade and travel in the
direction as will go very far towards sustaining line Of
boats, thus reducing the cost of mail service
At present the principal if the only support of the
line, would be from this department and have therefore
deemed my duty not to enter into contract now but
await Developments TO be expected enabling
negotiate terms much more advantageous both the pub
lie and this department.
In the time mails regularly conveyed as hereto
fore, by the trip between Louisville and New Orleans and
St Louis and New Orleans.
have also contracted for separate service between New
Orleans and Vicksburg Vcksburg and Napoleon and
Memphis
There in operation the 3oth September last 23o
railroad routes their aggregate length was l662lA miles
and the cost OF mail transportation thereon 81 923
74I 80 Add to this the paid mail messengers route
aud local agents and the whole Of this service viii be
s., ,l96,249 49,
In adjusting the rate per mile be paid these railroads
great difficulties continue to exist The principle which
should regulate their pay t, be agreed upon.
The companies alege that the government should not
ask OF expect them to perform for any service at
less rate than that paid by individuals for similar SER
vices This principle has been denied disputed by
the Post Office Department hut the contrary it has
always mantanedand this has been ever the great cause
OF difficulty between the department and the companies
that the has been charged and paving much
greater prices than those paid by individuals Whether
this be so or not matter that could be easily settled by
computation And when The Post Office Committee of the
House OF Represen aves at its last session proposed bill
hxing certain rates per mile for mail transportation the
roads if could have been shown to them that the rates
thus fixed too low considering the weight of the
mail It's Importance and the facilities and space given for
ITS transportation satisfied they would have
increased the rates. What is required is to fix fair and
just prices companies performing similar services to re-
ceive the pay which is the case and ali of
them to be paid according to the bulk Of the mails the
speed with which they conveyed and the accommodate
tons required. The paid by express companies
would be very unfair criterion by which regulate the
charges to be paid for the conveyance of the mails Con-
troed by competition excepting such il il in the
power OF the railroad companies themselves prevent
they can pay any prices which may be demanded of them
and assess upon their customers 1t would be unjust
TOO to found calculation upon the assumption that the
mail car was twenty-five feet in length, fifteen for mail
ROOM and ten for post Office and then estimate and
charge both for weight of and mails at fourteen tons
Accommodations such these required both for the
security OF the mails and to enable routeagens properly
to discharge their duties and TO this fact early drew the
attention OF the companies but these accommodations have
not been given Many of the railroads derous of prop
eriy serving the public devote exclusively for mail
purposes but in the majority of divided
between the government and the express companies
space Is apportoned off the roue-agent the mail being
placed with the baggage in and the balance Of the
appropriated for smokingroom fhe calculations which
have made aud those which Of the companies make
differ most widely and show that they receiving for
the mail much than for rst-clnss freight; but the
question whether the calculations Of the department the
companies be correct could be readily settled by commit
tee OF Congress and if the companies wish
pay them only such prices they receive from individuals
the whole matter Is one Of easy solution In the opinion
that this government is paying much for railroad
mail service than is worth have been confirmed by the
prices paid for similar services in England France Ger
many, ana canada. With the Great Western Railroad
Company in the latter country the department in March
last entered into contract TO carry the United States
mail from Supension Bridge Gew York to Detroit Mch-
gan for the sum OF thirty dollars o mile The cars
carry the local Canada mail and If the Canadian gov
eminent allow this company thirty dollars mile in add
ton to the received from this department this import
ant trunk road viii be receiving sixty dollars mile
Is of very great importance that kind relations should
always exist between the Post Office Department and the
different railroad companies because when such is the
the public interests always better served It has been
and viii be- effort TO preserve these relations Ex
orbitant demands for services however viii always be
fused and when a schedule is arranged not by the depart
ment alone because il has such power but by the joint
Of the department and the company who al
have regard the local business Of the road the
public officer would be dereict in his duty who would not
conformity thereto Unless such were the case
there would be order regularity in the mail system
and business in its thousand ramcatons would be ser
ously disturbed. When fine laid if afterwards good
be shown is always remiited but it is
ing too much TO say That every delay Of the mail
embarrassment If injury to hundreds and therefore
every should be carefully examined The merchant
manufacturer and farmer rely upon the mail principally
for their remances MI classes Of our citizens anxously
await the arrival OF their letters and newspapers and if
through the nattenon neglect Of the railroad compa-
their ngents delays take place what good reason
can be assigned why they should not be treated other
contractors?
By the Of "a July 1896 It Is provided that contracts
shall in all be awarded the lowest bidder In
der 10 guard the department against fraud and imposition
the form Of bid is prescribed by the regulations guar
antee is likewise provided from the act, by which two
ponsibe persons undertake that If the party bidding be
accepted he shall enter the for the service
proposed with good and sufficient securities certificate
is then required 20 be signed by postmaster, Judge or
clerk Of record who ceres the sucency OF the garan-
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