Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-09
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

...." PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT.,
DECEMBER A, 1854.
The whole number of post Offices in the United States
ON the aoth Of june 1854 2s,54s OF this number
257 are Offices the annual commissions from which amount
TO one thousand dollars upwards, and the appoint
ments at these Offices therefore made by the Pres
dent by and with the advice and of the Senate
agreeaby the provisions Of the act of 1885, The num-
Der of Offices established during the last fiscal year was
1872 and the number discontinued 6l4 showing nett
increase in year of The number of which the
sites and have been changed in the of the
year was 400. The number of post-masters appointed
during the year S6S OF these, 4s5 appoint
ed to fill vacancies occasoned by designations; 1877 by
removals. $40 by deaths 294 by change OF names and
sites and 1,S42 on establishment of new Offices
The total number OF Offices on the list december 1904
WAS 3d. 25.
On the S0th June last there in operation 6,69I
mail routes. The number of contractors was g. 81
The length of these routes is estimated at 2ls93o
miles.
The total annual transportation of mails 63 oS7 005
miles, costing 81 csc, 676, and divided follows viz:
2l267 6O3 miles by modes not specified at ST. o92 $685.
about cents per mile. !,
90 800 $50 miles by COACH at 81 ,29o,o95, about 6
cents per mile.
10 3s9 miles by railroad, at $,75s610, about II
cents mills per mile.
5,795483 miles by steamboat, at $4S9 l3S, about Q
cents mills per mile.
Compared with the services of the S0th of June, 1853
there is an increase of 463 miles Of transportation,
or ABOUT "a PEI cent, anu Va |io1' So0 peS "oou
3per cent.
The increase of railroad service is 6s4 miles, and
the expense 1857 2S being 10 per cent in Transports
tiou and not quite per cent in cost
The Increased transportation by modes not specified is
S77 157 miles, about per CENT at cost OF 3i ozO,
or 35- 100 per cont.
The transportation by coaches is less by 49, 1876 miles,
or about per cent, though at an increased cost OF
$50, 1877, or 6 $500 per cent.
The unprecedented extension of railroads superseded
much coach service The increased cost for diminish
ed of such service may be accounted for from the
fact that the new contracts in New England and New
York commencing 1st July, 1858, made at largely
enhanced rates. increasing the aggregate expense, while
the amount of service was largely reduced.
The steamboat transportation during the past year
reduced $50 $50 miles, 5 per cent, at reduced cost
of S143, $50, or 20 7-l0 per cent.
This is accounted for by the disconnuance Of service
between Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston,
South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia. and Charestos and
Arkansas and White rivers owing TO the failures Of the
contractors.
Several steamboat routes also dispensed with at
the lettings of new contracts for New England and New
York
The portions OF service in the foregoing estimates
portation, costing S142,933 and varying but slightly
from last years report
Steamboat transportation 9,l2o miles at 900.
Coach :" ia, o26 miles at $685. ls5.
Modes not specified transportation 25s4s4 miles, at
$3.50, 74s.
In Oregon the service is as follows:
Steamboat SO 03S miles, at SIT ,000.
Modes not specified 9S, 9s8 miles, at So, 15l.
Total transportation 131 026 miles.
Total cost $40, ISL
The annual transportation by steamboat increased
TO- 6O miles during the year without additional pay
The following table exhibits the extension Of railroad
service during the year. separately, in five groups Of
States: