, 1854-11-25
pS- The following article from the Umn-

qua (OTegOH) Gazette, will serve to show
that we are not alone neglected in being
furnished with adequate mail facilities BY
the Postmaster General. The arguments
in favor of direct mail route from the
head of the Sound to San Francisco, are
as numerous and certainly as strong as
those, urged by the Gazette in favor of its
locality being supplied.
The Postmaster General, and
the delivery OF the Mails at
Umpqua. ..u
We're it not that we occasionally see ais
name mentioned in an exchange, we might
long since have forgotten that there was in
existence such an official as the Postmas-
ter General, whose Jurisdiction extends
over this part of Uncle Sans dominions;
and, indeed, so far as we in Southern Ore
gon are concerned, his existence is mat
ter of very little Importance, except that
we should most probably be better of with
out him. Notwithstanding oil the repre-,
sentations that have been made to him Of
the Importance of the delivery Of the mails
at the Umpqua, and the Inconvenience re
sulting to US from the want Of O regular
and direct mail communication with San
Francisco notwithstanding the evidence
which has been laid before him in regard
to the safety of the entrance and barber
of Umpqua, he has hitherto closed his ears
to our request that he would compel the
delivery Of the mails at the Umpqua. He
has done nothing at all for Southern Ore
gon, and, judging from past experience,
we need entertain no hopes Of his ever do
ing anything for us, so long as the p. M.
S. S. Co. have money in their hands, and
the will to use n to our disadvantage.
Now, to any one who knows any thing
at all Of the geography Of this country,
the Importance Of the delivery, Of the mails
at this point must be manifest at once.
The mail steamers can reach the Umpqua
from San Francisco two days sooner than
they can reach Portland. There is moth
ing to prevent them from coming in over
the bar, Immediately upou arriving before
it; yet, although steamers pass iH full view
Of the mouth Of the Umpqua nearly every
trip, and although it would not detain the
mail steamer more than two or three houss
to run in and deliver the mails, unless they
had freight to discharge, they must go on
to Portland-to the northern boundary Of
the Territory, and the mails sent back to
us overland. Why not send the steamers
up to Puget Sound with the mails, or Why
not send them by way Of China, or the
Sandwich Islands? 1t would be quite as
sensible, and withal as economical as The
present arrangement Hsr elurH
Were the mails delivered here, they
would, with suitable changes in the inland
routes, reach q large proportion Of the
Offices in the Territory sooner than they
now do, via the Columbia river aud PORT ,
land As we said before, the mails would
reach this place from San francisco fully
two days sooner than theyEeaeh Portland.
Now, with two days start, the mails win
reach Salem sooner from this place than
they possibly can from Portland Any one
who has ever been over the road knows
this to be the fact. So that all the Post
Offices south Of Salem-and they are the
majority of the Post Offices in the Terrific
ry-would be benefited by this arrange
ment, especially those south of the Gala
pooya Mountains, which the mails would
reach fully one week sooner than they now
do.
1t is impossible that the Postmaster Gen
eral can be ignorant Of the necessity Of the
delivery Of the malls at this point. He
has even acknowledged its Importance, by
letting the contract at one tine to the +.
NJ. S. s. Co. But, upon their representa-
tions that the Umpqua bar was dangerous
for vessels SO large as their ocean steamers
in the face Of the fact that the FremoE.
had made one trip in safety, and had been
advertised for second, and in the face Of
the certificates Of the Captains Of vessels
which traded here-men Of acknowledged
integrity and skill in their profession, an6
who testified to the safety Of the entrance,
for an ocean steamer Of the size Of either
the Fremont or the Columbia-he allowed
them to haul of from. this port, and 70 de-
liver the mails at Port Oxford instead, q
place which has no communication with
the interior, and where il Is almost impos-
sible to land in the winter season Since
then he has advertised that he would Tcsa-
slider proposals for delivering the mails at
the Umpqua but, although proposals
were made, and q company in San Fran
cisco sent an agent to Washington for the
express purpose Of securing this contract,
nothing could be accomplished. The Post
master General appeared to be as com
pletely in the power Of the P. N. s. s. Co.
as If they had bought him for price.
How long Is this state Of things 10 con-
tinuel How long are the p. n. s. s.
Co. TO rule not only the Pacific coast but
the officials at Washington There are
other ocean steamers besides those Of that
Company, which are willing and -anxiods
for contract 10 deliver the mails here.
Why not let them have it, since tho P. N
8. s. Co are unwilling to risk their old
hulks by letting them come into the Ump-
nnaY Or must we wait until a Postrnasfsr