Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-09

service, as in operation on Both September, be-
tween New Orleans and ST. Francisville, by tram
silent boats, is $336S0 Ii is proper. therefore, 10
add for the new regular service 81 800 which,
with the $35,000 on The Alabama river route, will
increase the cost of the service for the current
year sc. 320-making The whole additional cost of
the new contracts SAT- ,693. To these must also
be added The cost of additional route agents local
agents, and mail messengers, appointed since Isl
July, amounting 10 S7,9SS.
There were in service the Both June last
go route agents, at a compensation of SlSl 600
per annum II local agents, at SI5, 500 per annum;
and 96S mail messengers, at 500, 13l so per annum
making total cost of S269, 22l so per annum 10
be added TO the other cost transportation stated
above al S4630676
1854, invited proposals on the 3lst August for
| conveying mails from Cairo, Illinois, 10 New Or
leans, and back, daily, in steamboats,.
| Only one bid was received within the prescribed
time, 10th November; and that being for $500 900,
| | did not feel myself at liberty 10 accept il. A
second bid at much more reasonable rate was
1 received aiter-t The regular time had expired.
There are now no great mail lines in operation
| with which 10 connect the proposed one at Cairo.
The time is, however, not distant when the neces-
sary connexions will be effected by the completion
of the Illinois Central railroad 10 Cairo, and ofthe
Ohio and Mississippi road TO its point of intersec
j tion from the East with the Illinois Central. am
informed that by the LIST Of January the Illinois
Central will be completed and that by the lst OF
July the Ohio and Mississippi road will make its
eastern connexion with that road. The chain OF
| railroads between the Atlantic at various points
and the Mississippi river, thus completed, will at
tract large and important mails which are now
conveyed on other routes, and most materially
enhance the importance Of a steamboat route be-
tween Cairo. and New Orleans. Moreover, II Is
reasonable 10 anticipate such increase of trade
and travel in the same direction as will go very
far towards sustaining line OF boats, thus re-
ducing the cost of mail service.
Al present, the principal, if not the only support
of the line, would be from this department; and
have, therefore, deemed il my duty not TO enter
into a contract now, but await developments so
soon 10 be expected, enabling me TO negotiate
terms much more advantageous both TO the pub
lie and this department
/ In the mean time mails regularly conveyed
as heretofore, by the trip between Louisville and
New Orleans, and St. Lonis and New Orleans.
II / have also contracted for service between
New Orleans and vicksburg, Vicksburg and Napo
leon, and Memphis.
There were in operation on the Both Septembel
last 239 railroad routes; their aggregate length
was 16 6211 miles, and the cost of mail Transports
ton thereon was ST ,923, TAT SO. Add 10 this the
sums paid mail messengers, route and local agents
and the whole cost of this service will be 81, l96,
249 50.
In adjusting the rhe per mile 10 be paid these
railroads great difficulties continue 10 exist. The
principle which should regulate their pay seems &c
be agreed upon. The companies allege that the
government should not ask or expect them 10 per
form for any service al less rate than that paid
by individuals for similar services. This princi
pie has never been denied or disputed by the Post
Office Department; but, on the contrarySt hai
always Northumberland this has been ever the
great cause Of difficulty between the department
and the companies-thai the government has been
charged and paying much greater prices than those
paid by individuals. Whether this be SO or not ]:
matter that could be easily settled by computa
lion. And when the Post Office Committee of the
House Of Representatives at its last session pro
posed bill fixing certain rates per mile for mai
transportation the roads, If il could have been
shown 10 them that the rates thus fixed were toe
low, considering the weight the mail, its import
ance, and the facilities and space given for In
transportation, 1 satisfied they would have
at once increased the rates. What is required j:
10 fix fair and just prices, companies performing
similar services 10 receive the same pay, which il
not now the case and all of them 10 be paid &C
cording to the bulk of the mails, the speed with
which they conveyed, and the accommodation
required. The sums paid by express companies
would be very unfair criterion by which 10 re
gulaie the charges TO be paid for the conveyance
Of the mails. Controlled by no competition ex
cepting such as IL is in the power OF the rail
road companies themselves TO prevent, they
can pay any prices which may be demanded
OF them ana il upon their customers. /
would be unjust, TOO, 10 found calculation upor
the assumption that the mail car was twenty five
feet in length, fifteen for mail room, and ten fo
post Office, and then 10 estimate and charge
both for weight of car and mails at fourteen tons
Accommodations such as these are required botl
for the security Of the mails and 10 enable route
agents properly 10 discharge their duties; and Il
this fact early drew the attention of the compa
MES but these accommodations have not beer
| given. Many Of the railroads, DESTROYS of prop
erly serving the public, devote a car exclusively
for mail purposes; but in the great majority o
, cases car is divided between the government
and the express companies, or space is appor
toned of for the route-ageni, the mail being
placed with the baggage in one and the balance o
. \ the car appropriated for a smoking ROOM The
: calculations which have made and those which
some Of the companies make differ most widely
, and show that they are receiving for The mai
: much more than for fst-cIass freight; but the
, question whether the calculations OF the depart
ment or the companies be could be readil,
settled by COMMITTEES OF Congress and iftbe com
: panes wish government 10 pay them only sucl
prices as they receive from individuals, the Who'll,
matter is one Of easy solution In The opinion
that this government is paying much more FOL
railroad mail service than IL Is worth, have beer
confirmed by the prices paid for similar services il
; England, France, Germany, and Canada. Will
the Cheat Western Railroad Company in the
; latter country the department in March last en-
J tered into contract TO carry The United States
mail from Suspension Bridge, New York 10 De
iroii, Michigan, for the sum Of thirty dollars
mile. The same cars carry the local Canad,
mail and II the Canadian government allow thii
company thirty dollars mile in addition 10 the
sum received from this department, this import
ant trunk road will be receiving sixty dollars
mile.
Il is Of very great importance that kind rela
lions should always exist between the Post Office
Department and the different railroad companies
because when such Is the case the public inter
ssts are always better served. II has been, and
viii ever be, my effort 10 preserve these relations
ExorbitaDt d. mands for services, however, vii
always be refused and when a schedule is ar
ranged, moi by The department alone, because Il
has no such power, but by the joint concurrence
ofthe department and the company who always
have regard 10 the local business Of the road The
public officer would be dereIict in his duty who
would not exact conformity thereto. Cnles.
such were the case, there would be no order OF
regularity in the mail system and business in II.
thousand ramifcations would be seriously dis
turbed. When tine is laid, IL afterwards good
cause be shown, IL is always RENTED !; bat Il 4.
not asserting too much 10 say that every delay Of
the mail causes embarrassment, if not injury, 10
hundreds, and therefore every excuse shonid be
| carefully examined. The merchant mar ufacturer