Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-21
THE POSTAL LAWS:
uniting the portions superseded, or repealed
or enacted for temporary purpose.
CoNTINUED.
CHAPTER V.
RAILROAD SERVICE

Sec. "a. A,ld be 1t further enactea. That
each and every railroad within the limits of
the United States which now is, or hereafter
may be made and completed, shall be a post
route and the Postmaster General shall cause
the mail to be transported thereon, provided
ne can have it done upon reasonable terms,
and not paying therefor, in any il stance. more
tnan twenty-five per centum over and above
what similar transportation would cost in most
coaches. Sec: 2, act Of Juiy 7, 1888
Sec. 55. BE 1t further eaacted, That the Post
master General shall not by virtue of the au
thOrity vested in him by the second section of
the Act to establish certain post routes. and
to discontinue Others" approved July eth,
1888, allow more than three hundred dollars
per mile, per annum, to any railroad company
In the United States, for the conveyance Of
one or more daily mails upon the road Pro
vt@ea, That nothing il this act contained shall
be construed So as in any way to remove or i'm
pair the limitations upon the power of the
fostmaster General, imposed by that section.
Act Of January, 25, 1889.
Sec. %. ResOtued, That the Postmaster Gen
erai be, and he hereby is, authorized to make
and enter into contracts with any railroad
company for the Transmission of the mail,
without advertising for bids on such railroads
as now required by law. Joint resolution of
February 20, 1S45.
Sec. 81. A1ld be 1t further enacted. That To
insure, as far as may be practicable, an equal
and just rate of compensation, according to
the service performed, among the several rail
road companies in the United States for the
transportation of the mail, it shall be the duty
of the Postmaster General to arrange and d.
VIDE the railroad routes, including those in
which the service is partly by railroad and
partly by steamboats,, into three classes ac-
cordlng to the size Of the mails the speed with
FL
Of the service; and it shall be lawful for him
to contract tor conveying the mail with any
such railroad company, either with or without
advertising Tor such contract PrOglded
That, for the conveyance of the mail on any
railroad of the first class, he shall not nav a
higher rate Of compensation than is now al
lowed by law; nor for carrying the mail on
any railroad OF the second class a greater
compensation than one hundred dollars per
mile per annum; nor for carrying the mail on
any railroad of the third class, greater com
pensatlon than fifty dollars per mile per an
NUN. And in case the Postmaster General
shall not be able to conclude a contract for
carrying the mail on any of such railroad
routes, at compensation not exceedin. the
Aforesaid maximum rates, or for what he NAV
deem a reasonable and fair compensation for
the service to be performed, it shall be lawful
for him to separate the letter mail from the
residue of the mail, and to contract, either
with or without advertising, for conveying the
letter mai! over such route, by horse express
or otherwise, at the greatest speed that can
reasonably be obtained, and also to contract
for carrying over such route the residue of the
mail, in wagons or otherwise, at slower rate
of speed: Proutded, That if one half of the
service, on any railroad, is required to be per-
formed in the night season, it shall be lawful
for the Postmaster General to pay twenty five
per cent. in addition to the aforesaid maxi
mum rates of allowance Amd pr0vtded fur
Tier, That if it shall be found necessary to
convey over any railroad route more than two
mails daily, it shall be lawful for the Post
master General to pay such additional COM
pensation as he may think just and reasona-
bic, having reference to the service performed
and the maximum rate of allowance estab-
llshed by this act. Section 10, act of Sd
March, l845.