The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-07-03
Your friend and ob't servant,
ED. ROBINSON, Prelidsnt,
OFFICE RICHMOND, FREDERIcxsBURG AHp)
PoToAAC RAILROAD COMPANY.

OFFICE RICHMOND. FREDERIcxsBuRG Aspl
foToAAC RAILROAD COMPANY.
Richmond, June Esd, 1855
Hon. w. H. DUNpAs,
ID Assistant Postmaster General,
Washington d. C.
BIZ :-Withina low moments past, have received
your communication of yesterday, snd, 80 desired,
proceed to give an early answer thereto.
You say that the Pos.n1as General hiss C1utract.
Railroads. for the conveyance of the great all b.
tween Washin stYn city and Riohm to CONNIE nc
with The 1s' OF July next, Gnd thst &c is ready
arrange with this company for the local service on
the present route of tbs at mail and that you are
mAtfncted to eli. ne SiIO mile for single daily
and $3.50 4 mile for double daily service.
An Intimate association for many years with the
gsrvices of the Department has aft ,raed ne such
H.. ited opportunities Of awarding even feeble
tribute to lis beralty that cannot f5rbear accord
ing to it, ia connt cton with the service proposed
which contemplates only the limited pply OF mail
matter required for Fredericksburg, Slash Cottage
&c, frank scsnove ledge n emit of The AIDE qaacy of
the pay for the service proposed. 1t will not how
ever. suit the views of this con pan7 to meet the
proposition OF the Department, and beg leave re-
specially to decline it. 1t ia known to you, thong III
it may not be within the knowledIe OF the Postmss-
General that the present ronte for the transport
Richmond has been associated with the operations
of the Departments fer longer period than any
other route within the limits of the Union and tn Il
the Washington snd fredericksburg Steamboat
Company is, in all probability. the only contractor
now the books of the Department among ii g
many which embarked with It in the service Of the
Gcvernm emit
1t % wn to you likswiss, that notwiths din
the regnlar encounter each winter on the Potomsc
river with obstacles we'll calculated to embarrass
performance % puuctusl and efficient service it he
b.en thu I'D fortune OF the Company not only to
escape all complsints at the hands of the Depart
ment but in addition time arr again, to receive its
eomms nd atoU. and hat he fra. fire for failure.
yet to he imposed this Company.
You msy thu refo-s, under these eircu instances
form some idea of the surprise o,casioned nv your
co municatou. which gives me he fret cfficsl in
formation that the great and important mail so long
transported over the route referred to, has been
aLsterrsd 20 another and longer route, and one
eq 1aily sfficted in winter with the embsrrassmen It
OF ice on the Potom river at east for that portion
of the distance between Washington ard Ale KAN
dris: and this transfer effected by the Department
without a tender OF it TO this Compa on any
terms whatsoever The terms OF the cpnirsc itch
| mss Doe" ~ntsIed into the part of The Depart.
msnt over the proposed raute are not within NV
Knowledge, and tn fore NOT qaslif "A Tor
opinion in regard to their merits bus the course o.
the Departmsn in this matter viz fret advertising
for proposals. to be closed on 36th April lin view
which this Company offered for the same service,
and on he same terms a: now exist, then sskins
po4tporement OF its decision till the Y May; and
when thst day arrives, desiring farther postpone
ment TIL after the day of general elections in Viz
ginia over in order as stated by the Postmaster
General that survey of the route, and of the
via Gordon sQille might bs made in person; and Fl
Ally, after the mpshment of this ject with
out an offer of il to this Company terms, t
uoIy me that 81 ausfer of the Great Mail from it
present route would be made on the first of JUL
next-lesds me to the conclusion that in the opin
ioa of the Postnas General greatly enhanced ad
sges will result to the Department from the
tsmpated change. few days will develope the fact
and trusting that the Departme ut may be able to
complish a discovery heretofore deemed impracti
c.ble, viz: that longer route, and subject TO
greater number of changes, 10 best adapted to tn
trar sportation OF its mails,
l remain, with due respect,
Your obt serv't,
j73 1t ED. ROBINSON, Pres't