, 1855-04-07


tween those places, Port Oxford. And by
the contracts of that company, but one
other intermediate point con be included in
their service. Humboldt Bay, Trinidad,
and Crescent City, in California, and imp
qua, in Oregon, are consequently depend.
ent on occasional steamers, or sailing YES
sells, as opportunity offers, for mails to and
from San Francisco and the Atlantic
States. These are the trading posts of a
rich and extensive mining region in Cali
fornia and Oregon, md Humboldt Bay
maintains a large and profitable trade in
lumber and heavy timber To deprive the
people in that section Of mail facilities, or
to extend to them, as is now done, an ir-
regular, inefficient service, is very great
hardship.
The citizens of Washington Territory
have also strong reason TO complain Of the
neglect Of. the Government with respect TO
mail facilities. The bulk of population in
that Territory is, and will likely continue
on and in the vicinity of Puget Sound.
The mails for Olympia-the head of the
Sound-from California and the Atlantic
States, are taken TO Astoria by the steam
ers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany. Thence they are conveyed by
steamboat to Rainier, distance of fifty
(5O) miles thence across the Columbia,
and up the Cowlitz river, some thirty-ive
(35) miles, TO Cowlitz Landing; and
thence to Olympia, a distance of fifty seven
(57) miles.
The Cowlitz river is not nayigable, and
is rapid stream, subject, at certain sea
sons, to heavy freshets The mails are
carried up this river in all Indian canoe,
and from the Landing to Olympia, and
thence to Steilacoom, and other points
lower down the Sound on horseback. The
country between these several points is
without roads, or bridges over the slouc,s
and streams, and difficult to travel.
The usual time for the mails bet cen
Astoria and Olympia is four days, even
when there is a regular connection 18th
the San Francisco steamer at Astoria, and
regular connection, also, at Rainier. The
time is often longer, especially when the
Columbia river is frozen above Astoria in
winter, and the Cowlitz swollen by floods.
Governor Stevens, in his first message
to the Legislative Assembly Of Washing
ton, states the fact, that for SIR reeks
during the last winter" owing TO these de-
fective mail facilities, the Territory was
without communication with the Atlantic
States" and that, in the interval, sailing
vessels brought information from San
Francisco. That was an extraordinary
case Of mail failure, it is Irue; yet it fOrci-
bly, exhibits the total ineliicicncy Of the
present mail service via the Column . and
the Cowlitz, and overland to the So i,
Besides these objections to the preseH
service, there is the further objection, that
it leaves oil the points ON the coast Of
Washington, and on the Sound, from Cape
Flattery to its head, almost, if not entirely,
destitute of mails.
Puget Sound and its vicinity not only
afford an extensive and fertile agricultural
region, but are rich in timber and coal
fields. Population is on the increase, and
the lumber and coal trade with San Fran.
cisco is daily growing in Importance. The
settlement of the Territory would be great
ly facilitated, and its trade rapidly incrcas-
. ed, il the means of reaching the country
were provided by the extension Of the mail
service between Panama and Astori1 t.
Olympia. Such an extension of dat Sc
; vice Congress directed by the post-rout,
; act, at the second session of the Thirty
!. Second Congress. The words of the act
are: "The mail route from Panama to
Astoria is hereby extended to Fort Stella
COON and Olympia, on Puget Sound;" thus
looking to the mail service by seq in steam
ers. l " .'
In conformity with the laws Of Congress
the Postmaster General, by advertisement
{ under date Of October l3, 1858, invited
> proposals for carrying the HaiIs on tn,
g following route, embracing the service il
, which California, Oregon, and Washington
! are equally interested I:
: l25O2. From San francisco, by Gray's Harbor ii
: Oregon, and Olympia, TO Steilaeocm, nine hun
dred and fifty miles and back, once month:
/" Leave San Francisco on the 10th Of each month;
a Arrizla q Steiacoom by the 18th; -
: " LSaSf kacoom on the 4th Of each month;
4 " Arrite San Francisco by the 18th;
: Propottk including the supply OF Trinidad, Call
!, fornia UmpQua City, Oregon, or Astoria, Ore
n ron or all of them will be considered; also, pro
: posals to run only as far as Gray's Harborp
: Proposals were received from responsi
BILE. parties, at q fair rate for such an ex
tended service. The Postmaster General
9 however, declined to make contract, oil
: the ground that the expenses Of the Pos
: Office Department for mail service must b
: reduced within the lowest practicable sum
and further, that this service was not indls
. pensable.
The motives which influenced the decis
inn of the Denartment were undOubtedl
: correct, but based on erroneous opinions
!, !, and a mistaken public policy. GOverno
Stevens, of Washington, Governor Davis
of Oregon, the Senators and Represents
tives of California, and the Delegates fror
Oregon and Washington, urged the in
N portance and necessity of the service
The Legislature Of California, and the Leg
of istive Assembly Of each Of the Territories
d have earnestly memorialized Congress j
4 :ks favor and tha raa,,la and ,,raoo of Oh