Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-03
OrrIcE RIcrMoNp, FREpERICKsEuRd ASp)
PoruM4C RAIL ROAD CoMrAHi.
RICHMOND June 23d, 1885.
IIvS. W. II. DUMAS,
"a Assistant Postmaster General,

Hos. W IL. l)lNDtS,
"a Assistant Postmaster General,
Washington, ID. G.,
s,m-Wrhin n few moments past ! have received
your communication Of Yesterday, anu a. dcS're'
, proceed 10 give you al carly answer liieIct'.
You say that tie Observation-Disclosures mas con'rnct,
ed with ,ie Orange ard Alexandria, and Tile leilrai
Railroads. for the conveyance al the great m"I De-
| tween Washington city and Richmond, To commence
with the lat Of July next, "ia Ina, .hn I ~ : s apw .c" on ,I II"
ur.snnt routr of the great mail, and that you are M
sstruct,d to .lcr me 800 n mile for single daily, and
SlSya mile for doubl" daily service.
An intimate association for many years with the
service OF the Department has afforded me such limit.
ed opportunities Of awarding even n feeble tribute to
its l~ibc!alty, that | cannot forbcar according to 1t, III
connection with the service proposed, which contem.
| plates only the limited supply oi mail matter required
ior Fredericksburg Slash Cottage, &c., u frank nc
, acknowledgement Of the adequacy ofihe pny for til" rrr'
| wee proposed. 1t will not, however, suit the views
Of this ColrpInv 10 NEE; the proposition OF the De-
| pertinent. and | be, leave respectfully. to decline IT.
Ii i; known 20 yIu, Though il may not be within the
knowledge Of he lu .n.n,trr General, that the pre-
sent route for the transportation OF The great !ilail he,
tween Washington and richmond lIus been aas"clutcd
with the operations VI the Department tor II longer
pcri,.: :hai any ut!er route within the limits ui tic
Union. ass, shat tho Washington and Fredericksburg
Steam Boat Company is. III nll probability, the oiliy
contractor now Oh the books of the Department among
The May which embarked with II III the service oi
the Government.
~ Ia hHthH ~ : VIZ iANN 'fNf N"N''' y
the regular encounter each winter on tho Potomac
river with obstacles wei! calculated to cmbarrass the
performance Of punctual aid efficient scrrice' II has
| been the good fortune of tho Company MT only to cS-
cape all complaint at the hands uf the Department,
but, in addition, time and again. TO recelro III com
mcndation, and that the first tine Tor u failure, from
any cause within its ability 10 counteract, has yet to
bc imposed on this Company.
Yuu NAV, therefore, under these circumstances,
form sotas ilea Of the surprise accustomed by your
communication, which gives me the first official IN
toruntiou that the greet end important mail, 30 long
transported over the ruut1 referred 10, has been
transferred to another and longer !ouie, and one
equally afflicted in w!ute: with the embarrassment, of
ice OH the Potomac river, at least for that portion OF
the distance between Washington and Alexandria,
and this .r.nsrrr wrs effected by the Department
without c"2I IL tender OF i, 10 this Company on any
terms whatsoever. The terms of the contract which
has been cI.:c.el into OIL the part of the Department
over the proposed roa!a ore not within my knowledge,
and lilo ef0rc am no: q~CG;Ifel for IN opinion in regard
to their merits, bu; tie coarse vi tie Department III this
manner, VIZ: first advertising for proposals. 10 be
closed Oh 3Oth April I'm view of which this Company
offered Tor the aainc service, aud on the sainG terms
rs HOW exist, then asking a pusipnncment of its deri-
sion till the I'D My. end when thai day arrives, de-
string Il farther pGs,poEcin"It ill after the day uf ge-
neral election in Virginia was uyS.. - order "a stated
by the Post Master General, that u surroy p the route
and of the one via Gord0nsvllle might be maze 10
person, and EG9lly after the accomplishment Of this
object, without GU Gi.ar of it to this Company on any
terms. 10 lofty Inc lEat 1 irGpsler OF the Great Mail
July next, leads me 10 tic CONCLUSION tiiui; m the
opinion Of tie Post " lster General, greatly ~cpnRnced
advantages will rGgnlt 10 the department from the oon-
teluplatcI change. 4 few Juys will devcl"pe the tact,
and trusting that the department may be able TO uc-
culnplish O discovery heretofore declGGI impractical
BILE, viz: that Il longer route and one subpGt To n
greater number III c!iHl:ces is best auap'eQ u 'ne
transportation uf it, mails,
r.ua;n. with due respect. vonr UEcliaut servant,
ED. ROBINSON, t%:csi!ant.