Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-13
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

WAs6lN0TON NkWS AND 4OSSlP.
The Railroad Controversy have had
on hand for some days, Gf not some weeks)
past, the following communication from the
Efficient, popular, and enterprising Washing
ton Agent of the Potomsc River and Freder-
icksburg and Richmond route of travel, than
which we know of no other more deservedly
popular route of travel, without the extrane-
Gus efforts to puff it, involved in this paper in
question. The writer challenges us to
dissection Of his facts, in enormously repre-
senting us the champion of the mail route.
We were seduced into this controversy only
through our disposition to say kind things of
the enterprise of the company in question, On
the representation of one Of its agents, which
proving likely to make erroneous impressions
on the public mind, we did not hesitate to set
them right On discovering our error. We ask
from our readers q careful perusal Of what our
friend Mattingly says below, and then of our
comments on his representations, which are
written only after careful inquiry that enables
us to state facts in the premises beyond perad-
venture:
HE MAIL ROUTE SoUrH 1.-The Star of this
city, in Its number of the 9th undertakes to
give the following reasons for the transfer of
the mail from the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac Company, to the Alexandria,
Orange and the Central Railroad Company
Says the Star:
The change was made to avoid the vexa-
tious detentiOns of the great Southern mails
so frequently occurring from ice in the Poto-
mac during the winter, which for many years
past have been so universally and bitterly
complained of as to satisfy all reasonable men
that there is really more in them (the COM
plaints) than simple indulgences in the 80 uni
yersal American Newspaper habit of grumb.
ling. A failure of the mail on the Potomac is
national yexation and potheration, as il is a
failure of the great Atlantic coast mail, in the
regularity of which more persons and proper
ty are interested than in the punetuality of
the transportation of any other mail whatever
Wennderstand that it cost the Department a
difference Of some $4,000 only to obtain the
Insurance. against all futurb mail failures from
lee on the Potomac; a desideratum that can
not fail to be appreciated by all engaged in
commerce from Portland to New Orleans"
The Star, and all who favor the change of
the mail route at an increased expenditure of
$4,000 and travel twice q day Of forty Eve ex-
ira miles, would be puzzled, if brought to the
witness stand, to establish the fact or ANYTHING
like it, that there have been "vexatious de-
tentions of the great Southern mail so fire.
quently occurring from nee in the Potomac
during the winter" Since the hard winter of
1872 there have been very few detentions
from ice or any other cause and think / may
safely say that the failures between Washing
ton and Richmond have been as fen in num-
bers as upon any other mail route in the Uni
ted States. Let the record be tested, and let
the officers of the Post Office Department re-
member their own repeated declarations on
the subject.
Now let few facts be stated, which can be
established by the Government EMPLOYEES
themselves. Within the last ten DAYS there
have been several failures of the new carriers
to connect with the Baltimore Mail Line at Al
in the afternoon; and, whilst the Boat Line
delivers its passengers here at o'clock in the
morning. and always in time to connect with
the o'clock afternoon train to Baltimore
the other IS under great pressure to make
the Connection at 9 in the morning, and at
the proper hour, l43) in the afternoon. Be-
sldes, the Boat Line allows ample time for
meals on the route, both ways and passen-
gers for Petersburg in the morning are landed
there one hour before the mail leaves Rich
mond, throwing them two hours ahead at that
point. Again, let the fact be known that there
have already occurred on the new line, since
the first of July, more failures lin less than
two months) than happened on tie old line
during tie achOke of kust gear. Let the re.
fciently indicated their opinion of the com.
parotive merits of the route by the increased
number who resort to the old line. But wait
for the winter to tell its tale; the test will
then be more properly made. In the mean
while, it will require all the ingenuity of the
:" Star, and Of the Government officials to
prove to sagaciaus travellers "that the fur
therest way round is the nearest way home;'
or that the killing of seventy sheep at one
time, and two cows at another in the night,
affords greater safety to life and limb than the
old line.
The further fact may be named that the
large portions OF mail matter have been delay
ed and wagoned to Alexandria to avoid en-
numbering the new line by regular trans
mission. No such delay was allowed hereto
fore. and no such favor shown to the old line
by the Government officers. Time, the great
revealer of all things, will soon scatter to the
winds the fiusy arrangements by which an
unnecessary expenditure is increase and the
absurdity maintained that the Government
and the public are better accommodated by
travelling l79 miles than $50.
GEORGE MArrINGLY,
Supt. of W. & F. s. b. Co.
We have H. disposition to discuss the grub
question with fri.. nd Mattingly, and while ad-
hitting cheerfully tina: the passengers ON the
river route live like fighting cocks, Off it
pleases him. we have to say thai no one traV-
eler by the new mail Orange and Alsxandria
and Central Railroads,) route has yet COM
planned Of being stinted or starved
Mr.. Mattingly alleges that We make too
much of the distractions from ice by the river
route in winter, and that the department did
wrong in making the change to guard against
those distractions. We have enquired of the
proper officer Ofthe Post Office Department with
reference to the correctness of Mr.. M. IS ALE
CATION as to the manner in which the old line
discharged their duty as mail contractors as
compared with the line now carrying the mail
in question, and from information SO obtained,
have to criticise his statement as follows, viz
Capt. Mattingly says that there were on the
old route ..few detentions from ice or any other