The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-05
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
PosT OFTICE DEPARrnEsT,

PosT OFFIcE DEPARTMENT,
December 1, 1856.
sn Since my l2st annual report the post Offices have
been Increased lbb aad numbered the 30th of June
last 2B Three hundred and thirtynne of the post
masters were appointed by the resident by and with the
and of the Senate tn yearly commissions
exceeding $1,000 On the 30h of June 1852 the number
OF post Offices in the United States 90i showing an
increase In the last four years of 4,664.
On the 30th of June last there were in operation siz
ma-routes The number of contractors was 6ST2. me
length Of these routes 10 estimated at 239642 miles dVaea
follows viz
20323 miles OF railroad.
1881 miles OF steamboat
50453 miles of coach.
l539l5 miles Of inferior grades.
The total annual transportation of mails II 30T 897
miles costing $6,o35,4T4, and divided as follows;
81 2lsOs2s6 miles by railroad, at $2aloass about ten
cents and six mills mile
424oI70 miles by steamboat at S96OT6 about twenty
cents and three mills mile.
I9iI4esl miles by coach, at sla29,35e; about seven
cents mile. m,.os,
FIVE and seven -eghths cents per uie
Compared with the service Of Juns 30 1885, there an
addition of 734 miles to the length of nairoutes a9oo
73l miles to the total annual transporauo pehg about
FIVE eghtenths per cent and Of S6eo236 to me COST OF
twelve fourtentbs per cent ..
The aggregate length of railroad routes has been in
creased 800 miles and the annual transportation thereon
COG 827 miles about 135 per cent al cost of S23T $780,
or eleven four-tenth5 per cent.
The length of steamboat routes has been increased 332
miles and the cost $235 25o although the annual trans
portaton is less by 2l9657 miles This resulted mainly
from putting in operation, in January last daily route
between New Orleans and Cairo, Illinois, l075 miles, at
cost of $4,000 per annum But for this route there
would now appear dminution Of steamboat service,
amounting TO f43 miles in the length of routes 002257 in
annual transportation and S9375O in cost
The addition the length of coach routes has been
miles the annual transportation miles and TO
the cost Sll3,37T, or 3-l0 per cent. .
The additional length of inferior routes 10 sl6Z miles
annual transportation 2636ss miles cost Slo43 3o9, or
about per in transportation and 3l0 per cent in
cost .r -,
The portions of additional service in California 7o6
miles in length ofroues and 52I4 miles in transporla-
ton, costing $8,223.
In Oregon material change has taken place and no
alterations or additions have been made to the service
stated in my annual report Of 1855 in New Mexico and
Utah
In Nebraska and Kansas 223s miles have been added to
the length of routes and 250470 miles to the annual
atou a cost of S33s43 The whole service in
these Territories now stands thus, viz:
Length of coach routes 964 miles annual transporta-
ton thereon ll564s nces cost Sl7sse about l5a cents
mile -, --, .--.-.-.
Length of inferior routes 50 miles; annual transport,
aton 2lol ls6 miles cost S2o2T5 about nine cents ana
six mills mile. The total length is 3 ZIG miles; total
transportation, 325,s34 and the cost, SIS, lbb.
The following table shows the extension o. railroad ser
vice during the year. separately in five groups OF States