The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-08

10 $ovO00O0 by service the Mississippi river and
routes established ~ The hast Congress-
The Of foreiga maseryics paid for by this dpsrt-
smouus To $Sll 467 5li.8 -
Iu my last report gave which, appear
81 70 NE clearly Justified delay in making contract
ior conveying the mails by steamboat between Cairo
and New Orleans under the act of Congress Of 5h August
1o5s- Ny expectation that advantageous
would 10 secred after the final completion Of the Illinois
CeAral railroad and the opening Of the Ohio and Msss
spp road from the east 10 i point Of intersection with
the Hnois Cenual Accordingly, negotiations had
with several parties though without any favorable issue
until the I'D OF April last when concluded coatract
With Mr. James JOY, 10 convey mails the route from
Cairo 10 New OTeaus and back daily in suitable
boats areesby the Of the 3ist Of August
1884 for the compensation of $ls0000 per annu be hav
ing visited Washington with full powers negotiate and
conclude such contract behalf of the Illinois Central
Railroad Company, stated me In letter om n.
Grs~od, president thereof dated the 23d Of March last
On the 24h April Mr. Joy informed the department that
arrange renis had been made for number of boats prob
ably 70 60 into the line Immediately The contract was
o~rld. and considering the wealth and influence of
that corporation and its direct uterest in connecting the
railroad with regular line Of boats New Orleans there
was every reason 10 expect prompt and faithful perform
ance OF the stipulated service. 0a& VI 58A eI
Zone delay was to be expected owing to the magnitude
of the enterprise, but did permit myself to doubt
that tho service would commence as soon as
To my surprise, however, after waiting time for
report on the subject received letter. dated 18th July
last from the vicepresdent Of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company Informing Of failure organize line
OF boats and submitting propositions which could
not consistently entertain. In letter dated nth Sentem
Der be wro again. enclosing proposal from another par
ty $35000o per annum answered on the "a October
that must require the railroad company to perform
vice on the terms agreed upon, and 10 commence Ia two
weeks from that date, and that in of failure do
IL would be my imperative duty advertise the route for
reletng and 10 hold the company responsible for the
difference If any between the contracted for by it
and that which should have pay under the advertise
ment Under date OF 9th October the company replied
letter o the 3D. buI expressed intention OF commencing
servee and after waiting until tbs soth October adyer
used the route inviting proposals until 3oh November TO
bs decided by Sd Decembcr and service to Isl
January, 1856. 8gW sta. 1& sa
In making this statement ii is but proper should add
that in my opinion, the directors OF the Illinois Central
Railroad Company used every exeron in their power to
comply with their engagements but failed do owing
10 Tie very high prices demanded Of them by the OF
the boats COMPARISON Of the prices paid for steamboat
service by The department in every part of the Union
shows that the highest price given per mile Is $l9 IS and
this Important which the sub
ject extraordinary outlay in the payment Of toll
Grant, Pass but that the average price $50 so per mile
AT the sum o l60oo0 the price agreed TO be given to the
Illinois Ceairal Railroad Company, the rate per mile
would be $69 9s but ii ss5oooo the price demanded
from The railroad company paid, the cost per mile
would reach The very high rate Of $3.50 5oa price which
could not have been contemplated by Congress when the
act OF 1854 was passed.
Tue malls sthmus Of Panama are conveyed
by The Panama Railroad Company but without any egu-
lar contract The service has been satisfactorily performed
For the ending lst December 1851 which time this
service Was transferred from the contractors under the New
Grnadian government TO the Panama Railroad Company
the entire weight OF the mails transported the sthmus
29s72s pounds al cost including the isthmus
penses OF the roueaents in charge OF about be
hog ffactvn over seventeen cents pound The weight
for the year ended 3ls March, 1885, 601 GA pounds
which paid for at the Of z2 cents pound making
the total coss of The transportation amount to g.
by the act OF Sd March, 1851 the Postmaster General
authorized 10 enter into make suitable
engagements for transporting the mails between Chagres
and Panama with regularity and despatch provided the
rate of compensation shall not exceed twenty-five
poape Under this authority the Panama Railroad Com
pany has beer, paid the full maximum compensation OF
TWENTY-FIVE cents pound from Let Decembe- 1851, to ls
April 1885, since which have recognised their service
and ordered be made eighteen pound
The railroad was completed in January 1856 the locomo
tive for the first time passed the entire the
7Sh and The mail for the first time carried through
by the 18th Of that month The road being
pieied, and the company having made considerable de-
ducton In their freight charges the reduced price for rs
class freight In no instance exceeding fifteen pound
considered thai eighteen liberal compensation
FOR the mall la fixing this sum- took into consideration
tue great cost Of the road the sacrifice both Of life and
property in It's construction the magnitude Of the enter
PRISE and It's importance in national point Of view The
company have declined 10 acquesee in this decision and
claim 10 receive the full maximum price Of twenty
cents until permanent contact shall be made at fixed
annual sum. a4 #s
The distribution schemes referred to in my last
na report have becn completed and sent to the several
distributing post offices This work involved minute
animation OF all the mail arrangements OF tho country,
with view 10 definite allotment for each distributing Of
fee as to insure the transmission of mails in all cases
by the direct and expeditions route and the
time guard against the frequent distributions which
have heretofore prevailed Each distributing office has
setcn lists OF all the counties in all the States tex
cept California; with The proper distribution point
ed 10 each county Thus the pcsnssers have the pnin
instruction 10 the proper distribution Of mail matter
for every portion Of each State. There in ell l645
counties formed into 757 different groups suit the
era distributing Offices and show the Of the mail
from each Office TO every county In the Union and the
whole number OF points thus indicated for the fifty disrib
uting Offices is $50
Ia my last annual report recommended the adoption of
system Of registration for giving greater security to val
uable letters inirusied 10 the mails BY the third section
approved March 3 1855 Congress authorized the
Postmaster General 70 provide BY which any person
desiring post valuable letter be sent by mail might
his option, have IL registered upon payment Of fee OF
five cents in addition 10 the of postage chsrgeabe
thereon having been estimated that this additional pay
ncni would cover tho expenses incident To such rcgstra
Congress Vt became necessary to prepare and distribute
among the several post Offices blanks for system Of
acon 10 show 10 respect 70 registered letters not only
receiving aud sending OF each mail formerly but the
receiving sending and delivery Of each particular letter
These blanks with accompanying instructions were pre-
pared and distributed early possible after tho passage
the act referred and Ia the possession OF each
July 1851 when IL went into operation. To guard
much possible against the mistakes and likely TO
arise from innovation upon the lorgesabished forms la
which postrnasters had been kept preserved
and adapted these forms requirements OF the
law and have thus endesvored by the simplest means po
sbe TO uniformity and accuracy IN the keeping and
rendering OF the just estimate Of the value
and ultimate OF the plan OF registration adopted
cannot formed from the short experience had Of H. Its
operation brings 10 the immediate know ledge OF the de-
parimen only every failure but every delay In the
and delivery Of registered etters and in