Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-19
QubIit 1OeumeHt.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
December 3, 1855.

December 3, 1855. .
SIN The number Of post offices established
ia the United States during the year ending
30lh June, 1855, was 1868, and the number
discontinued sol, showing net increase OF
s62. The sites and names of 373 have been
changed. The whole number of Offices on
the 30th OF June was "a, 4,4l0, and on the 30th
Of November, PATIO, Of which 258 are Of the
class the postmasters Of which are appointed
by the President The number Of poslmasters
appointed during the regular fiscal year was
T,l03, as follows: To fll vacancies by resigna-
ton, 1856; by removals, S79 by deaths, 2S9;
by change Of names and sites, PIG; and by
establishment OF new Offices, 1868.
On the 30th June last there were in opera
ton 1903 mail routes. The number Of con-
tractors was 5,703. The length of these routes
is estimated ut 227 ,90S miles.
The total annual transportation of mails
was 6T,40l ,lGG miles, costing $5,345, ,238, and
divided as follows via
2is79,T52 miles by modes not specified, at
Sl.430, ,665-53 cents mile.
lS,S59,llS miles by coach, at l5,979--
about 6s cents a mile.
l9,202, ,469 miles by railroad, at $2,O73, ,089--
about l0a cents a mile.
4,459,s27 miles by steamboat, at S625, sos
about Ia cents a mile.
Compared with the service Of 30th June
1854, as actually in operation, there is an in
crease OF 1891, ,025 miles of transportation, or
about 81 per cent, and of $675,22l so cost,
or about IA 2-5 per cent.
The increase OF railroad service is 3,483l 80
miles, at cost of 1886 ,636, being 22 $4,000
per cent. in transportation, and l55 in cost.
The increased transportation, by modes not
specified, is 3,575, lit miles, or about l6 7S.l00
per cent, costing S336,475 so, or 3Oa per
cent.
The transportation by coaches is less by
2,325,62s miles, or about l23 per cent, at
diminished cost of SS4,257, or 6 92-l00 per
cent.
Steamboat service during the past year was
reduced l,335,656 miles, or nearly 80 per cent,
and the cost increased Sl36,367, or 27b per
cent.
This great change resulted mainly from the
reletting contracts last year in the States Of
Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mis-.
sissippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Calfor.
MIA, and the several Territories.
A comparison Of the steamboat service under
the contracts which expired 30th June, 1854,
with that on the 30h june 1855, under the
new contracts, commencing lst July, 1854,
shows a reduction Of l,547, $50 miles, or about
Sc per cent, in the annual transportation, and
an addition Of S90,l20, or about 23 per cent,
to the cost. In the other sections of the Union
the steamboat transportation has been in
creased I'll ,904 miles, at an increased cost of
S46.247.
The amount Of service, in the foregoing
general statements, chargeable TO California
are 692,0l6 miles, costing Sl27,5l5, appor-
toned as follows:
Steamboat transportation, 1855 miles, at
$4,000, or 20 cents mills per mile.
Coach transportation, SIC ,376 miles, at S49,- :
9l5, or l3t cents per mile.
Modes not specified, l39, ,9s4 miles, ut S25,.
coo, or lsi cents per mile.
On two steamboat routes, which cost S2l 900
prior to LIST July, 1854, the paw for The same
amount Of service is now $4,000, being nm
increase Of $4,000, as anticipated in my last
years report.
There has been a remarkable addition to the
coach transportaiion-viz: ll6 per cent.-and
vet the whole cost is only AZ per cent. more
than last year. There was S4 per cent. more
service Of the inferior grades, at 10 per cent
higher cost, on the both June, 1854, than Both
June, 1855. The apparent difference is much
greater, but this arises from transferring the
Sal, Lake and San Diago route TO the account
of service in Utah for the past year, il having
been changed the previous year TO California.
The total increase Of all grades OF service in
California during the year ending the 30lh
June last Is lOo,3s6 miles, or about II per
cent, of transportation. The total saving is
sl5,4le, or IL per cent.
Tn Oregon the service Is as follows, viz:
Steamboat, 29,952 miles. nt $500.
Modes not specified, 1892 miles, at SIC, ,767.
Coach. l2,4s0 miles, at $3.50.
The steamboat service has been decreased
about 20 per cent. during the year. The cost
Cor the year ending goth June, 1854, was l09
per cent higher than for the past year, ending
30th June, 1855.
In Nebraska and Kansas p routes have been
put in operation. on which the annual trans
portation Is estimated nj rs, ,3G4 miles, At cost
of s4,3l2, or FIVE cents seven mills per mile.
In New Mexico the transportation is nm.
changed but the cost increased 5000 by
special act Of Congress.
In Utah there is an increase of q, 900 miles
OF transportation. costing sl2,203 additional,
as compared with the service on 30ih June,
1854. This, however, does not result from any
actual addition 20 the service, but simply from
changing TO Utah the route from Salt Lake 20
San Diago, which, prior 10 July ls,, 1854, was
charged TO California.
The following table shows the extension Of
railroad services