The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-14
THE MAIL SERVICE on rHE PAclFIC COAST.

10 Msssys John D. Bslisr senator and y " DeHgsr and
r. r. Herbert representatives a. Coag'sss lron Cet}og-
MIA and Joseph Lane and j. ~ AaaeTs0a asag4es JFo@
Oregon and Hash,ngtOn Territories
In consequence OF letters and communications
which receive from California and Of the interest have
personally desire to ask your attention TO some matters
connected with the United States maseryice on te
cifc coast
First To the subject of the following letter which adj
dressed time since 10 the Postmaster General;
WAauseros cIry, March IA, 1856
Sin: Whilst travelling last fall in the region Of The
State of California was requested by citizens Or ile conn
ties OF Monterey San Luis obspo, santa barbara Los an
geles and Diego, that during my sooufn Ia Washing
ton, would ask in their names, your attention 10 me
great inconvenience aud losses which they sur Tor want
Of by mail from Monterey 70 san De-
po distance by land travel of about six hundred miles
The only mail service now performed s by sea- ana only
three points south Of Monterey are touched-nameyy
Santa Barbara Los Angeles, by the port OF San Pcdro
and San Diego The inhabitants intermediate OF hese
points have therefore public OF communication
with each other or with the rest of the world =, aa
Luis Obispo only is there post Office and that mol ia
pshed with mail When was there IN Sepienieef ass
that important post Village and surrounding settlements
had lust received their first mail space Of four months
and that was brought by special messenger paid from pr
subscriptions. sra
The coast country from Monterey TO Santa barbara IN
clues seven of the old Mission establishments OF Caor
na~-namey, La Soedad, San Antonia, San Miguei Sah
Luis Obispo La Purissma and Santa neR as wei as TWO
important sea-portssan simeon and san La,s
the State 1t is peculiarly hard and tbs inhabiln,s iee
it great injustice that this extended district shonAa
have no public of fintercommunication.
From Santa Barbara to Los Angeles thence to San D
ego the distances not great and there's more travel
and hence some facilities for communicating oy prisao
Nevertheless between each OF those points there
ought also to be additional post Offices and regular land
mail for the public convenience
The hardshps of this non-ntercommunicaion are the
more eltparcuarly in The districts between Santa Bar
bara and Monereyrom the fact that nj the two distant
points Of San Francisco and Los Angeles the government
Of the United States is prosecuting an active iigaon
against large portion Of the Inhabitants leaving them
at the time without facilities for corresponding with
their attorneys and attending readily ana promptly 70 ne
defence of their rights 1t in my knowledge that Juss
before the courts have been long ana
gered for this
better provided with Of inercommunicaon under
the Spanish government eighty and during the
continuance OF that government and even under the mel
cien of Mexico, than they are now In the time OF
the Spanish domination coucrs despatched twice In
each month from Monterey the capital Of the province
one TO San Francisco the north and TO San Dgo
the souh--sopping at each mission presdio and VIZ
lage the route This journey to San Diego was MADE
days and back in the same space OF tine Under
the Mexican government the system continued and
though not efficiently regularly carried out DID not az
any time the country as 1t now is entirely destitute
of public mail.
same space time that occupied by the Spanish cou
ries-seyen days from point TO poinmight De econoi-
cay established between Monterey and San Diege. Inc
contract believe would taken by responsible persons
at from $1,000 to $4,000 year. u would graiy inc
people of the country and at the same hme De no
-
and the settlement of all that interesting region ,na
carried by sea- and delivered only at long distances does
not any of these advantageous purposes Ana can
only accommodate and that ndifereny, small part
of the community. i. 49,.
respectfully request your early attention to this
subject Your o0sd'en' sSFsaDl WM dAREy JONES.
Hon. JAMES CAMPBELL, Postmaster General
Second To the provision in the act OF 90 Mafc 1921
to establish post road om Independence 10 the S,a OF
Missouri TO Stockton in the State OF California Va the
settlement at the mouth of the Hueriano, on 'he opper
Arkansas and the Little Salt Lake Settlements, on inc
head-waters Of the Nicolet rver and to the oosacc
If any that preven, its being carried iuto effect
In aid Of that provision the following was also enacted
in the mail appropriation bin of the same dave
aThat each contractor engaged, or TO oe engas, III
carving mails through any the Territories west OF .he
mississippi shall the privilege OF occupy ing
at the rate than one for every twesy ne
the which he carries man. anu sna h into
market TO the extent Of six hundred and forty acres "
taken contiRu Ruously, and TO include his improvements
no such preemp,ive right shall extend 70 any pass ~
mounain or other deile-tlo Statutes at Large 6e4)
II was believed at the time by competent persons eSpe
renced in like services and acquainted with ne country
through which the route would pass that ,his pfoFs
authorizing the contractors TO establish STATIONS wouU
cause the service to be undertaken on adyantaseou'
10 the department and the speedy establishment o
continuous line Of settlements Also, that the opening OF
the route would be economy TO the department. py
absorbing several other routes without inf
feripg with their efficiency, any public accommodation
now rendered Thus the Santa fe mail could pranen on ~
some point on the Upper Arkansas; the Great Sat o
mail branch from the Little Salt Lake, the distance only
pso miles over level country and good road now IN
use; and the present mail to Los Angeles and southern
California branch at the Vegas de Santa Clara
Third To the provisions Of the act Of March 1900,
statutes at Large vol 10, p esA) for establishing ma
hv sea from the bay OF San Francisco in California 10
pugets Sound in Washington Territory and intsrmeaae
points, as follows
aThat the Postmaster General be and Is hereby author
izea 20 establish and put in operation semimonthy mai
by sea from San Francisco In the State OF caiiiorna
OLYMPIA in the Territory Of Washington, touching ~
Humboldt bay, Trinidad, and Crescent CH, ~ tne Shv
or California Port Oxford Gardner City, or tmpqun, and
| Astoria in the Territory Of Oregon Shos water pay,
Port To nsend, in the Territory OF washington hnu
snch other points shall be designated by the Postnhser
General Prorded That the contract for the saa service
he od by the Postmaster General in pursuance OK
laws and let TO the lowest bidder And propdcd
rb,r That tho whole of said service shall not ex-
coed the sum Of hundred and twenty Thousand
per annum: Prorded further, That the postmaster oen
ere NAV If he shall deem ID for the puhic interest con
tract for said service with the lowest bidder as
unaer the advertised proposals heretoiore made Tor man
Il service between the points aforesaid
This provision flaw has not been carried INTO enec
contract understand was let out at Che maximum OF
the appropriation but not fulfilled but 70 have oeen or
red for several months past FOR sale from San FRANCISCO
~ New York AZ a speculation TO the holder OF IT. DO
no, know whether this be true; but you, gentlemen from
vour official positions will be able to ascertain the iec
and provide what may be necessary to put The route 70