Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-24

of this department. The evil, therefore,
can only be repledied shy employing addi-
tional agents to accompany mails long dis
tances without changing, and guard against
all delays that can possibly be avoided, and
Especially to see ti-at passengers enjoy no
advantages over the mails, but that both
ara equally expedited under all circsm 'tan-
ces.
In this connection, express route agents
have been placed on the through lines from
Philadelphia 10 Cincinnati, and elsewhere,
each Of nhUm accompanies the mail allthe
way through. This excellent plan is TO be
EXTENDED 10 other through routes.
MAIL SERVICE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, BELOW
THE OHIO.
In discussing this subject, SO beset with
difficulties, the Postmaster General looks
forward with evident satisfaction to the day,
now close at hand, when steamboa: rvice
will be discontinued, and when the great
through mails from Chicago, st. Louis;
Memphis, and other important cities Of The
West. can be transmitted to New Orleans
in less than half the time now required,
and with the regularity Of a well construct.
ed and well managed railrna1.
cvERLANR MAIL SERVICE TO cALIFoRsIA.3
This is the last, and perhaps lhe most
important topic of the report. 1t is GER
tainly made very interesting BY the manner
and ability with which it is discussed.
Under authority of few Of the last Con-
contract for transporting the entire letter
mail frnm st. Louis and Memphis, ,converg-
ing at Little Rock, Arkansas, by Ell Paso
Epd Fe,ts Yuma, to Ssss FsaBcisxe, ana
back twice week, in four horse post COACH
es. suitable for passengers, in t,reaty5frs
days, for $500, 600 year. The same is TO
commence September /, 1858, and the con-
tract is to continue six years. This route,
which is different from any that was bi
for, was chosen after most patient and
laborious investigation. 1t appears to be
clear from the facts stated in the report
that no other is open the entire year, and
1t was imperative from the character of the
service. t at tlie route selected should be
good one, as this unquestionably
s..
The distance from Memphis to San Fran
sisco is 2,lO3 miles.
Upon this subject the eport remarks.
that as pioneer route for the first great
railroad that may be constructed to the Pa
ciic, the Postmaster General has bestowed
upon it all the lator and examination which
the multiplied business OF his department
would allow Of. If all or greater portion
Of the railroads frcm the large cities end
he States East of the Mississippi had con-
at any one point on that river,
such points would have been selected !or
The overland ruate 10 California. But such
is not the fact. They concentrate chiefly
1t St. Louis, Cairo and Memphis.
Finding, therefore, no common centre on
he Mississippi, the next desirable object
was to find some common point psst of that
liver from which main stem could be pro-
ected passing westward to California. 1t
you started out fr IN St. Louis west you
must lose all the connections with the Mem
ohis and Cairo railroads; but by starting out
rom ST. Louis, and dyerging south with
ler raiiroad now mailing 10 her Iron Noun
ain, you will presently receive the great
abroad coming o.it from Cairo, so richly
'nGowed that it's sure To he made at no
IistaRt day.
Still bearing sOuthwestward, we pres
ntly receive at Little Rock, the other
ranch c. the read from Memphis, connect
ng the line with all the grea, railroads of
Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia. Ala
ama, Tennessee, and Kentucky Not far
ronl Llule, Roek The Vicks5urg and New
orleans ard Texas raIIfsaos saIl in.s 5ring-
ng frum almost every portion of tie Great
River, all the connections which all the At
antic States NORTH and South can make to
hat gr' at highway which We are trying to
stabiish. Thus i: is that We have found
Vest of the Mississippi what We do not OBJ
ain on ia Common concentration of
aIlroads 10 a single point from which tie
Iture railroad may commence, swoilsn and
nlarged iE its Common stem by the cont-i-
utions of the railways coming in from
early every State of the Union.