The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-23
Report of tho Postmaster General.

Report Of tho Postmaster General.
During the last fiscal year, 1875
Offices have been established. and 7o4
discontinued, being . net increase Of
1901. The number of postmssters ap-
pointed during the year, was $3.50, of
which 4,867 were to fill vacancies occa-
stoned by designations. The total num-
Der of postofices in the United States
at this time, is o7,l49 Of which 368
are of the class denominated Presiden-
tial, the incumbents being subject to ap-
point by the President and Senate. On
the 5Oth of June last, 1888 mail routes
were in operation, with an aggregate
length Of 242,6Ol miles; of which 22,-
$50 miles were by rail road, 15,245 by
steamboats,. and 40, 329 by coach. The
total annual transportation of mails was
74,sO6,5 miles, costing $6,622, ,O46.
The oast of transportation was relatively
as follows: by railroad. ten cents and
five mills per mile; by steamboat,
twenty-five cents mile; by coach.
seven cents and four mills mile. The
length of railroad routes has been in
creased 2,207 miles, and the length Of
steamboat routes is increased by 294
miles. The number of mail contractors
is 6.576. The stage coaches are going
more out of fashion.
The receipts of the department for
the year, were 81, 1853, ,95l. and the ex-
penditu.es 11,5O8,O57. Allowing for
certain special provisions on the account
of revenue and expenditure, the deficit
is stated at So, ,453, 1880. The in
crease in expenses this year. is s per
cent. in the amount of annual transpor-
tation, and 8 ITO per cent. in cost.
The estimates for 1853 are as follows !:
expenditures, $l2,O58.247 revenue,
O,284 ,O74; leaving the sum of 8l..
500. lie to be appropriated by Congress
to defray the expenses Of the coming
year.
The mail contractors with the New
York and Havre and Bremen line of
steamships, have been continued for
another year. The Panama Railroad
Company receives an annual compenss-
ton of 800, 900 for mail transportation.
the contract to continue till October.
1859. The postages on mails transport.
ed by the Collins line. during the year.
were e2lO, 1868; previous year. $46l,-
575. Nearly two-thirds by the trans.
Atlantic mails have been conveyed by
the Cunard line. the British Government
thereby receiving nearly four-6fths OF
the postage. Negotiations for radical
chanua ara nendinp.
The subject Of the adoption Of plan
of money orders. drawn by postmasters.
is urged upon the attention Of Congress.
, In regard to delays and failures on thu
. great mail route from New Orleans to
New York, the report is very full. This
line is composed Of sixteen links, each
. under separate contract. The causee
of delay are reported upon-c consisting
, of disasters, broken bridges, ice au6
and snow. &c.-and Is 1 remedy. thu
> closing Of q contract with the Florid,
: Railroad Company is recommended
whereby one party instead Of sixteel
. becomes the contractor mails beini
8 conveyed from New Orleans to Ne,0 Hor'
: 6y sea IN .fve days-an arrangemen
; which the Postmaster General think
: will obviate not only the delays that It
: tend land carriages. but will tend als
i to prevent robbsrlss and losses Of th
r mails. The report then passes to . cor
;. sideration Of the proposals for carrym
i the overland California mail. The cos
d tract for this service has been awards
= to John Ruttsrfsld and others, WI
i. engage to carry the mails to and fro
San Francisco, each trip to occupy