Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-26
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


the United States from San Antonio, Texas, to
San Diego, California, are executing their
agreement with the Government to the letter,
giving entire satisfaction to the Post Office De-
partment and to the monthly increasing num-
Der OF passengers travelling in their coaches.
According to the New York Times the con-
tract for the transportation of the mails via
Utah to the Pacific side, is also being executed
quite as we'll. That journal explains the
| trouble in the way of the execution of the main
contract for the transportation of the mail be-
| tween the Mississippi and the Pacific coast, as
follows:
"The contractors have been at Washington
| during several weeks past, seeking modfca-
| ton of the contract, so as to make material
change I'm their route; and IL they have not asked
already, they soon will, for an extension of the
| time within which the contract service shall
| commence. They thus acknowledge that their
contract route Is not favorable one. We still
! believe 1t will prove total failure. The stipu-
latons Of the contract cannot be fulfilled. because
| OF natural distinctions which render fulflment
Impossible; and with the opposition of the Post
master General to any change Of the route, the
contractors will hardly secure the latter, There
| Is reason to fear that they bid Of the contract
without any definite idea Of its possibilities
but with the general impression that 1t was the
| basis OF good speculation. IL they have thus
trifed with the public interest, they will proba-
1
| There is no satisfactory evidence that the
contractors erpect I, carry out their undertaking
| in good faith. They are bound to call for the
| mails for transportation and after the 18TH of
| september next, and il is notorious that they
| have made little or preparation for the work
| They may have concluded arrangements for a
| few coaches and other articles Of equipment
| which can readily be sold az ain, but they have
| provided no stations on the route, sunk none of
| the needed wells. nor effected any puIc bases Of
grain and other subsistence for their cattle in the
f2r 1p Ist
aforementioned neglect, for the entire years crop
| OF the interior west Of the Mississippi has been
sold In advance, aud the Mail Com pany have
resource but to haul from three to eg hit hun
| dred miles, which is out Of the question The
contractors therefore cannot he ready to take the
mail on the 18th Of September, nor, II they were,
| could they perform the service between the ter
| minal points in anything like the stipulated
time. We are aware that they talk OF using
steam carriages, bnt that is impossible in will
derness country, wherein heavy sands alternate
with patches OF soft marsh, and the brush and
chapparel-close enough almost to strip the
clothes from horseman in riding tn roug h-alter-
nate with mountains and streams. 1t requires
little sagacitv to foresee that the 18th OF Sep
teber next the contract will be forfeited for
| fulflment.n
This exposition is probably correct with a
single important exception. Thus, there is no
difficulty whatever in running the route as per
the existing contract. 1t was selected by the
Postmaster General only after satisfying him
self by far more thorough scrutiny than any
one else could accord to the subject, as being by
long odds, the most feasible route attainable
The opposition to it on the part Of the contrac-
tors is the result of the interference of Pacific
railroad spectators only. The whole matter
is now well understood by Congress. Our belief
is, that on the failure Of the contrac tors to COM
ply with their engagement, the Postmaster Gen.
eral will at direct the forfeiture for Its nom
fulflment to be made, and proceed to make
new contract with other parties, Of whom
there are numbers ready and willing to strike
the bargain. But for the complicated and in
terminabe Pacific railroad speculations Of the
hour, the public would have heard nothing
concerning the alleged natural distractions Of
the route, which exist but in the Imagination
of such spectators and editors in sympathy
with them.
A NATIONAL FOUNDRY We have from time
to time noticed the presentation to Congress of
memorials from citizens of Alexandria, Rich
mond and Petersburg, setting forth the claims
of those cities to have the proposed National
Foundry located within their respective limits
They all urge their claims with great zeal
and cogency, and profess the enjoyment Of
many desirable advantages over all other loca
tiOns. Alexandria contends that her proximity
to the seat Of Government, and consequent con
venience to the War and Navy Departments, is
a cause why she should be preferred Rich
mOnd and Petersburg found their claims on
their accessibility and security from invasion
together with their facilities for obtaining coal
and iron. Healthiness of location and cheap
ness Of labor are set forth in all the memorials.
and probably with equal good reason; for it can
hardly be believed that any preference on that
score exists.
Notwithstanding the appeals of the above
named places, we think this city possesses ad
vantages very much superior to any OF
them None of them are more accessible, more
healthy, more secure from invasion, or more
justly entitled to this improvement than W ash.
; ington. We are located on a navigable river
sufficiently remote from the coast in closer
proximity than any Of them to a great trunk
line Of railway which extends to the most re.
mote sections of the Mississippi Valley We,
settled; while its divergent branches reach
throughout the entire length and breadth OF
the Union. We are connected with that rail.
way by branch road worked by q company
capable OF transporting over it anything that
shall be required in connection with this foun-
, dry. AT the same time we are much more in
tlmately connected by railway and canal with
: one OF the most extensive coal and iron mining
regions to be found, probably, in the Union
1t is only necessary to remember that Wash
ington is itself large and improving city, and
close by another large city, for any one to be-
come convinced that labor is procurable here
as cheap or cheaper than in any of the towns
above mentioned.
Then, again, land eligibly located for such
an establishment can be obtained at very rea.
sonable rates in Washington, and that too.
!, without subjecting the Government to pay for
useless improvements which it would be neces.
sary to remove. In truth, building admra-
bly, adapted for the purpose, which belongs
to the Government, is already here The great.
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