The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-08
WASHINGTON CITY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER s, 1858

'cos u W " Oh4Nibs
of postage feel bound to say that the last reduction be-
low five cents and the discount allowed the already
greatly reduced rates printed matter have greatly
tailed the usefulness Of tho department in extending
mail service with that celebrity frequency and uniformity
10 all parts OF our country which the spirit Of improve
ment in every department OF business and OF social life
earnestly demands. There many portions OF the
United States which have not yet received satisfactory
mail facilities and likely do with the
present inadequate means of the department.
In a compact and dense population the present rate
might bear reasonable proportion to the actual
of transportation but in widely extended country like
the United States. reaching from to the
other and in many portions Of it thnly populated three
cents would seem to be altogether Insufficient to meet the
actual expense incurred by the government in seudng
forward the letters Heretofore entire California
respondeuoe has been conducted at ten cents being
1000 miles by the Panama cute Since the establish
ment of various overland routes however all
great cities of the valley OF the Mississippi brought
within the 5000 miles, and therefore will pay the made
quae postage Of only three 1t s not likely that
the people of the Atlantic States and especially OF their
large cities, will be willing TO pay ten cents their
tensive correspondence to California; Washington aud
Oregon whilst those in tho Mississippi valley will have
TO only three cents To avoid this of dsss
faction and the practical Inconvenience OF having differ
ent rates, regulated by distances it is respectfully sub
mitted to the superior wisdom of Congress whether
uniform rate of five cents for all distances would
large the usefulness OF the department diminish il it did
not entirely prevent such heavy drafts the Treasury
and best promote the interest and convenience Of the
people.
In relation to the ranking privilege impossible 10
tell to what extent it abusednot often, it is be
hoped by those to whom 1t is allowed by law, but by
Others who take the liberty to sign their names under
pretended authority to do under authority
at all 1t is impossible for the % 900 posmastcrs of the
United States to judge Of the genuneness Of the sigma
lures, and therefore they do nothing to prevent
abuses In times of national well State elections
the post Office conveynnces literally loaded down with
ueut 4 ia lantan atnI,
should pay ii it Is expected that the department should
approximate its support Now if it be desired
by Congress that all these documents be transmitted ut
public expense, let the stamps be furnished and charged
members who frank them that Congress may keep
watch the privileges granted to their members
and prevent abuses which this department has power
to detect.
oFrIcEs
The whole number of post offices in the United States
the 30h June last 27,977, of which 400 are of
the class denomnated presidential The number ost.b
sed during the last fiscal year 2, l2 and the mum
Der discontinued 7SO-being increase of 39l The
number Of postmasers appointed during the year was
S2S4 OF these 1895 to fill vacancies occ,sioned
by resignation 993 by removals. 27S by deaths, 292 by
change of and sites and 2, III establishment
of new offices The whole number of offices the lst
Of December 1858, was 28,573.
TRANSPORTATION srArIsncs
On the 3Oth of June last there were in operation 29
mail routes. The number of contractors 7,O44.
The length of these routes ID estimated at 26O sos
miles, divided as follows, viz
Railroad ------------ 24,4sl miles
Steamboat IL O43
Couch h------ 80, 700
Inferior grades l65, ,429
The total annual transportation of mails was T8 765
49 miles costing 81, 5,4ls, and divided as follows
Railroad, 25,76a,452 miles Mt So, 1873 30l about
eleven cents mile.
Steamboat 500 Clio miles, at 81 233 GIG about
twenty cents and two mills mile.
Coach, 19, ,555 73i miles, at 81 900 Si4 about nine
cents and eight mills mile
Inferior grades 2s,s76 695 miles at 81 1928 357 about
six cents and three mills mile.
Compared with the service reported on 3Oth June |
1857 there is addition of 002 miles the length OF
mail routes 3s59424 miles to the total annual trans
portation being about ii per cent and Of 81 372
to the cost, or l7.46 per cent
The aggregate length of railroad routes has been in
creased 90l miles, and the annual transportation there
on 495 sos miles 6.05 per cent. a cost of S26s
454, Or 10 "A per cent.
The length Of steamboat routes is greater by 7gs
miles and the annual transportation 81 40l miles cost
ing S24l 9lS additional l.. 10 per cent transpor
tltion and "a IS per cent. on the cost.
The addition to coach routes is f. 3TI miles in length,
464 S0i miles in annual transportation or 43 per cent
and s499, ,0lS in cost, or 35 81 per cent.
The additional length of inferior routes Is 9S2 miles
the additional ennnal transportation 1,s47 62l miles
and the additional cost Sl63 9S2 being SO per cent
in transportation, and 9.S7 per cent in cost
Appended to this report is table (marked AZ showing
In detail the mail service of every grade existing in
each separate State and Territory, ON the 3Oth June
last.
Also table marked B showing the or deereue
In the several grades of service aud their cost In each
State and Territory during the last fiscal year. together
with detailed statement Of routes on which improve
ments have been made and additional expense incurred
The lettings of contracts for the term commencing
LIST July last embraced twcntyone States and Territories
of the northwest west and southwest including Cali
forna, New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, and Washington
The following table shows the service as in opera
ton on the 3Oth September including the overland mail
route from ST. Louis and Memphis to San Francisco aa
the route from New Orleans via ehantepcc to SAN Fran
cisco
Conveyance Miles ia Miscs OF annual ros
longh, transportation.
halroad ---,---- a,GO3 s,972,s50 S1,O22, ,437
,b,at lc