Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-07-06
NEW MAIL ARRANGEMENTS.


zans are pleased to term ''the work of retrench-
ment and reform in the Post Office Depart
ment,'' and all over the country we hear of
mail service being curtailed or cut off entire
ly. In our own county some changes have
been made. One of the most important
routes-that from here to CurwensYille and
Luthersburg, and thence west-has been cut
down from daily to tri-weekly mail, and
another has been discontinued. Whether any
more changes or discontinuances will be made
in this county, we cannot say, for there. is no
telling what act of madness the present mis-
cradle, imbecile National Administration may
not perpetrate. To it, the interests, conve-
niences and accommo odation of the people are
nothing, so that its toades and favorites are
well fed and taken care of. In many places.
in the North, where handsome revenue was
realized above the expenses, reduction of
mail service has been made profitable post
routes are damaged to support others which
have always been losing affairs; and contract.
ors, whose jobs were not sufficiently fat, have
been permitted to break their agreements,
causing heavy increased expense, aud no at
tempt is made to enforce the stipulations, be-
cause the parties or their sureties are friends
of the Administration. This is called "econ-
omizing.'' But whilst this sort of ssretrench-
ment and reforms is rapidly progressing, not
a word do We hear about stopping such leaks
as the one mentioned in the annexed article,
which is regarded as mere trife by j. B. and
the gang OF worthless who control him =
A SwINDLING OPERATIoN.-A letter from
Camp Floyd to the Missouri Democrat, shows
how easy il is to make four hundred thousand
dollars out of the Government in -four spec
ulation, especially if Cabinet officer is en-
gagged in the business. The correspondent of
the Democrat says John Holiday and Col.
Martin are the lucky contractors for furnishing
the army with breadstutfS the ensuing year,
for which they received S2S so per 100 pounds.
The daily average consumption of flour by
the camp is not less than 5000 pounds, ma
king the annual consumption about 2,000, 600
pounds. This would amount to S572 ,00O-a
snug little item in the current expenses.
Now, when we take into consideration the fact
that Mr.. William Martin and Z. 2. Stanton
offered to furnish the supply of flour for SO
| per 1000 pounds, it seems strange that Messrs.
Holiday and Martin have been awarded this
| contract at S28 so per 100 pounds. Does it
not look like colluSion on the part of the Sec
| retary of War!
territory is of the poorest description, and
would pass for sssweepings'' at any market in
the States Yet this is the stuff the army
will be compelled to use the incoming year.
If it was the intention of Secretary Floyd to
| have the supply Of -four shipped from the
States, then the price is in the neighborhood
of reason. But if such was his design, why
did he furnish Messrs. Holiday and Martin
with orders for Government mules from any
post along the route on their journey to this
| point.
| Since their arrival, they have commenced
| buying and contracting for all the flour in the
| territory, for which they paying So per
hundred, but in all probability they will have
to pay high as SO for q portion. We will
say that they pay So per hundred for all of it,
and we see that they are at an outlay of $780,
600 in fulfilling the contract, leaving them a
snng little balance of four hundred and twelve
thousand dollars. There are probably four
partners in this contract, Mr.. John Holiday,
Major Martin, Wm. Russell, (frm of Russell,
Majors & Waddell,) and Secretary Floyd.
They will realize one hundred thousand dol
lars each, and be at no trouble or risk.
Truly, Uncle Sam is blessed with noble set
of office holders-they so careful to look
| to their own interests. They are SO economi-
cal as to order the discharge of all the team :
sters and mechanics in the employ of the camp,
and put soldiers to doing the same. all because
the expenses are too great. Now the entire
wages for an entire year, of the men engaged
| in the @. N. D. would not amount to half the
sum sqGandered on the flour contract alone.