The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-08-13

We see by the Rocky Mountain Neus, of
the 9th ult., the people have very justly
protested against the charges made by Jones,
Russell Il Co., for their letters. We do
not see why our Rocky Mountain friends
should pay twenty-five and thirty cents for
letters, when the Mormons, of Utah, and
their neighbors in New Mexico get their
letters for three cents. 1t is also charged that
their letters are opened, and different en-
velopes put on by the Express Company
We would like to know what law authorizes
this. There has been large settlement on
Cherry Creek and vicinity for nearly year,
and it is surprising that the Post Office De-
partment should have no arrangements for
regular service, except through On Express
Company, which Gas shown by the published
statements Of Mr.. Fox, the agent Of the
Express Company has power to charge as
they please. Mr.. Fox says" The Post
Master at Leavenworth City, was notified
to deliver all mail matter to Pixies Peak,
Cherry Creek, and the Gold Mines of Kan
sas and Nebraska, to Jones & RusselPs Ex-
press Company, so long as they would carry
it free Of expense to the Government. The
Post Master at Leaveuworth City obeyed
the orders of his superior. Ihe Express
Company receiving no pay from Govern
ment, for carrying letters and papers as
express matter, uho ,ciN sag that twenfy-
fire cents for q letter is unreasonable 20
We say is unreasonable. Who author
lied the Post Office Department to give
these Government pets the sole right to take
letters from the mail lines, and charge what
they please and carry them when they please?
In answer to tho complaint, that envelopes
have been opened, the same agent says -
''Any one familiar with Post Office Laws
and Regulations, is aware that any company
is liable to heavy fine, for carrying lctters
over mail route, in any other than Gov
eminent envelope, and for this simple reason:
No ono has the right to destroy the simple
stamp but Post Master. The letters by
express, 90 through no Post Office here, lat
the mines,] consequently the stamps are
never destroyed and might be used again:
but write once upon a Government envel-
ope, and it can never be used the second
time. Hence the law, requiring express and
other companies, to enclose all letters in
regular Government envelopes"
What Law And does this logic, as clear
as the Missouri, authorize these Companies
to open our letters: The excuses, made by
the agent, convict either the Express Com.
pany or the Post Office Department, Or
both, of outrageous imposition. There is
no law, or justice, in the arrangement which
thus puts our mails in peril If such knavcry.
Not only the people Of the mines, but
their friends at home, will hold everybody
accountable for such swindIiny. 1t would
seem that our mail service is tied to the
coat tail Of an Express Company-Joncs &
Russell, a branch, We suppose, Of the pet
firm "Majors & RUSSELL" tina. have been
given 4 monopoly of AL the army transport
tati0ns west IF the Missouri River. One Of
that firm recently told Lieut.. S that the
Company had already made million Of
dollars. We are also informed their con
tract pays them for three hundred miles
hauling from Nebraska City to Fl. kearrey!
1t is one hundred and eighty-six miles from
this place to Fort kcarncy. i our Gov
crnmcnt totally ignorant of Geography Or
Do they get all their information of the
Missouri firm, "Russcll y Majors? We
pause for 4 reply.