Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-07-29
Southern Mail Routes.
Southern Mail Routes.
The Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia
North American Saws


Efficient to be taken here to insure
reliable and speedy mail communication between the
great commercial cities from New York to New Or
leans, in which Philadelphia is equally interested with
any other The present arrangements are not only dis
creditabe, so far as expedition and certainty are con
cerned but they positively injurious to the trade of
all these important communities. Regularity is the
ception, at least in the mails and there is hardly such
thing known as faithful observance Ohe schedule time
required by the contracts. There are now two daily
lines connecting these commercial termn The Allan
tic, or old route, runs from New ork via New Bruins
wick, Philadep hia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond
Petersburg. Weldon Wilmington, Kngsvile, Augusta
Millin, Macon, Columbus, Montgomery, and Mobile to
New Orleans. The whole distance is GA miles, and
the pay per annum $436,9 49. The schedule time for
the performance of the through trips is five and half
days
The other, southwestern route put on last year
by Gov. Brown, commencing service from the lst OF
July, 1858 1t runs from New York via New Bruins
wick, Philadelphia Baltimore Washington Richmond,
Lynchburg, Bristol, Knoxville, Dalton, Chattanooga
Stevenson, Grand junction. Water Valley Miss, Good
mans Depot, and Canton, to New Orleans. The whole
distance is 635 miles, and the pay per annum $685.,
902 so The schedule time for the through trip IS five
days 1t will be observed that the railroad connection
from New Y orl to Richmond is common to both routes
The assigned for opening this southwestern COM
municatOn greater speed and certainty which has
not been sustained by experience.
An investigation of the result on both these routes
March, l859-dscloses some interesting facts, which
may be useful for reference and comparison and furnish
basis for estimates. During this period 271 mails
were carried on the Atlantic route, between New York
and New Orleans, only l5G of which within sched
ule time OF the remaining Is, there were 90 delays
of one day EACH II of two days of three days of
four DAYS and one of five days OF 254 mails conveyed
between Washington and New Orleans for the same
time but 1913 were within shedulc time, leaving &c
which took from 81, to l215 days.
BY the Southwestern route, 22O mails were carried
from New York to New Orleans, during the period
named only lG within the schedule time OF the
remaining 2O4 there were 80 delays OF half day. ~ of
day, - Of one and half days 20 of two days, of
two and half days, OF three days, and each OF
SEVEN eight hne and ten days. OF 2G4 mails between
New Orleans and Washington, 9S in schedule
time az days. and in five days, the time required
by the other nc) leaving l42 which took from 70 to
Ii - days On both these routes Charleston and
Savannah entirely thrown of the main connection
and much to the disadvantage of those cities, as i'm
portant depots of cotton and rice.
| The whole number OF mails i've at New Orleans
from New York, by both lines from July, l, 1858, to
March 81, so, was 49l. The average time between
these termin by BOTH for each month"; is ascertaned to
be as follows July, 1858, days hours August, 5
days. IA hours November, days, 20 hours Deem
ber days. l6 hours; January 1889, days 10 hours
February, days, hour; March, days, IA hours
Average for the whole period, days, holr for the
mails received at New York from New Orleans by
both lines, during the same period, 495. The
average time was follows: July, 1858, 6 days,
hours August, days, II hours; September, days,
ID hours October, days, II hours November, 5
days 10 hours; December, 6 days, hours; January,
1859, : days, hours; February, days, 10 hours ;
March, days, q hours. For the whole period, days.
2 hours fo1 the winter months, days, hours.
At the recent mail lettings bid accepted for
daily communication by steamers from Charleston to
Fernandina ard thence connecting with Cedar Key on
the Gulf of MeXico. There is already daily mail by
steamers from Cedar Key to New Orleans and the same
party propose to connect weekly with Havana for the
hostages. So that there is but small gap to fill up to
make complete and continuous route from New York
to New Orleans by steam all the way. There is rail
road service ar,aoy employed from New York to Will
mington, on Atlantic route Now, the question is,
can new ill., l.. established to substitute one of the
two in use vch will afford better facilities without
materially increasing the expenditures? A plan has
been organized and submitted here intended to carry
out this general idea, which contempaes schedule
and contract for the whole service, instead of separate
arrangements and divided responsibility, such
exists in both the present routes. 1t is proposed to call
it the Grand Trunk Line which is to run, according to
the programme referred TO- as follows: From n Y 0rk
via New Brunswick, Philadelphia Baltimore Washing
ton Richmond Petersburg, Weldon, Wilmington, Flor
ence, Charleston, FernaEdna and Cedar Key to New
Orleans The whole distance is GIL miles, and the
pay per annum $365,269, of which more than half
is Dalu undef eNlSLng ralfau from
New York to Florence, Alabama The schedule time
to be fraction over four days.
The basis of the proposition rests upon the remarka-
bic reliability of the service between New York and
Charleston, and the assurance OF that from Cedar Key
to New Orleans About the other link there can be
little doubt if the projectors desire as it will obviously
be their interest make this line the main artery from
n orth to South I he Postmaster General in order to
insure fair competition, will put up through connec
ton to the best bidders in point of time and economy
An advertisement to this effect will be issued that
all the routes will have equal chance and success
will depend entirely upon the considerations stated of
uniting the great commercial cities, North and South
by the most expeditions and certain communication.
This object has been long desired, and the public
interested in seeing it carried ont practically The most
experienced and enlightened connected with the
Post Office Department believe the mails can be carried
from New York to New Orleans, and rlce rrrSu inside
of four and ahaf days at the outside and with guara
ties for the performance of the SERVICE which will save
the vexaons delays and expense heretofore incurred
and with very imperfect and unsatisfactory results the
commercial community INDEPENDENT
Mr. McDute says" M Holden considers The course of
Mr.. HuSOl0 IN Congress highly C,dpdllc." We dOt,J thus
and consequently would like to hear from the Standard
upon this point: We think its answer will be pretty
will see.-fdyeUt0lNe CdTOilnidt.
We do not desire to take any part in the contest
going on in the Third District No Convention hav-
ing been held we regard the field as open and it is
for the people of the District and not for outsiders to
decide who shall be their representative. Both Gov.
Winslow and Col McDuf1ie are, we trust, and as we
have reason to believe, personally friendly towards
and certainly entertain other than friendly feelings
towards them.
1t is due to Gov. Winslow that we should state
having been pontedy called upon by the Carotinlan-
that have recollection OF ever having said to any
that his course in Congress is highly cupabe"
On the contrary, have than once given it as
our opinion in the Standard that Governor Wnsow had
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