Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-05-12
Post once piaicul,ic. in this state.

We find in the last Petersburg Express the fol-
lowing letter of Postmaster General Holt addressed
to our Representative in Congress, Mr. Branch
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
MAY I'd, 1860.
SRI have had under consideration, an offer
made by the Presidents of the Raleigh and CASTOR
North Carolina and Charlotte, and South Carolina
Railroad Companies, to convey the mails, over said
roads twice daily, at a compensation of $3.50 per
mile, per annum, coupled with notice by them,
that unless they allowed that rate of pay, they
will convey mails said roads after the first
day of May. In connection Herewith, | have care
fully considered communications from nearly the
entire delegation to Congress from North Carolina,
and one of the Representatives from South Carolina,
recommending an acceptance of that offer.
By the 18th section of the act of Congress of 3rd
March, ;1S45 it is made the duty of the Postmaster
General to divide the Railroad routes into three
classes, and the maximum rate Of pay which he
may allow to each class is fixed The principle up
on which that classification has been made is as fol-
lows: Routes which the great mails between
remote sections of the country are conveyed are
signed to the first class routes which important
mails between points less remote conveyed to
the second class; and cross side routes of minor
importance, to the third class.
The great mails not being conveyed over the
roads in question: and there being no necessity for
placing them thereon, as they can be conveyed more
expeditiouSly by the roads ria Wilmington on
which they now transported, there no ground
for placing them under the foregoing rule of CLASH
ficaton, the first class. Without therefore chang
ing the principle upon which the Classification has
been made land which, it is believed, would be
departure from the spirit if not the letter of the
law thcle is no authority for allowing to those
roads the rate of compensation demanded The
highest rate which can DC allowed them is 800 per
mile per annum, (thc rate now allowetD with an ad-
dton of % percent if half the service performed
by them is in the night
Any change in the principle Of classification by
which those routes would he transferred to the first
class, would likewise transfer thereto large portion
of the railroad routes now in the second class and
very greatly increase the aggregate cost of the rail-
road service.
The common mistake of railroad companies, from
which results most of the dissatisfaction with the
classification made by the PoStofice Department,
consists in comparing the quality of the several
roads instead of the Importance of the mail service
thereon The latter is the only view in which it
be regal ded by the Department That is the view
which was contemplated by the second section of
the act of 9TH july 1858, by which the Postmaster
General is restricted in his engagements with rail
road companies. to "25 per centum over and above
what similar transportation would cost in post
coaches" That view is enforced by the act of 25th
January, 1889, which limits the rate Of pay to be
allowed TO any railroad company under the second
section of the act of 1888, and adds, THAT nothing
in this act contained shall be construed so as in any
way to impair the limitations upon the power of
the Postmaster General imposed by that section !"
and it is in substance endorsed in the act of Srd
March, 1916, by the clause authorizing the Post
master General TO separate the letter from the news
paper mail &C. if he cannot contract with railroad
companies at the maximum rates or for what he
may deem reasonable and fair comper itiOu"
(within the maximum rates. for the service to be
performed"
There are great commercial interests depend
ent the mails by the central route through North
Carolina: save Raleigh n. c. and Columbia s. c.,
there is not postotice touched by either of those
roads, which yields net postal revenue amounting
to 81, 100 per annum-few indeed at which twice
daily mails would be desired of advantage to
! any considerable portion of the community. The
whole net proceeds of all the offices on those roads
is barely SIS, 000 per annum and excluding Column
bia, (Which has twice daily mails by the South Caro-
lima Railroad about $4,000 per annum; while the
| additional compensation asked by those roads
amounts to Sd, GOO per annum. These statements
show that the opinion which has been advanced,
that the increased expense proposed would be small
in proportion to the increase Of mail facilities offer
ed, is not properly deducble from the facts. The
present aggregate annual pay on those routes is
S43 200, which, if increased 90 per cent demand
ed, would amount to SCI, 500 per annum.
In my late annual report the deliberate opinion
Of the Department has been expressed that the rate
of compensation allowed by law for railroad service
is too high, and reduction oil onethrd recommend
ed. tt would be act Of gross inconsistency, in
the face of that opinion and without expression
by Congress thereon, TO add 30 per centum to the
compensation on the routes in question.
1t seems almost superHuous to add, that in every
aspect of the the Postmaster General is precu
ded from yielding to the demand under considcra,
ton.
Should those Railroad Companies, after heing
made acquainted with this decision (Which will be
done by transmitting copy hereof TO the President
of each road interested refuse to convey the mails
over their roads the Department will feel that the
responsibility for the public inconvenience and dis
advantage which will result is wholly assumed by
them, and that the only obligation devolving on it
will be to provide such substitute service as the ma
ture of the case will admit Of
Very respectfully, your obdt scrv't
(Signed) j. HOLT, Postmaster General.
Hon. L. OBJ. BRANCH, House of Representatives
Washington, D. c.