New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-03
CALIFORNIA MAILS.

At the risk of being deemed Officous, we venture
again to AJAX the attention of Congress to some con-
sideratons touching this important subject. Let US
first sea where we now stand
Our Government is now supporting the following
Mail-routes to California, or westward from the
valleys of the Mississippi and Missouri:
L. The Pacific Steamship Mail, semi-monthy,
from New-York and New Orleans to San Francisco:
cost $4,000 per anDum.
II. The Butterfed Overland Mail, semi-weekly,
from ST. Louis and Memphis respectively 10 San
Francisco: cost $780, 900 per snbum.
Ill A weekly Mail from San Antonio, Texas,
connecting at FL PasO with the last named.
~. A weekly (but now run only bi-weekly) mail
from st. Joseph, Mo, or LeayenwOrth, Kansas, to
Salt Lake City: cost (when running full time)
$4,000 per annum.
V. A continuation of this mail in like time from
Salt Lake City by Camp Floyd and Carson Valley
to Placerville, California: cost (wheu run weekly
some $3.50, 900 per annum.
VI. A Spur from No. at or near the forks Of
the Platte to Denver and the Rocky Mountain Gold
Mines: Cost unsettled.
VII. a weekly Mail from Independence or Kan
sas CITY, Mo-, to Santa Fe. Cost unknown to us.
Nov what we propose is TO substitute for all
these mails-which cost over 81 800 900 per annum
the following
l. A Daily Mail by six-mule wagons As at pres
eDt employed on the Salt Lake route, in twenty
days from st. Joseph, Mo-, or AtchisOn, Kansas,
via Denver and Salt Lake City Crossing the Rocky
Mountains either by the Cherokee Trail, or on the
heads Of the Arkansas, or at some intermediate
point, thus traversing the Kansas Gold Region, and
striking thence as nearly direct as possible to Salt
Lake City or Camp Floyd, and thence by Capt.
Simpsons new route to Carson Valley, and thence
to Placerville and San Francisco in twenty days
from Railroad communication on the Missouri to
the Pacific.
III. Weekly branches from this on horseback or
in two-mule wagons to Denver to Santa te and 10
Fort Laramie if deemed necessary.
III. A weekly two-hOrse or twOmule Mall from
San Antonio, Texas, by FL PasO and Arizona to
San Diego California.
These Mails ought all to be run for less than
the cost Of the present service, while they would at
least double the present income. There are more
animals, more wagons, more men, employed IN run
ming the present Mails than these would require.
What il needed is 10 consolidate the present Bat
terheld and Salt Lake lines on equitable terms run
the chief mail on one direct instead Of two circu-
tous routes abolish the Franking Privilege, charge
one ceut each on all newspapers carried from the
Mississippi across the Rocky Mountains or the Sac
ramento Valley further East than Salt Lake with
fair charge on all printed matter, and let tho ten
cent charge for letters apply to ali that shall be con-
veyed across the Rocky Mountains or more than
two thousand miles on any other route. win
these changes, and good efficient management our
Pacific and Overland Mails could very soon De rem
dered stfsuppOrting, instead of luggiDg In Inc
Treasury, as they now do, to the tune OF One Mill
lion Dollars per snDum.
We are confident that if Semi-Weekly Mai
can be run in twenty days for $500, 900 per annum
Daily Mail can be over tue same route in like
time for considerably less than One Million. All
that would be required would be about double the
number Of stations-say one every fifteen miles
running each mule-team one route per day in three
hours or less, including stops to change. far
smaller force Of superintendent general and local,
would be required for the one daily direct mail
Than are required for two less frequent circu-
itous ones. II would take one or two months to
concentrate tho stock Of the Butterfeid and SILT