Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-05-10

the recommendation of the Wilmington Light Infantry,
n this respect certainly entitled to consideration
pecialy as the place indicated is most suitable one
The Postal Difficulty.
The following letter from the Postmaster General to
Hon. L. OBJ. Branch, puts the matter in regard to the
suspension of the mails the upper lines in this State
in proper light and think fully exonerates the de-
partment from blame in the premises
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
May I'd, 1860.
Sir have had under consideration, an offer made
by the Presidents of the Raleigh and CASTOR, North
Carolina and Charlotte, and South Carolina Railroad
Companies, convey the mails said roads twice
daily at compensation of $3.50 per mile, per annum,
coupled with notice by them that unless they al
lowed that rate of pay they will convey mails over
said roads after the first day of May. In connection
herewith have carefully considered communications
from nearly the entire delegation in Congress
| from North Carolina, and one OF the Representa-
tives from South Carolina recommending acceptance
! of that offer.
By the 9th section of the act of Congress of Bird
March, I845, 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 upon which that elias
sfcaton has been made, is as follows Routes on which
the great mails between remote sections OF the country
conveyed gned to the first class routes on
which important mails between points less remote are
conveyed 10 the second CLASS anu cross UT sue FoueS
of minor Importance, to the third class
The great mails not being conveyed over the roads in
question: and there being necessity for placing them
thereon they be conveyed more expedtiousy by
the roads Wilmington on which they are now trans
ported there is ground for placing them under the
foregoing rules of classification in the first class. With
out therefore, changing 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 there is authority for allowing to those
|
rate which can be allowed them is 800 per mile per
annum, Che rate now aIlowedl with addition of Is
per cent ii half the service performed by them is in the
night.
Any change in the principle of classification by which
those routes would be transferred to the first class would
likewise transfer thereto large portion of the railroad
routes in The second class and very greatly increase
the aggregate cost of the railroad service.
! The common mistake of railroad omy,anies from
which results most of the dissatisfaction with the CLASH
fiCatiOn made by the POstofce Department, consists Ill
comparing the quality of the several roads instead of the
Importance Of the mail service thereon The latter Is
Tie only view Ill which II be regarded by the De
partment. l hat Is the view which was contemplated
by the second section OF the act of 18th July 1888, by
which the Postmaster General is restricted, in his en-
gagements with railroad companies, to % per centun
over and above what similar transportation would cost
in post coaches. That view is enforced y the act Of
18th January 1889 which limits the rate of pay to be
allowed to any railroad company under the second
ton OF the act of 1888, and adds, That nothing in this
act contained shall be construed in any way to i'm
pair the limitations upon the power Of the Postmaster
General imposed by that section " and it in substance
endorsed in the act of Sd March, lS45, by the clause
authorizing the Postmaster General to separate the let
ter from the newspaper mail, &c. if be cannot contract
with railroad companies the maximum rates or fol
what he may deem reasonable and lair compensation
within the maximum rates. tor the service to be per
formed
There are no great commercial interests dependent
the mails by the central route through North Carolina
save Raleigh n g., and Columbia S. c.. there is not
q postofce touched by either of those roads, which
yields net postal revenue amounting to SllOO per
num--few, indeed, at which twice daily mails would be
desired of advantage to any considerable portion OF
the community The whole proceeds of all the offices
those roads is barely $4,000 per annum, and excud
ing Columbia (which has twice daily mails by the South
Carolina ralroad) about $4,000 per annum while
the additional compensation asked by those roads
amounts to vi 900 per annum These statements show
that the opinion which has been advanced that the in
creased expense proposed would be small in proportion
to the increase of mail facilities offered not proper
deducble from the facts. The present aggregate annual
pay on those routes is $432C0 which, if increased Sc
per cent. demanded, would amount to 1854, 800 pei
annum.
In my late annual report the deliberate opinion of the
Department has been expressed that the rate of com
pensatOn allowed by law for railroad service is toe
high, and reduction OF One-third recommended. Il
would be act of gross inconsistency in the face O
that opinion, and without expression by Congress
thereon to add 90 per centum to the compensation
the routes in question
1t seems almost superauous to add, that in every
pect of the the Postmaster General is precluded
from yielding to the demand under consideration.
Should those Railroad Companies, after being made
acquainted with this decision (which will be done by
transmitting copy hereof to the President of each
nerested refuse to convey the mails over their roads
the Department will feel that the responsibility for the
public Inconvenience and disadvantage which will result
is wholly assumed by them, and that the only obligation
devovng it, will be to provide such substitute service
as the nature CT the case will admit of.
Very respectfully, your obi serv't,
i (Signed) j. HOLT, Postmaster General.
Hon. L. OBJ BRANCH, House of Representatives, Wash
ington, D. c..