Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-10
Placerville and Salt Lake Hail.

We are informed that MI. Spence, Post
master at this place, received instructions
I from the Post Office Department Mt Washing
ton, short time since, to give the mail OH
the Salt Lake and P!acerville route to George
Chorpenning the original contractor, provided
he or his agents called foriit and was prepared
to take it according to the terms Of the contract,
which is in four. horse coaches or covered
wagons" On last Wednesday morning, the
agents of the contractor appeared at the Post
Office with four-horse COACH and demanded
and received the mail. So far, all right. But
we learn that the coach and horses were hired
or borrowed from the stable. of Monroe &
Read, Of this city, for the purpose of dcceiv-
ing the Postmaster, by ostensibly complying
with the terms Of the contract. The mail
was given to the agent and placed in the
coach. When the coach reached point six
miles East Of our city, the mail was taken
from it and transferred to the backs Of mules
that had been stationed at that point to re-
ccive it, We presume the remainder Of the
trip will be made with borrowed mules, as it
is well known fact that Chorpenning has no
stock on the route, everything belonging to
him on the route was attached and sold last fall
by those in his employ, to whom he was greatly
indebted.
We would inquire OF the Post Office De.
partment why it has restored this contract to
Chorpenning, man who has wantonly neg
lectcd to perform the service on the Central
route according to contract? IF horseback
service is to be performed, why do not Gov
eminent establish that order Of service and
pay the contractor accordingly? Why give
Chorpenning an enormous sum for triling
servicet
Plausible reasons for establishing line of
coaches between California and Missouri, and
which influenced many persons to favor the
enterprise were, that it would facilitate the
settlement Of the country along the entire
route, build up convenient stopping places,
and aid in keeping the road open for travellers
during the winter season. During the whole
Of the past winter the road betw cen this CITY
and Carson Valley has been kept open for
sldECS ANU VII SHOI DcUHlUg
contributing one dollar for tina. purpose. Til
weekly stages are running from this place to
Strawberry VaIlcy-a distance OF over fifty
mcs-and there they connect with sleighs
for Carson Valley. Chorpenning, however,
either through motives of economy or inability
to perform the service has dispensed with
coaches and carries the mails on mules Is
this according to contract? Not at all. Isit
not forfeiture Of his contract? We think
tits.
A princely sum is paid the contractor for
performing the service between this city and
Salt Lake. Has he expended cent Of it in
improving the road? Has he even made an
effort to keep it open in the winter months?
Has he built stations, stocked the route.
placed coaches upon it? Where are his
agents, his drivers, his coaches, his horses
Some Of his old employees would take it as
favor to be introduced to him or his agents
Better discontinue the Central route alto.
gether than give the contract to Mr. Chorpcn.
ming, who has shown his inability to comply
him, but not with his mode Of conducting
business. lie managed badly from the start,
and, has improved in miSmana cement ever
since. Regarded in proper light such SER
vice as he has performed and is performing,
is an injury to the route and a swindle on the
Government, and should no longer DC tolerated.
We respectfully and earnestly call the at
tention of our delegation in Congress to this
matter. We request them to use their every
effort to place the Central route on an equal
ity with the Southern. All that is required
to test the practicability Of the Central route
is, to give the contract to parties who have
the disposition, the capital and the energy to
put the mail through promptly and speedily,
and not to an incompetent, negligent, if not
bankrupt, contractor.
negro preacher was lately fined $50 in Detroit