New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-05

forwarding them over land renewed effort was made
for their transmission by sea, and finally Cornelius
Vanderbilt agreed TO convey them until the attn OF
March next upon the terne OF the act OF June To- On
upon the express that the President would
10 Congress TO make to mm snch
further allowance over and above the hostages, as
would constitute fair and adequate compensation for
the service But for this assurance all the endeavors
of the Department 70 maintain ocean postal commu-
ncaton between our Atlantic and Pacific ports would,
il is confidently believed, have proved unavalhng'
The subioned table exhibits the hostages received
from the ocean and Ishmus route TO California, as wen
as from the overland service for three quarter OF the
present year, ending September 50:
March quarter 1860 ....,-
Ocean and Isthmus Postases.
Overland POSTAGE Jun. quarter, 1881
Ocean and lsihnus PO'tage''' AKA "a
oVsa0d See:mjt; quarter, 1850
Ocean and Isshmus postases. 1Sio IS
Overland 'hoiV 10
IL will be seen that the revenue from the ocean
service has constantly diminished while that from the
overland route has constantly increased though not IN
the same proportion. The dinnnuloh ana increase
are alike due to the order OF TINS Department unesf
date of l7th of December 1859 directing letter mais
which had previously gone by the steamers to De made
ND and fo warded overland. During the last quarter,
which was the fret under the existing contract the
falling off in the receipts from the Seesa ser'Gs war
probaby below the quarer average for the year. AS
tsuming however, the receipts forthe preceding quarter
Mo be the average, this would give at the rate OF
430 AZ per 1nat tnls sum- bnouIu ~ eNeu 10
realized is not full compensation for the service as
actually performed, is undenable, but what further
allowance should be made TO the contractor Is qnes
ton which belongs TO the discretion OF Congress 10 de-
teruine Prior 10 the Goth of June, 1860, the trans
mission of these mails including direct service IRON
| New Orleans cost the Government at the rate OF
$3.50 900 per anIum The present contract does not
embrace the New Orleans mails but IL provides for an
| additional monthly trip between New.York and San
Francisco making the service tIimonthly instead OF
senmonthly heretofore II is due 10 the contractor
10 say that he has thus far faithfully fulfilled his en-
gagement with the department, and as he came TO It's
relief in a coniuncture of great embarrassment his
claim for remuneration should be frankly and literally
met. / should not regard the Government as honor
ably acquitted of its obligations TO him, without inll
| redemption Of the pledge implied in the assurance
which the President, from high considerations OF the
public interest, felt justified in giving him.
In addition to this tri-monthy mail by the ocean,
there exist at present the following overland postal
| connections with the Pacific, viz:
| l. A semi.monthly mail from 81. Joseph, HissoINf
via Salt Lake City, to Placervile California coo rue
expenditure upon this route was reduced $fV'V, on
the 9th day of June, 1860 by the establishment OF
STAR in lieu of the preexstng coach service between
Salt Lake City and Placervile, and it has been m
creased at the rate Of fSl per annum, by the I'M
| proyement of the service to weekly mail between
Pheeryille and Carson City, and between 81. Joseph
and Fort KeaIney, for the purpose of supplying the
large and increasing populations in the regions OF the
| Pike IS Peak and Washoe mines.
| g weekly mail from New-Oroans via Ban hnto
| MO Camp Stockton and FL Paso 10 San Francisco.
| 8 A semi.weekly letter mail from st. Louis and
| Memphis via Fort Smith and FL Paso and Fort Yuma
| 10 San Francisco.
The annual cost of these routes as now modified
timatipg that by the ocean at $3.50 900, 2 ISL
The receipts from them, per annun, AZ shown by the
! tables accompanying ths report, 40 not exceed
1886 469 II. In view of this EXTREMITY limited reve
nue. az compared with the outlay and Of the fact that
tleee routes were established and maintained main
ly for the advancement of certain national Objects not
al all pos, in their character respectfully bnt earnest
| ly
nual report, that they shall be at once pat upon the
| public Treasury.
The following table of postages received from and
EXPENDITURES made upon these several routes will indi
cate the postal value of each during the last year:
From New.York San $4,000 sl7oses 20
Overland via III Paso 6e.......... 10000 1896 u
S. Joseph 70 SAT- Lake City. i2SooS tsoS s.
S. San Antonio to Camp stOoktOD....... 1000 $50 Al
II thus appears that the revenue accruing from the
service between ST Joseph and Placerville via Sak
Lake City, amounted 10 but 1924 Ia; yet upon this
route-addng thereto the short distances between St.
Louis and ST. JoseIh and San Francisco and Placer
vle-a bill pending before Congress proposes the
establishment Of daily service under the deisve exc
pecaion carrying through this vast desert aud over
| mountains, for several months Of the year covered
with snow and impossible, the mails, weighing tuns
which are safely, rapidly, and regularly trans-
ported by other routes that open and unobstructed
throughout the year. The enterprise in its practical
operation would no doubt result in complete failure,
owing to the eha1 S z inc rG e ns"rs o. me
could not be maintained ~ less cost than $JOO,0J0
per annum and while disastrous to the last degree to the
postal interests this lavish outlay wouldprove beneficial
only 10 the contractors IL their opportunities aud the
opportunities of their friends cannot be withstood by
the Government il would be far better that they and
their descendants, for an indefinite period should be
pensoned from the Treasury, than that this unpar-
alleled waste of the public money should be allowed
The act Of Congress of 2lst June last, directed TO
contract with the California Stage Company for daily
service in stages, between Sacramento City, IN Cali
grA
seven DAYS from April to December and in twelve
days the balance Of the year, at $4,000 per annum
This ine went into operation on the 18th of September
under my order when the service previously existing
on the road, costing eos, SS5 per annum, was with
drawn. The act also directed the organization of a
IXIimesa-week line, in steamboats, and stages, be-
tween Portland, Oregon, and Olympia, in Washington
Territory, at rate Of cost NOT exceeding that pre-
scrj6ed for the former route The contractors for the
| semi-weekly mail already M operation between the
| latter points directed 70 improve accordingly,
making the trips in 81 hours, required by the act at
$l2 346 additional pay per annum. They have not yet
! been heard FROM The act further directed that the
ocean service performed semi-monthy since October,
1867, between San Francisco and Olympia, al $l225 500
| per annum, should be withdrawn, when the
routes referred 70 were put in operation. The
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, who held the
contract therefor have been instructed 70 discontinue
service accordingly. AZ there has existed for some
years Elk tDes- week steamboat service between
Ban Erancisco and Sacramento City, 100 miles, through
In eleven hours and the net expense of the in
terror route arranged IL but $40 400 year. it viii
be perceived that the effect Of the arrangements will be
20 make the service between San Francisco and Olym
pia NEARLY one thousand miles) much more frequent
than heretofore and at considerable saving In expen-
diture an increase of mail fscities which will doubt
less afford great satisfaction well accommodation
to the numerous important towns lying between raid
points.
FAN ANTONIO AND SAN DIEGO.
II WIS stated in the last annual report that the cost
of this service bad been reduced from s96 600 10 $780,
GOO per ann by restoring 10 sts original footing