New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-27


PRIVATE EXPRESS MAILs-TAE AEMLDY DE-
MANDED ~ Tue WEST.
From special Correspondent
VIRGINIA CITY, W. T.. Nov. %. 1861
The people Of the We tern Territories have long
complained of the hablLl default OF Wells, Fargo
Il Co. To deliver the mails, but SO far they have ap-
pcalcd for redress in vain. Alter year of suffering
from the non-deliveIy of mails the public have be-
come hopeful Of Of redress by the an
nouncement that formal charges have been preferred
against the Company, and that they viii be faith
fully investigated. am not very sanguino Of the
fidelity of the proposed official inquiry INTO the op-
eratous of Company that has, thus far not only in
fucnc,d Congress aud the Department to overlook
is ralpable reuissnrs, Int procured the enactment
of law fprbddiDa the tr'r-f'-i''f' 81 'fnfr'",'t
newspapers. hooks pamphlets through the malls
west of Denver without prepay mtht Of IcjtcT post
ag,; but good may come from n, ami rtJnce That
some pTetrnSc az least. o. visible OF correcting some
of the oppressive WRONGS under which tEe people Of
the far West are suffering.
nee that ainoug othcr charges preferred. il Is
al eyed IN statements. That mail bags are ire
Guridlv thrown from the coaches and left to rot or
ne rii,cd ON tic wny.Idr Travelled over 900 miles
~ the COACHES of Wells. Fargo ~ Co.. last Npuug III
company with Dr. Cas- of Denver Mr.. Phelps Of your
city, Nh. Mckhbin of Philadelphia and part OF the
way with Nh. Perry al Weston, Mo-, and We saw
stacks of mails lying 40 and about stables along ana
in shes, and often by the roadside. miles from
ANY station, Some were covered with snow, others
were nearly swallowed upin the iIe of sOughs. and
scores of sacks were swept away b. high waters. At
several stations saw the malls taken ont Ot the
coach thrown into stall, or piled mp IN the mud.
any place most convenient for dumping them to make
room for express boxes and packages. brcauso they
paid the Company from 81 70 q 80 per pound, when
delivered, while The mail service WAS pad Tor
whether the mails were delivered or cast away on
the route. Part Of the way We had nearly q tun Of
express matter on the coach. uecrssltatug the drop
ping of the mails. and compelling tho passengers 10
walk mp the bills and over swunips.
Tie Government; pays Wells, Fargo & Co. nearly
$4,000 year fUl carrying tie mails, and they are
obligated 20 transmit them promptly rs they are re-
ceived. So far from complying with the provisions
Ot their contract. they az rue. give the preference
to express matter and passengers. carry the mails
" hen they can and leave them behind, or drop them
on the way. when they overloaded have had
the best opportunity to test their fidelity N oxecu-
ting thrr contract. Since the lst of May last, seven
daily paIeIs have been mailed TO me from the East
More than ou--third of them never came 30 hand at
all and half 0f the remainder were delayed from two
weeks "a two months on the way. 10 has not been
uncommon for me 10 receive copies of The TRIBUNE
bv the Same coach, dated six weeks or TWO months
and in some Instances, three months apart. Letters
often detained month IN transmission aud, III
a number of instances never were delivered ut all.
OF dozen letters sent The TRIBUNE, four were
never heard Of after they were mailed One was
mailed IN Colorado IN May, two m Utah IN June, and
one here early IN August In but two or three in
stances did the Indians succeed iu capturing the
mails last Summer ~ that tins habtua failure can
not be- charged tO the savages
There is "a cunnnEly devised method in this neg
ect of Wells. Fargo d Co. It is. IN fact not mere
negligence: il is studied, systematic disregard Of
their contract 10 enhance their large legitimate
profits They do not detain OF lose the mails because
IL is incOuvcnient impossible TO carry them. They
do 10 compel business men and NEWSPAPER readers
10 pay themthTce 10 ten times postal rates extra 10
insure prompt transmission. They will not deliver
the newspapers / subscribe for and wish 10 read.
Ont of seven daies. ia the Summer season when the
roads not Obstructed. / could not make up ono
complete daily. am. therefore. compelled TO have
newspapers sent by Wells, Fargo 81 Co.'s express
mail or do without them. ! cannot dispense with
tI,. .,tI Inn Vol A a frpu
for every copy of TIE TRIBUNE receive, and the
same for all other papers, beside their cost
books sue and '"' papers worth 90 in Ns@YorI,
cost me $50 80 for frclght-a fraction over
letter postage. BY TINS paying Wells Fargo q Co a
premium Of nearly 20 cents on each newspaper for
not fulfilling their contract with the Government |
get newspapers with the utmost puuCtuallty. Not
one has been lost nor has siUgle package been tie
tanned three days between New York and Montana.
Why should they deliver the mails promptly when
they can command such premium Tor not perform
ing their duty over $500 was sent East
from this city last lall for newspapers.
The TRIBUNE, but when dTlVed here last June
some Of your subscribers had not received copy OF
your paper for two months The people Of the Terri
tory have learned 10y sad experience that ~ IS but
waste of money to subscribe for Eastern papers, for
they cannot get them 10y mail. But for this systo-
matte fraud upon the public 10y Wells, Fargo q Co..
TnE tribune would lave 5000 readers III Montana
where II has not now SO THE TRIBUNE retails nj
the news stands for ~ cents In specie, and the naga
zines cosf 81 y.
But the browning fraud Of Wells, Fargo & Co.
np0n the Western public is IN the nOn-deliyeTy Of
letter. sent by the mails They have, by their per
sisir' usal Ia deliver the mails promptly, and the
rep ted or destruction OF mails. compelled tho
bus IS men from Denver 10 California, and all
throG- Iontana aud Idaho 10 pay them from treble
10 ton Times regular rates. extra, to insure prompt
transmission of letters In almost every store hotel
or bnsHesy-houso Of Denver Salt Lake, Virginia.
Helena and clear through % the Pacific Coast YOU
soe Government envelopes with tho stamp Of Wells,