The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-05


vay the mails snoud not be conveyed regularly and
within schedule time. The official reports. however, Of
Genera sherman and other officers OF the army,
frrTed bv In. Secretary OF War 10 this Departmsnl
proyed conrsvey that the most serious troubles did
Isl The plains and that there was no safety for either
pa sssussrs mails except under ample military escort
When could not be furnished daily special agent OF
the Department. lately sent over the route for the
press purpose OF reporting as 10 the manner In which
| the service bad been performed during the summer
aud also as TO us present condition. has under date or
Novenber4, 1867, made bis report, which II accom-
cpa Offices ON tho route and also BY the OF
several ofiic rs commanding military stations the
iinc. The burden Of this proof Is summed up we'll
perhaps in the affidavit OF postmaster al Denver
IN any OF the other papers submitted. He says:-'0n
that portion oil the route from Denver Omaha City,
terminus Of railroad Indian troubles OF serious nature
commenced as early ~ February TO- and notwthstand
ing me Contractor supported by the military, pat forth
every effort IN his power 70 clear the road and keep IL
open no mail received at ONCE over that route
from February 20 TO March Q. During the month OF
March our registers show eighteen failures From June
to september regular trips we're made alternate
DAYS. and from that date the present. have had
daily service reliably informed that the delay was
instances caused By loss Of stock driven on by
hostile Indians ct points where 1t impossible to
place y wtnout prolonged delay This was more esps
caily the case the from Denver 10 Salt Lake
CITY Late in the winter the Union Pacific Railroad
eock.ded BY snow. followed by high water, which
OF the mail from the Platte 20 the Smoky Hill line.
From the best Information obtain the Of all
avoidabe the part Of the contractor and OF such
character 70 have precludeG the possibility Of any
man or set q mon making regular trips over the route
unless securely guarded by armed force OF consider
bic magnitude" From papers submitted By the con-
the inspection division would appear
OF hundred fifty head OF stage stock; burned
twelve Of his stage statons with large amounts Of gram
severely wounded several Of his passsngers and killed
outright thirteen Of his most reliable employees.
The Santa ~ route although moro fortunate than the
overland was also bescged BY Indians during the great
er part Of the summer. Several Of the stations
robbed Of their stock, which, OF course seriously de-
lavsd the transmission Of mail matter Az this date,
however, the 10 working WELL and registers
show that tine service 10 being performed even within
satisfaction to the residents Of the entire Territory.
daily mail having been ordered ON the route from
Sal. Lake 70 the Dass, Washington Territory letter:
Washington are distributed 30 - to DO forwarded by
Contracts for the overland and the Daes rout@ expire
September 90 1868, and the usual advertisements, In.
wiling proposals for tho servee are about being issued
The importance Of mail over the old southern over.
land route from FL Paso Texas. BY Tucson and Yuma TO
Los Angeles being urged upon the Department. route
II, 408 originally let from Nesilla 70 Tucson.
tonded at pro rata pay to Los Angeles and the number
Of trips increased to three per week. This has proved
the route who had been for i've years Oh from any
more direct communication with California than by
saint Joscph 70 be Again rsrsm,ted two hoSs.nd mss
by The same convey anoe to San Francsco.
With the view OF afordpg direct mali communica
sion between Chicago st. Paul and other points
and tho Territories Of Montana Idaho and Washington
route No S11, from Fort Abercrombe to Helena was
awarded to contract for three times week service
10 the lowest bddera By this route. is claimed,
six hundred miles in distance would be saved between
Chicago and Helena, a. compared with tho more in
direct one via salt Lake City. Unfortunately, however,
both for the communities interested and the contractors
the Indian hosties have been fierce and unrelent
ing on nearly the whole line, with not attempt
at military protection that what little mail matter
portions OF the route only at night: and,
therefore, instead OF shortening the tme between tho
vice. as now performed on the route is Of value to
the Department. and, unless q marked Improvement
shall take place by spring, il will be discontinued
RATES OF PAY AND WEIGHTS or MAILS on RAILROAD
ROUTES.
There three acts Of Congress which contain
sons prescribing the rates OF compensation which shall
be allowed for the transportation OF mails on railroad
routes. BY the FIRST approved July !. 1888 section 2.
the General authorized to cause the mail
transported upon leach and every railroad within
the limits Of the United States which here
after may be made and completed provided he
have II donc upon reasonable terms, and not paying
therefor In any instance, more than twenty-five per
centnm over and above. what similar transportation
January 2 1885, section restricts the authority vested
In The Postmaster General by the above quoted
lars per mile annum to railroad company in the
United StDtcs for the conveyance of daily
mails nnon their roads, and the third approved March
3 1S45, section 10, prescrbcs thai, Ito in
sure, as far may bc practicable. an equal
and just rate Of compensation, according to
the service performed among the several railroad conn.,
panies in the United States for transportation OF the
mail IL shall DO the duty OF Tho Postmaster General
and divide the railroad routes. including those
which The service is partly by railroad and partly by
steamboats, into three classes according TO the Of
the mails the speed with which conveyed and
the importance OF the servce and 1t shall be lawful for
him TO contract for conveying the mail with any such
railroad company either with or without advertising for
such contract provided that for the conveyance Of the
mail ON any railroad OF the first class he shall pay
higher rate Of compensation than Is now allowed by
law; nor for carrying the mail any railroad Of the
second class greater compensation than ono hundred
dollars per mile per annum for carrying the mail
on railroad OF the third class compensation
than nlIy dollars per mile per annum and ia case
the Postmaster General shall not BE- able 70 con-
snch railroad routes At compensation not exceed
ing tho aforesaid maximum rates, for what he NAV
deem reasonable aud fair compensation for the service
to DO performed shall be lawful for him to separate
the letter mail from the residue OF the mail and TO
tract either with without Advertising for conveying
the iettcr mail such route by horse express
otherws at the greatest speed that reasonably
obtained and also contract for carrying over such
the residue OF the mall in WAGONS otherwise at
slower rate Of speed Provided that II half OF the
service railroad required 10 be performed in
the night season IL shall Do lawful for the Postmaster
General TO pay twenty-five centum In addition to
aforesaid maxmufn rares OF Allowance And provided
further that IL It shalt DO found necessary to convey
over any railroad route more than two malls daily, t
shall be lawful for the Postmaster General pay such
additional compensation he may think juss and
tho maximum rate Of allowance established bs this act
In order to such arrangement and classification OF
railroad routes as the act last mentioned coptempatss
there ~ an Obvious necessity for accurate and reliable
Information 70 the size Of tho mails they severally
convey. Yet, until recently, no measures wore ever
taken IN procure from any considerable proportion OF the
roads 10 the service OF the department OF the
amounts OF mail matter by them respectively
In February and March last however railroad weight
CIRCULAR IA copy OF which hereto annexed) was Issued
and addressed to the propreto Of each railroad route,
rcques inc them 10 weigh al the through mails and
way mails' conveyed In both directions 70 and from
every station for thirty consecutive working days.
mencng all roads OF the Rocky mountains the
LIST aud all roads west the 18th Of April 1851 and
report the results the department. IN prescribed
ula form annexed to the circular aud 70 return also
description OF the accommodations provided for
mails and agents, with the dimensions. fixtures
and furniture Of the car or apartment alot-
ted to their use, and statement OF the number Of
trips per week Ia each direction. Prompt responses
retained from majority Of the routes; and, 10
obtain from the residue, second circular
issued under date OF the LIST August 1881 copy hero
wh notifying them that the returns received would be
published and remsrkng that roads refusing failing TO
respond would incur the mputauou OF unwiingusss 10
exhibit the amount and character Of the service they
performed for the department. in comparison with others
receiving equal compen and that upon any future