The New York herald., 1870-12-02

The whole number OF stamps envelopes and
paper wrappers was 5d ioI,94j OF the aggregate
value Tl645o7o2
The increase and decrease in the issue OF stamps,
stamped envelopes and wrappers are exhibited In
an appended table The Increase for 1870 over 1869
was 81, ,3J5, J6S. The value el postage stamps and
stamped envelopes lost ia the malis s9lS, being
much less than the losses In 1869
CONTRACTS.
There were Ia the service OF the Department on
the 33tn OF June 1870 y5 contractors for the trans
portaton OF the mlils.
Or mail routes operation there were Ss6l aggre.
gating In length l32 miles; IN annual transporta-
ton 81 $50 mlles and annual cost So sS4 Goa
ADDING the compensation OF railway post office
clerks route agents. local agents. nall messengers,
mail route messengers and baggage masters in
charge OF registered packages, amounting 10
Sl,N0,S90, the aggregate annual cost was
slz,355, ,54S. the service was divided as follows:-
Railroad routes-Length, 43,I2I miles; annual
transportation. 4755l,970 miles; annual cost
512o, 9ol-about TO- cents per mile.
Steamboat roates-Lengtb, 0,635 miles; annua
transportation, 4,lz23oo miles; annual cost
ST06, l54--about I1.i2 cents per mile.
0ther routes, on wnlch malls are required to be
conveyed with "celerity, certainty ana security'i-
Length, 1866 SO miles; animal transportation, 10 $780,
Cal miles; annual cost s., ,59s-abou H. l3 cents
per mile.
There was an increase over the preceding year In
length OF routes OF 1901 miles; III annual transpor
taton, 630i, 500 miles, and IN cost S+lS 152. Add
ing the Increased cost railway post Office clerks
route, local. and other agents, sl9o663, the total
crease in cost was s6I3,oi5.
The foregoing statements OF distances and cos Is
do ncluae service Tor 'speclaln Offices. There
at the close or the year 69 OF these each with
u mall CGTFIef, WHoSt D.ty lFOm Luc department Is
not allowed to exceed the net postal yield OF the
otice. "Specialn routes and their carriers are ln-
Guided, however. IN the number OF contractors and
routes as given above.
READJUsTMENT OF PAY ON RAILROAD ROUTES.
The attention oil Congress is again called to the
necessity OF revision and readJustment OIL the rates
compensation established by law Tor the transpor
tation OF mails on railroad routes. The managers OF
railroads insist that the pay awarded them under
the operation OF the act OF sd March, 1S45 is made
quate 70 the service required, and many el them
have refused and still refuse, 10 enter into contracts
hat
bind themselves BY q permanent arrangement at the
present prices. The consequence Is that on many
OF The most important roads the mails are carried as
suits the convenience OF the companies. and with
but little regard TO the public interest. Many COM
plants oil neclent service, and In some Instances Of
gross neglect on the part OF railroad companies,
have been made during the past year by some OF
the leading newspapers OF the country; but, not
witbstdndlDg the most active ana persistent efforts
TO remedy the evils complained or very little, II any
Improvement has as yet been effected, the DEPART
men having no legal control over the time or man
ner OF running trains, except In cases where con-
tracts have been regularly executed. After care
full consideration OF the subject, satisfied rnat
the compensation fixed by law is not q fair return
for the important services rendered by railroad
companies, and hence repeat my recommendation
that readJustment OF tnelr pay be made by law,
and that the same time. they be required to enter
into contract With the department as condition
precedent to drawing any increase Of compensa-
tIOn
the preparation and publication OF the series OF
post route maps OF the United States have beensco-
tlnued during the past year under the supervision
OF the topogrspher OF the department. The maps
already completed, embracing nearly all OF the tier
Of the Northern States are, as usual, issued to all
points where the demands OF the service require
their use, and testimonials to their value continue
10 be received.
FINES AND DEDUCTIONS
The amount oil fines imposed on contractors and
deductions made from tuclr pay on account OF
failures and other delinqUencies during the last
year was SlC0515, and tue amount remitted
for the same period S28,T53, leaving tine net
amount S7l G22. This shows increase IN
the net amount Of fines anu deductions over the
~apr 81
amount of remlssions OF $15,i9T. The increase In
the lines and deductions Is not attributable 10 iu-
creased delinquencles but 10 the fact that since the
LIST April 1863, the provision In mail contracts for
forfeiture or the pay OF trip wnen the "Trip Is not
made has been enforced IN conformity with the act
OF July q 1885, Since the adoption Oh TINS rule con
tractors have evinced much greater amount o
energy in their efforts TO carry the malls tnroush 70
the points OF destination,
MAIL BAGS LOCKS AND KEYS.
The total number OF new mail bags purchased ant
mt into service was 63,960. or these $4,000 vert
for the TRANSMISSION o. prntei mater and 1890 lo
letter mails. Their aggregate cost was $loo, ~.
During the preceding year the otal NUMBER Vi MAI
bags purchased and issued was o5,40O, Oh whlcl
At 900 were Tor printed matter aud s,4J0 for ettel
mails, and their aggregate cost was sos,4-o.
TdKoUGH MAILS-NEw YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO
NEW YORK AND NEW ORLEANS.
The through mail tables herewith submitted make
favorable exhibit 10 The average speed anu regu
larty with which the mails nave been conysJ eo
over the iine-3,3oT miles long-between New YORK
and San Francisco during the year ending with tne
month OF September, 1870. They show that Of iis
mails carried through, for the whole period, 10 San
Francisco from New 70 K, 573 were conveyed within
tS~~1hedule time ana only l45 behind time; ano
shat OF 352 miles earned through TO New York from
San Francisco, go were conveyed within the scne
due time ~ behind time, and only "a Of these uay
or more behind time. The average time going west
was ls5 hours, So minutes, or days. hours and 5l
minutes; going east, liz hours, A minutes, or
days, hours and A. minutes. the shortest time
gong west was Ia hours 40 minutes; going east
i5y hours 10 minutes The records ifem which these
tables are complied shsw that generally, three
mails A day are despatched frsm New YORK ior san
Fraucisco-one IN the morning and two In the after
noon; the average schedule time OF the afternoon
ma,ls being nearly days, and OF the morning mai
nearly ~ DAYS a single tram day being run ives
Of the Missouri river the departure OF which Is ar
ranged to connect with the train making the ates,
afternoon departure from New YORK. From Sal
krancisco but single mall day i5 despatcnsa 70
New York OF which the average scnedule tlme