New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-12


necessity of this service is greater every
day. The intimate business relations exist
ing between New Orleans and Shreveport
and the intervening country are such that
the abolition of this service would be very
detrimental to a very large community.
You are aware, of course, that this route
supplies offices that can not be supplied by
land service very well. YOurs truly,
FRANK MOREY.
entirely concur in the above.
G. B. DARRALL.
FROM sYPHER, SHELDON AND KELLOGG.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April q, 1872.
Hon. J. A. J. CressweIl, Postmaster General:
DEAR SIR-The following statements
| have reached us concerning the mail route
| No. SOl3, between New Orleans and Shreve-
| port, Louisiana, which VS. respectfully sub
NIT, with our suggestions touching the
same, viz:
l. That the route is impracticable as a
safe. speedy and reliable means of COM
munication, growing out of the fact that
| the boats plying between New Orleans and
| Shreveport are run at heavy expense,
| which forces them to adapt their schedule
of arrivals and departures according to the
business done, the mails being thus, of
course, conveyed irregularly.
| 2. The number of boats IN the New Or
leans and Shreveport trade has been greatly
reduced within the past year by reason of
| the establishment of direct steamboat COM
municatiOn between St. Louis and other
| Western cities and the Red river country
This fact has recently forced the regular
Red river boats into a grand combination,
for mutual protection, under the manage
ment of Captain Kirke, of New Orleans.
(See telegram of Postmaster Lowell, of New
Orleans, to POstOffice Department to that
effect, dated twenty third instantly Boats
at present "lOad in turn" as it Is called,
and send out two boats a week, making
slow trips, owing to way freight and stage
of water. Red river has been known re-
peatedly to remain for months at such
low stage as to almost close navigation.
8. Route No. 80l3 was first established in
October, 1869; up to that time there was no
regular contract for mails on Red river, but
they were conveyed either by land route,
connecting Red River landing, by the old
stage road with Alexandra, NatchitOches,
Mansfield and Shreveport, or else by rail
road from New Orleans to Monroe, Louis
lana, and thence by stage to Shreveport
either of which routes is more reliable than
No. 80l3. In 1856 and 1858 the pOstmasters
at New Orleans and Shreveport had author
ity to ship mails by the trip at $685. not
Oftener than three times week; but there
was no contract, and the land mails were
mainly relied on. Route No. S0l3 can,
therefore, now be superseded as there is
not a single pOstofice on it that can not be
supplied by the land routes referred to and
connecting ones.
4. Another fact should be stated, which
is that majority of planters and business
men in the Red river valley reside back
from the banks of the river, either upon the
bayou lands of De Glaize, Beuf, HOfpens,
Rapides, Perrie, Cane river or in the Pine
Hills, to all of whom the old established \
pOstOfices on the old stage road, connect
ing Red River Landing and Shreveport, are
not only most convenient, but they could
not be changed elsewhere.
In view of which facts, we see no good
reason why the mail service on route 80l3
should be continued. and would advise the
substitution of land service. Tri weekly
mails are necessary, which can be conveyed
by land, while steamboats, can
not undertake more than semi-weekly trips,
and those without fixed times of departure
and arrival as already known.
j. H. SYPHER,
L. A. SHELDON.
believe this statement to be correct, and
think the course suggested far best.
w. P. KELLOGG.
FROM FLANAGAN, WEST, coNNoR AND
HEREDCN.
WASHINGTON, April q, 1872.
To Hon. John A J. Creswel, Postmaster General:
.-SIR-We have been apprised that a com
municatiOn has been addressed to you, rep
that the present arrangement for |
carrying the mail between New Orleans |
aud Shreveport, in Louisiana, and Jeffer- |
son, in Texas, by way of Red river, is i'm |
practicable in respect to safety, speed and |
and that it would be for the |
public interest to abolish that route, and |
have the mail delivered at all the points on |
the route No. SOl3 by way of present int |
riOr land routes Nos. S03l and S067, instead |
Of by steamboats,. We can not agree with |
the gentlemen who address you on the sub
ect, either in respect to want of safety, |
speed and reliability, or in the reasons |
assigned by them as the cause thereof We
take very different view of the question. |
1t is conceded fact that the business pop
IlatiOn of Louisiana is to be found
concentrated on the rivers and navigable
)ayOus throughout the State, and these
have ever been found the |
most convenient, in the absence of railroads,
or speedy and reliable communication with
he great mart of New Orleans. All the
PRODUCTS of the State, and all the travel for
business or pleasure, follow these water
outes; and all the supplies for the interior
ire transmitted in like manner, so far as at
III possible. 1t would not be so if these
water routes were not safe, speedy and re-
liable. Why, therefore. should the trans
DOrtatiOn of the mails over these routes be
leemed exceptionablel These cOnsidera-
ions above would Justify our nOn-concur-
enee with the views of your correspond
nts; but when reference is made to the
ecOrds of your department in respect to
he carriage Of the mail over the river
quite No. 8Ol3, from its establishment to
l. 1872, we feel sure that the
Jews and representations so presented to
-Ou by those gentlemen will be found en-
irely cOntroverted.
We fail likewise to see, in respect to the
ecOnd point made in the communication
eterred to, any sufficient reason why the
business community should be disconnected
n their mail communications may be said,
It their very dOOr-because the steamboats,
nay not be so numerous at times on Red
liver. Such a circumstance might enhance
he expense and vigilance of a contractor
or carrying the mail over the route, and
night influence him to suggest sacrifice of
he public convenience and right to relieve
imself, but we think it would hardly in
uence the department.
The reference made by the gentlemen
vho addressed you, to the old time land
arrangement for carrying tie mail on horse
,ack or in buggies between New Orleans
nd Shreveport, seems to US to suggest that
he department made mistake in chang
ng to steamboats,, but the fact that the
nail as now carried by the boats ever the
Red River route amounts to bulk of from
hirty to forty bags, we think fully justified
he change, and renders it, we submit, in
xpedient, if not quite impossible, to change
Jack to land carriage of such mail in
-iew Of greater facility or reliability of its
lelivery. And in respect. to the magnifed
difficulties in the river route, as suggested
n consequence of sometimes low stage OF