New-York tribune., 1873-03-20
A GOVERNMENT BLUNDrp

FAILURE or CONGRESS TO MAKE APPRop,,.
TIONs-NTSE PRINCIPAL RAILROADS RpSna-
TO CARRY THE CARS AT PRESENT p,Tss
AFTER APRIL IA RETURN TO TuY 90,
BAGGAGE SYSTEM.
To the razor Of The Trt5uns
SIR: Among the bills which the last ~.
gress rushed through at tho close OF the seSsion ~
OF POst-Ohce appropriations; and consequence % 80
hasty legislation IL about 10 make itself felt nv -
business man In the Eastern States. Ever since ,h''
PRODUCTION OF postal railway cars In 1854 the rs1,~
companies running them have urged their claim, N -
increase OF the OF compensation on aceount .,
greater facilities for mail distribution Carving pa,.
baggage-cars undoubtedly an inproycmep, rs
postriders or even upon Hse's Independent Pcrt. -,
took 80 years TO show how arit could be refined uno
hearty prejudice existed against opening a rnaub,
side the walls OF pOst-Oce. but In transit Of ioo %
letter often would have 10 be taken from the mah
reassorted and rencosed perhaps, three or four t.
Each separate handling delayed the transit one
carrier letter from Boston to Philadelphia Law u hon..
in New-York The transit Of letter to Chicago va. 90
pended "a hours 10 NewOrleans. three dsys Each :,
the many distributing pOstOtces required a oler,.,,
force almost double that necessary the hand,g :,
letters naturally apperai1ing to ts district The ia.
Of having built for the purpose letters eoua
be properly assorted while actually IN boast gas.,,
gested by Postmaster. General Blair IN 1884, aud in a.,
year the first perambulating pOstofce was put on ra
For carrying the maibags in baggagecars where sp.
not needed for mail matter could bo made available f
other freight, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and B,u
more Railroad paid S3l,5OO The special ear Wa. a.
voted solely TO mails, and, whether full or emptyn n
made unit Of the train. Baggage-oars could be bod.
few hundred dollars. The elegantly appointed and
upholstered postal cost 5000 No special me,epg,
accompanied the former while from three to five cer,
are carried free Of expense upon the latter When ms
new invention had become an Acknowledged sucos&,
and in use upon every railroad OF consequence in
the country, another effort made TO bring the cams
to additional compensation before Congress- Tse.a
thrifty lawmakers took the practical view OF the
matter that the companies had for years been runnar
these for nothing and were therefore able DO 40
still. They had adopted the Of safety
under their contracts, wach resulted principally in
their own benefit. It grayely urged that ths
roads ought 10 carry the mails for the compensation 10
ceiyed out of consideration Of the great franchises thor
enjoy In 1868, PostmasterGeheral Randall recon-
mended an increase Of 100 per cent, but the
act was smOthered IN committee In June. la1
at the earnest solicitation OF the PostmasterGenera
Congress passed act authorizing an increase OF 50
per cent. The Postmaster TO dispense this yerJ
moderate Increase, but he declined to mako tbs
award. Although frequently importuned 10 exercise
the power, he refused to do 80. Thus nine years IN
the lobbies left the railway companies just where thsy
started. Action OF decided kind was resOrted 10.
aud circular letter signed by the presidents Of niue VI
the principal railways tne ElSt, ddtcl jan ad
dressed to the POstmaserGeneraL It stated, IN sub
stance that the nine roads represented would continue
TO run the perDatetic pOstoces at the rate OF
per eightwhee car per mile run, aud a propOronas
rate for portions OF cars used for postal purpOsea
In case of accident the companies were 10 be exempt
from suits for damages postO.ce clerks all post
Office special agents riding 10 passenger cars to pay two
cents per mile transportation. The rates demanded
being less than they charged for transportation Of
,,,f fahaa ar lUygg "a
throw themselyeson the of justice OF the DepAt
ment TO recognize the moderation OF their dDmandA
should the Department decline to acoede to these terms
or their equivalent, the Running OF postal cars would
cease on and after April ls next The companies wOud
hold themselves prepared thenceforward to transport
the mails in baggagecars as in former times
THE RATES CLAIMED.
Under the law OF 1850, s5T.5Oo the contract
price for carrying the mails twice a day each war
between Washington and Philadelphia, distance OF
100 miles in baggage-cars BY actual weighing OF tho
mails in September 1874, IL was ascertaned that the
amount paid returned less than 3 cents per car per ms
Pig iron or bricks carried In open nat ears plyS
cents per mile 30 cent more than BAA
cars Yield The hauling OF four of these cars ss
days each and two cars 50 days each, distance Of
companies for similar service by slow freight traas
renders the cost OF that item alone, s272O. supplies
fuel lights and service for mail with interest 90
cost repairs and depreciation Of stock swell me iOre
going amount TO S29720. This estimate 0mlts the car
rage OF clerks necessary 10 the distribution OF the nails
and then leaves but S. sO for the excess OF receipts
over expenditure in the carriage and distribution Of
mail matter for the most important mail route OF the
country. When further deduction s made iJr the ei
pense OF carrying passengers made deadhesd ~
The PostOnice Department the burdensome nature 81
the privilege" is seen in relie II the Postmaster
General had urged upon the Committee Oh Postal Anlln
the importance OF increasing the compensation 70 sdp
bic figures, there is little doubt that the sc'
reported by the Committee would have been saus
factory. During the itme that they had tins odbes
OF postal afiirs under investigation. no oppa.
their side OF the case. The BILL presented, was mani
testify according the inspiration OF the Postmsster a.
It tailed closely with offers repeatedly suggss.ed
him. The bill was presented Feb: J. As ihterpIsselg "
the It provides that 70: sSan,ts.
following fates would obtain supposing the ayerags
Weight OF mails carried the whole distance TO be n
pounds per day, and that double day nhe VI ~
postoee cars so feet in length be run, we Obtain As %
compensation $3.50 per mile per annumLsn s stSS a.
sos per mile per annum over the rate heretoiOe a.
lowed; equivalent TO Sl0509 on the routes ienY1h ~
miles II the cars be from IS to 90 ieet N lcns
with the average weight OF mails tneh tne % 10
per mile per annum would be S5O)-an increase on 'se
rate heretofore allowed OF So pr mig PER RarcM
Route 2i0l, between Philadelphia an ner
ing, according to their latest returns 23>O PVu Pons
day and providing mail OF tho largesS ulen o's
the rate under this law w0sd be 500 per mile PEI
excess Of S225 per mile per annum or 60 per cent.
the maximum compensation 1915 per mile per SAh"N
Fairly AS this law seems TO arrange the difference
viz the rates for carrying mails they OBTAIN os
carrying second class freightS By slow freight usHs
ina. ~ iVr ~ we oo CI%rIiso % Si iVV q si The BE-
partment substantially offers $4,000 Tue deadhess
transportation clause was not considered a. anas
ther difference Of $4,000 at very moderate c0uiVuS
ton.
NO POSTAL CARS AFTER APRIL l.
The bill was pressed through the House sn0Stanualu
in the above shape An amendment covering 'n'
demands OF the companies offered and deoa''-
until its further consideration prevented by ehp
ton Of the half-hour limit In the Senate the anena
ment was tackled upon it that compensation sno9 s
be allowed any company whoh decilheu W }.S Us ina
postal cars, aud in this shape II became law @ ias
Postmaster General In his letter 10 the cOnipanes
asking the increase, states that tho law llstu y.
answer TO their demands. In view Of his endeaNOnS
procure the increase he deems that such an ac s ss
withdrawal OF the postal Is extremely luoPps.
tune" and he is "loth to believe that the conPnis