, 1874-04-22
CARRYING THE MAILS.

At Washington lain tho letting OF contracts for
the transportation Of mails by stages and atoan1-
boate. The charges are that tho Government
is systematically robbed and plundorod on all
thoso mail routes In tho Tcrritorioa. Tho
charges arc presented by two mombors Of Con-
gross, one Of whom-Mr. Luttrell, Of Calfor-
nia-furnishoB no loss than seventeen specific
cases, giving tho nanes OF all tho parties and tho
amounts plundorod annually by them. He 1nakos.
the furthor accusation that those conspirators
have facilities furnished them by tho Department
which aro prohibited by Law.
Poat-Oflco contracts md the compensation
under them arc ono Of those mysterious things
that seem to have bafled tho aorutinizing wis-
dom OF our Government since Its foundation.
that case Chorpenning had contract. tho price
OF which. whom completed, WIS. il nc remember
rightly, less than $2o0. 900. Tho contract WAS
aot aside and he made claim for damages for
yory largo amount; this he was paid, milking,
with what he had received undor his contraot,
moro than the entire original price. Not satts-
fed, ho olaisned some S1ao,00o moro, which
claim not being allowed, ho continued to In
oroaso until accidentally ono day Mr. Dawes
beard in tho Treasury Department TINT q war
rant to pny Chorponnng some 1000 WAS
passing. through. He reached tho. House In
timo to make statement Of tue fact, and to
have RESOLUTION passed peremptorily forbidding
tho payment Of the money. Had this warrant
boon delivered, tho contractor would hayo re-
ceived over aooo.ooo in all.
Ono Of tho most familiar practices, a. we'll as
tho longest established, is to havo several bids
put in, some ut reasonable prlcos. and others at
enormous prlooa. When the awards are mado, it
Ia discovered that the successful bids arc made
by mon Of straw, or II not, that tho bidders are
bought of, and that they rofuso tile oontract.
Under tho law, tho Department thon contracts
with the persons who aro bost able to perform
tho service, and is compelled to pay three Or
four priceH. On these stago-routos; tho pos
session Of the contract for carrying tho mail ia
Of tho utmost importance; tho price received
for carrying tho mail is 80 great TINT 1t onab1ez
the stage company to drive of all competition in
the stage businaBs. When company can keep
the contracts two three years In succession, It
monopolzos tho entire trade. Hence tho strug-
gle for these mail contracts. They secure mo-
nopo]y In the atago BUSINESS. and onab1o The pro-
priotora to mako any demand they please for tho
transportation Of tho nnils. r.. ~
! In those charges there is an interesting Illus
tration Of tho way in Which compensation under
original contracts ia inoreasod. a contract was
lot at stipulated price, for carrying the mails
between two points. After the contract Was lot,
railroad was constructed over which the mails
Was carried for part OF tho way. Tloroupon tho
contractors made olaim for an extra allowance
fol 'tinoreasod Hpeed," and the claim was allowed
and paid. Not only wore tho hoayy allowances
continued for Btago service, but tho stago WAS
paid for tho "inoreased spoed" furnished by the
locomotive. As we'll as no can estimate from
the statement made by Mr. Luttrell tho United
States pny s2.000.000 for tho transportation OF
the malls by etagos in tho Territoroa and Pacific
States, ono-half Of which Ia pure plumber and
robbery, tho result Of fraudulent bids, the sub
sidlzing Of bidders, Bub-contracts md illegal
fayors from the Post. t.Onlco Department. This
matter WAS reforred to tlio Post Office Commit
tee two years ago to investigate, but was nover
thoroughly examined, and 1t ia to be hoped that
the House Of Representatives will now make q
clean job Of it.