The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-10


by the addition Of tina following items:-
For the government insane asylums $145ss
For mints ana assay offices 800
Tor survey o. south Pass MISSISSIPPI Rver... $500
For expenses off operating the Des MONIES
Canal Mississippi River, as Tree highway. $500
Whales Back Light and Tor a slgsal station
az Portsmouth, n. Observation-Disclosures. 5000
For amount due tho New brunswick and Can.
aga Eailway Company under Arrangement OF
the Postmaster General for carrying tho
United States mails IL o35
For taking ssssrvs.ions Or the Total 'i solar go
eclipse. July 20 next.............. ........ 5000
rrint,ns Iol me var department. Is 900
Powelrs survey OF The Rocky Noun tains. 5000
Hayden's survey; publication of maps, charts,
Miscellaneous expenses Of Senate sa,r. session
The House Dencisncy Appropriated bill, for suosis
tence OF the army ~ Increased oy $4,000
An increase OF $ll, 900 is proposed for work ON tho
Capitol grounds, and an addition Of So 600 made TO
the House item for printing for the Patent once
Tho additions proposed by tho Senate Committee
aggregate about $lsoooo. rho total amount OF the
bill as Il passed tho House s.. 500, A3s.
RAILWAY MAIL Observation-Disclosures OF
TIE SPECIAL COMMISSION.
The report OF the Special Commission on Railway
Mail transportation presented TO both houses Of
Congress to-day, II Is signed by Daniel NJ Fox and
George A. Bassett, Postal Commission who
recommend space and speed instead OF weight
as tho basis Of compensation, rcseryinc
tho privileges eontended for BY the Post once
Department and giving TO the pubic better mail iac-
tiles than ever before. Tho expenditures under tho
rates recommended WIN not DO materially Increased
over those OF tho present year.
For the purpose OF obtaining data upon which
to form opinion as to tho fair and
reasonable remuneration that should DO paid
tho railroad companies for transporting tho
mails, Tho Commissioner, besides having mad CON-
muncation with tho managers OF leading railroad
lines OF the Untcd stales prepared and sont 20 them
printed form covering such items OF information as
were necessary 10 tho earnings per
linear foot Of cars transported Tho tabulatcd re-
turns show variation OF 2S3 to 1914 mills in
the operating expenses linear loot OF train. whe
the receipts range from "a 10 10 96 mills, showing
that tho PROFITS roads where rates arc low ia
larger than on other roads wherc rates high and
therefore tho adoption o. average rate applicable
70 all lines, that would give 10 each route uniform
percentage OF profit was found TO DO mpracticabia
An effort was mado 10 divide the railroad companies
into classes, with hope that by SO doing the inc
qualities OF pay would BIO TO extent corrected;
but II hecame apparent shat the system would not
apply without extending the number Of classes be-
yond what would be- manageable In practical opera.
ton and making sueh nvidious distinctions as would
Than counterbasnce any advantages that ella SSH
fcation would AFFORD either the govern ment or the
railroad companies and which fully co0ferred by
the passage OF me got Of March g. 1879 which rem
derod operative She classification cot OF March g.
lS45. 4s 4t
The commissten havassosrtainsd the coss Per linear
foot OF pr nile dssdced from reports u
1i3 the representative raread ecmpauies and per-
forming about nfty PER cent OF the transporting bust
ness che Dansry, asd and that the cost thus ob-
tained Is based upea IN average speed Of Elk miles
per hour between tsrmin and 20 miles per hour run
ming speed, shown By tho following tabular state.
ments:-
Aggregate earnings Of 113 railroad CON-
Aggregate expenses Of lis railroad com. '-''
panics. -. Observation-Disclosures. 17So7462a
Net earnings tpsrosntase oiexpsnsssj 5as per cent
Passenger trains carried mile...... Is l26 9O4
Passenger service exponses. $62 O87, b94
Linear feet Of passenger train carried
Cost per linear loot OF passenger train
per mile. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l,l70 mills
Average speed Of trains per hour between termni
twenty one and half miles.
Average speed OF trains per hour between stations.
twenty six miles
Receipts per linear foot Of train general service
722 mills per mtls.
= rae son1sssssa ay shsy- srs convinced that the
postal chr system has become necessity In
conducting tho business OF tho country shat tho
public at large would demand iss continuance even II
the expenses OF the government were largely In.
creased thereby They, therefore. recommend the
following rules and regulations for the government OF
the Post once Department the transportation Of
the mails by railroads.
First-rhat the Postmaster General shall from timc
TO time direct the amount OF space that may be re-
qured by The government for tho transportation OF
the mails upon any railroad well us 20 the
character and style OF car in which It shall be carried
provided that such space be pr0p0rtoned the
thy mail carried The route the proportion 10
BIO fixed from time to tme.hy tho Postmaster General.
Setond-,h hat where postal cars and apartment cars
used either separately together upon the same
n raR
used.
Th,rd-rnat where baggage car service alone Is per-
formed upon any route, tho minimum OF space to be
paid for by the Post Once Department shah DO
linear fees and whore the space required exceeds that
length, such excess shall be paid per
occupied py the mails, winch pay shall cover double
with postal or apartment upon same route
the pay for said service shall DO based upon tho
linear ioet OF baggage car occupied
FVM-rhat tne OF pay for railroad mail service
on passenger trains shall be as foliows:-
For speed oil INVENT y-hvo miles per hour be-
the Of route. per linear foot. & mills;
Tor speed OF thirty miles per hour. mills for
speed OF Ory miles per hour SIS mills, with propor
tomato rates Tor intermediate specdR
S,1aa.rhss as prscau'ionsry measure. no ca.
with moro than 10, 900 pounds OF mails unless by
with Tue consent Of the carrying compalv.
Sercrh-fhat ai null matter shall DO delivered and
received AZ the TERMINAL and local stations upon tho
route w the Post ONCE department.
.Etguh-That all railroad com panes performing mall
service shall be paid Tor such ali
creditors OF the government
Ninh-That railroad companies carrying the mail
shall not BIO paid for transporting any employee Of tho
government that may be required Tor tne care and
distribution OF tho mail In transit
Tenh-rhat all postal cars and apartment shall
DO furnished and maintaned, neaisd ana Lighted, AZ
tho expense OF tho railroad company and DO OF
such length and general design 10 Ittina and fur
nish'ng as may be approved BY the Postmaster Gen.
appliances Tor cxtinguishing nro may be directed
by the Postmaster General
Eleventh-rhA, in all cases where .hers shall BE-
disagreement between the Post Once Department and
anylraiiroad company la relation 10 tho ansporta-
ton OF mails tho rate OF compensation shereor
any matter growing out Of or consequent upon said
transportation or rates, II shall be petont for
either party TO have the referred Tor final
justmont 10 board OF arbitration TO DO created by
Congress.
1tccyM-Thst railroad companies shall be subjected
TO such lines aud deductions may fpom timc
be liked by the Postmaster General Ior failures TO
make or maintain schedule time.
In conclusion, tho mission would state that 40