The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-10-16
why Ts,e EeeEay:
IN rsrsprdsHING A FAST Mali. ROUTE TO
TExAs-wHAT THE POST OFFICE AU-
THoRrTIEs SAY.
in. o. Picayune.l


IN o. Picayune.l
The non-establishment of a mail
route between this city and Houston,
Texas. over the line Of railroad CON
meeting these points more than one
month ago, has given rise to general
and very Just complaints, the Post
Office Department having been un-
Justly charged with being the main
cause of the delay, as the following
facts go to prove:
On Saturday last w. D. Thomp-
son, Esq, Chief Of the Railway Mail
Service AT Washington, and il. Nj.
Terrell, Superintendent Of that
service for this district at Atlanta,
arrived in fhis city by rail from
Houston, their mission being to make
arrangements, if possible, with Col.
Adams, President Of the Louisiana
Western Railroad Company, but
upon their arrival here they did not
meet Col AGams as they expected,
he having left for New York.
Mr. Thompson informed Postmas-
ter Mcmillan that the Department
had been very anxious to forward
the mails from New Orleans to Hous-
ton by rail ever since the completion
of the road, and that on the 9th OF
last month the customary blanks
were sent to the three companies.
The blanks have to be filled up and
filed with the Department, showing
the points TO which the road rnhs
and its length in miles, which in
formation is necessary for the De
partment to have before awarding
the contract for nail service.
Mr.. Thompson further informed
Postmaster Mcmillan that up To date
the Louisiana Western Railroad
Company had failed to comply with
this requirement Of the Department,
and has since evinced no desire
whatever to perform this service.
The other two companies, Morgall's
Louisiana and Texas, running from
this city to Vermiiionville, and the
Texas and New Orleans running
from Houston to Orange, Mr.. Thomp-
son states, are already performing
mail service, and but for the delay
between Nermilionville and Orange
by the Louisiana Western Railroad
Company, thore would he direct
mail service by rail with Texas to-
day
While Mr.. Thompson was in this
city, he received a Telegram from
the Post Office Department, urging
that arrangements be completed for
putting on immediately this service
through from New Orleans to Hous-
ton, aud he informed Postmaster
Mcmillan that measures would be
taken atan early day tofnce service
with this company il necessary.
A representative Of the Picayune
inquired of Cen. Mcmillan as to the
cause of this action on the part Of
the Louisiana Western Reilroad
Company, when he stated thaa he
i4ttN liIpl abtlttb 4tliS
was performing, undera sub-contract,
the old stage route maIl service,
known asthe Star Route formerly
run by stages between Eermilion-
vile and Orange on the Sabine and
as this service pays three o. four
times as much as what is known as
the Gland or railroad service, the
question wasnut 50 much an accom-
mediation of the general public rs to
make few extra paltry dollars.
As a further evidence Of the inten-
tipns of the Post Office authorities in
regard to speedy transmission Of
the mails from this city to Houston,
it is proper here to state that tlle
mail route agents have undergone
the required examination prepara
tory to entering upon this service,
and have been appointed, and the re-
quisite number ofinail cars are ready
to be put upon the line Mt short
notice.