The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-08
THAT MAIL CONTRACT.

we find In the Donnldaonvilc Chief Of the
thirty first ultimo quite IN elahorateartlcle on
the mall service between Donaldsonvlle and
the mouth Of Red river, which the contract r,
Mr. Geo. I. Brott. has 90 conspicuously failed
to perform with his little dilapdated tugs.
The Chief evidently looks at the matter from
a Brott standpoint, and makes rs good o
showing FOR that delinquent as the rather
ugly situation will admit. 1t appears that
the PostofIice Department. in consequences oil
the spirited and continued protests that were
made by the people and the press. sent out
an agent, n Mr.. Waldron. to investigate the
trouble about the new mail route and to see
whether IL was practicable to perform the
service called for by the contract. After a
careful examination he has satisfied himself
Of what everybody but the postof1ice people
III Washington knew before, that tho thing
can be done very easily, provided the con-
tractor wishes to earn his money and chooses
to procure proper boats to do the work. He
not only came to this very sage conclusion,
but also determined Immediately upon his
arrival In New Orleans, after his visit
to Donaldsonville, to telegraph tho Depart
ment that the route should be continued,
which was likewise sage With kindly
feeling for Brott, Mr.. Waldron expresses the
opinion that, notwithstanding all the trouble
and dlsoomforts the people have had to sub
nit to for many weeks by reason OF the fail
ure OF the mails. the Department will
allow the contractor "ampe time and afford
him every reasonable facility for establishing
tho new service upon n permanent and rella-
BILE basis" That is all very fine for Brott and
will doubtless greatly rejoice that worthy g
heart, but we fsil to soc where the rights OF
the people CONF In under this pleasant ar
rangement, or what guarantee we have that
Brott may not wait till next December before
he gets things on permanent and relia-
BILE basis" He does not seem to be much given
to permanency, and, as to reliability, the nu-
merous and emphatic protests against his
numerous failures to meet his engagements
eiTectually dispose OF his claims to that vir-
tue.
The Postof1lce Department seems deter
mined to hold on to Brott aud not to regard
his numerous shortcomings with critics
eye" and the recent Investigations Into the
crookednes Of Messrs. Tyner and Brady lead
us to suspect that no amount OF protesting,
no amount OF expostulation with those shin-
Ing sAbordinates of the great Key OF the de-
partment, will have the slightest effect In
mitigating the nuisance to which the people
have been compelled to submit.
The following extract from the article In
the Chief contains some interesting facts:
The Florence Witherbee. one Of the disabled
mail boats, returned trO New Orleaus last
Sunday morning and relieved the d madison
villa reetofica Of the aceunul .tion Of mail
nj .tter Intended for deliv ry at the offices n
the Rad River Landing route Ga her return
tip Tuesday. however. Just rs sne wss about
ente, lng Bayou Lafnnrc - TO nuke close con-
n4ction with the train Ut the railroad bridge.
the uufortnnata or badly managed boat ran
hal d ~ round Opposite the old fort and .tuck
ther. about twelve hours: The steam tug Il 49,
letter. q very handsome boat. arrived On Tues