Las Vegas morning gazette., 1881-05-11
STAR ROUTE DORSEY.
How and Through Whom He
Operated.

Frank IL. Wilcox, the complainant
in the suit against ex-senator Dorsey,
was Dorsey's confidential agent in the
star route transactions, and has made
full exposure Of the whole business
accompanying it with the CORES
pondence between Dorsey and him
self.
Wilcox was formerly connected
with politics in Arkansas but has not
attained political prominence in Ore
gon. He went to Arkansas from
Illinois in 1869 and became acquainted
with S. w. Dorsey there, being Sec
retary of the State Republican Com
mittee, and though he never held
another office he bore prominent
part in the election of Dorsey to the
Senate. Desiring to get out of poll
tics, he left Arkansas and came to
Oregon in 1877. When Dorsey began
to operate in star routes in Oregon,
he remembered that Wilcox had gone
to that state, and as his relations with
him had been of the most intimate
kind, he fixed upon Wilcox as the
man to help him work up higher
figures in the mail routes in which he
had become interested. Dorsey first
telegraphed to parties in Portland to
learn if Wilcox was there, and having
ascertained that he was he wrote him,
stating what service he wanted per-
formed, and directed him to 60 to
Eugene City, giving instructions at
the same time how to get up petitions,
haye them signed and make sub-con-
tracts for carrying the mails. The
petitions were to be forwarded to
Washington to be used in getting the
service and pay increased. Wilcox
was to receive five dollars day and
his expenses. Before starting for
Eugene City he received the following
telegram:
"Washington, d. c., April 26, 1879,
Fl. r. Wilcox: All my other letters
were written to Eugene City. Have
telegraphed money. Enquire at tele-
graph office. Go Immediately.
S. w. DORSEY"
The money being received for ex-
penses, Wilcox went to Eugene City.
where he received Dorsev's other let
ters, with memoranda directing hi m
to proceed. The route Dorsey first
wished to operate Oh was from Eu-
gene City across the Cascade Noun
talns to Mitchell, in eastern Oregon,
by way of Pineville. This route is al
most wholly unnecessary, as it passes
through nearly uninhabited coun-
try, and the small centres of popula-
ton on it, east OF the Cascade range,
are supplied by other routes. Dorsey
drew up in his own hand and for
warded to Wilcox the following form
of petition on which signatures were
to be obtained, and forwarded to
the Postmaster General:
"We, the undersigned citizens, of
Bridge Greek, Oregon, beg to earn
estly recommend to your favorable
consideration an increase OF the mail
service between Eugene City and this
place, to daily line, and ask that the
speed be greatly increased. This
route supplies a large anu iapidly in
creasing population, and it is the sole
means of conveying intelligence to a
great portion of southern Oregon
We believe the public interest will be
greatly subserved by an early increase
of this service and we earnestly re-
commend it,"
TO this Dorsey added these words
of instruction to Wilcox: "Of course
you want the wording as we'll as hand
writing of each person to be as differ
ent as possible" Dorsey next pro-
ceeded to instruct Wilcox how to sub
let the route, as the following tele-
gram shows:
washington, April 23, 1927.
r.. Wilcox, Eugene City: Make the
contract for the Bridge Creek route
for speed of four and half miles an
hour, three trips weekly. No sub
contract to be filed, but payment to
be guaranteed by me personally.
Make the same contract on the Look
ing Glass route. Telegraph the result
S. w. DORSEY"
The following was the next tele-
gram received by Wilcox:
"Washington, April %, 1879.-F.
r. Wilcox: Make no compromise
with sub-contractors. There must be
absolutely new contracts with amount
specially stated Telegraph fully
upon closing contracts.
S. w. DORSEY"
Fearing that Wilcox would not fully
understand, Dorsey, at later hour OF
7 the same day, telegraphed as< follows
"Washington, April %, 1879-F. r
Wilcox A new contract becomes
necessary because the old firm is dis
. solved and the business passes into
new hands. Must have a new con
tract or no pay. The contract OF
t Bridge Greek route for three, six an(
, seven week on a schedule of four
times a week and on schedule o
, four miles an hour; also same OF
. Looking Glass route. Telegraph mi
, fully before closing any contracts
Deal with responsible men.
S. w. DORSEY"
, Here an old trick is manifest. The
: old firm is dissolved, that is, the straw
bidder was pushed out Of the way anG
the ring was making its last move
Here is the next telegram