Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-03-31

burg should be daily. Is your con
tract a daily one?
Major Adams-No; my contra.s is
not daily. 1t is six times a week. The
Avalanche knows perfectly we'll that
it is elk times a week, as fully ex-
planned in the article of the LEDGER
oflast Tuesday, Still that paper re-
ports that my contract is daily.
Reporter-Msjo suppose you fail
to deliver mails over your routes any
trip, are there any penalties2
Major Adams-0f course, and the
least penalty is a deduction Of the con-
tract pay for the service not per.
formed.
Reporter-How much have you
been fined since you have had these
contracts?
Major Adams-I cannot recollect
how much the total has been, but fol
the last quarter the deductions were
as follows: Route $1,000, $2495.79
route 29,063, $4,000; route 29,O64,
1865. 35-over $4,000 in three months.
and by this you see that unless service
is performed it is never paid for.
Reporters this an unusual or ex-
traordinary quarter?>
Major Adams-Yes. Low water.
bad weather and ice caused the fail
ures. They we're unavoidable, but no
excuse will prevent the pay being de-
Quoted ia case service is not per-
formed. If the excuse is good it will
prevent a fine,
Reporter-Leldin merchants here
are unanimous in the opinion that the
present mail system is the best we have
ever enjoyed, and a great improvement
over that of former years, both by
river and rail, and that the increase of
the river mails are not only advanta-
geous to the people served, but is also
largely beneficial to the business inter
ests Of the Mississippi valley and Of
our city. Will you be kind enough to
express your unbiased.Opinion on these
points?-as a business man, | mean,
and not as a contractor. You have
been for many years past identified
with the commercial interests Of this
city and the adjacent country, and any
expression from you will have due
weight with the community.
Major Adams-The local, marine
and mercantile business along the riv-
err has increased within a few years
past FIVE fold at least. There is a
constant flow Of emigration TO the
rich a%lluvial lands in the bottoms, and
the bulk of it belongs to the industrial
or laboring classes. The increased ia.
c%ilities for travelling, and shipment of
freights. os we'll as Of traffic with the
people, is greatly enhanced by an in
creased mail service. at the same
time the cost Of conducting it is
heavy, and all ofthe outlay incumbent
upon running steamers, etc., is dis
tributed among the people who live in
this city or along the routes. Capital
rs we'll as people is attracted toward
the valley by mails being frequently
distributed, aud when the populace
IRE so urgent as have been those over
the routes l serve, for the expeditions
and increased postal advantages that
have been established, | cannot see
why your people should be anything
else but unanimous in their opposition
to any curtailment of the present mail
system, or of their dis pproval of
reckless statements from people who
appear not to know what they are talk
ing about.
The reported thinking these remarks
covered the case. at least as as far as
it has gone, took his leave, and left
Major Adams, to himself and his pri-
rate affairs.