Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-07-28
The Star Route Steal.
ROUTE NO. 45,101.

garded in the postoftice department as
the personal perquisite of j. w.
Parker and his gang. Route No. 49,
101 extends from Reno to Susanville,
with three intermediate stations, 90
miles. 1t had a service of six times a
week. According to the advertise
ment, the route cost to run $4,000 per
annum A bond Of 81 900 and a check
of $500 were required. Of II bidders
V. H. Pease was the lowest, at 81 $50.
His bid was accepted Marcel. Is, 1878,
to take effect July 1. On June 10 he
executed a sub-contract to j. w.
Parker. On July so petit n for a
reduction of schedule time from 81 to
Is hours was received, accom- panied
by an affidavit by Parker declaring
that he was employing 9 horses and 5
men, and that the expedition" would
require Is horses and 10 men. There
was also letter from Senator John
P. Jones, in which he indorsed the
proposed reduction as urgently de-
manded by the public interests" and
added: Besides, and in addition to
that, l will esteem it personal favor
to myself"
That settled it. On September "a an
order was issued reducing the schedule
to Is hours, and allowing Parker 1880
additional pay from Oct. /. This,
however, was not satisfactory to Par
ker. He claimed that in his affidavit
he calculated on the basis of reduc-
ton to SO hours instead of Is hours.
Another letter from Jones and a petit
ton from alleged citizens of Nevada
and California were forwarded to assist
him, and on Dec. 80 Brady issued an
order countermanding the first, and
allowing 81 1926 additional pay, max
ing in all $11, 1925 per annum.
ROUTE NO. 40, 103.
This route is from Carson CITY TO
Aurora, with six intermediate stations,
100 miles and back, with 4 daily service.
Its cost previous to advertising was
S25 400 per annum. A bond of $24 900
and a check of 81, go were required.
There were Is bidders. V. II.
Peace was the lowest, at $3.50,
and his bid was accepted March
10, 1878, to begin July l. He immedi-
ately executed IL sub-contract to j. w.
Parker. In December petitions poured
in for a reduction Of schedule time
from "a to Is hours. They were en-
dorsed by Sen. Newton Booth and
Congressman Thomas Wren. ''Do this
Brady" at once raised Parker's pay
81 $50 40 per annum-to $17 ,S7S. 40
and there it has remained.
ROUTE NO. 1906.
This route has Aurora and Bodie as
termini, the distance between them be-
ing twelve miles. The service was
three times week and a bond of
5000 was required. OF thirteen bidders
James M. Benton was the lowest, at
800. His bid was accepted March Is,
1878; service to begin July /.
On June 20, he made the route over to
j. w. Parker. Parker wrote person
al letter on the official paper of the
second postmaster general, dated
Washington, Oct. 8, 1878, asking for an
increase of four trips per week Pure
ly on the strength of this
Brady granted his request and
added s533.88 to his salary.
In December Parker came to the front
again with petition Endorsed by the
Hon. Thomas Wren, asking for a re-
duction of schedule from three to two
hours. 1t may here be noted that all
these routes are on the same kind of
paper in the same handwriting, and
fastened IN the same peculiar style.
DO this Brady appears on the
Jacket of the petition, and Parker was
gwen further increase of 81, 1904
per annum. The clerk reported the
net revenue of the offices benefited as
$3.50.
ROUTE NO. As, LOG.
his route extends from Aurora to
independence, 1913 miles, with four in
termediate stations. The service called
for in the advertisement was three
times week. A bond of $4,000 and
check of $500 were required.
There were six bids, of which
George Allman's, at 5000, was the
lowest, and it was accepted March
10, 1873. Altman was evidently an
outsider, and steps were taken to freeze
MN out. There are complaints from
nm on file alleging that he has been
unable to get his pay, and expressing
fears that he will have to throw the
contract up. On May 90, 1879, he was
compelled to execute sub-contract to
j. W, Parker. In July the usual petit
ton, Endorsed by Senator Booth, was
received, asking for an increase to daily
service. Again Bradley made his tails
manic marx, and Parker was 81 1893 .66
per annum better off, though the net
revenue Of the offices benefited was
but $3.50 per annum. Parker continued