National Republican., 1883-06-13
THE SARCASTIC SENATOR.
He Writes n Letter TO the Postmaster
General in Reply TO an Article I'm "Ths
Republican.V

He Writes n Letter 20 the Postmaster
General in Reply to an Article i'm "Thc
Republican,"
Another contribution to the literature of
the Nebraska mail-route controversy was yes
terday delivered to the Postoflice department
by Senator Van Wyck, in the shape.of the fol-
lowing letter:
To THE HONORABLE THE POSTMASTER GENERAL:
A labored article in THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, OF
yesterday has evidently, the sanction, and con-
tains the defense of the contract bureau for tho
star route service from Fort Nlobrara to
Deadwood still claiming the protection of con.
gressional recommendation, If the establishment
of mail routes and daily service hundreds of miles
through Indian reservations where no whites
lived, was matter OF spoils and patronage for
congressman.
Passing by the facts that this line Is on neither
of the three routes secured to the government by
agreement made with the Indians in 1877, and
that only three postmasters, one OF them suter at
Fort Niobrara, advised this service previous to
advertisement for proposals. aud that after the
subject was fully discussed and the senate oom-
mittee unanimously concluded no further attempt
would be made to let the proposed routes and the
checks required with contractors bid. sud-
denly and quietly the matter is revived
R ss o. bPPSnas
says. "The congressman was told, In the Office oi
the chief OF the contract bureau. that IL would be
necessary to readvertise the route unless the low
est bidder would como forward aud take the work
at his former offer. Miner happened 10
bo iii an adjoining room and overheard the con.
versation between Gen. Elmer and the Nebraska
delegation. He Immediately sent word by clerk
that he was ready TO undertake the work at the
price offered. He did not have to be solicited but
volunteered TO take the contract and II was then
and there awarded"
Their own defense clearly shows that there was
no legal authority to make the contract as they
did. This reveals another strange and grim c..
incidence, and shows the perfect mystery of all
star route doings, and the wonderful accident or
skill born of large experience in ways that are
dark. A vision or messenger must have appeared
to Miner IN the prisoners dock, advising him TO
present himself at the Postoiice department at n
certain hour, to be conveniently i'll room adjoin-
ing the chief of bureau, butnot engaged SO noisly
in business or distracted In thought of the
prison gloom into which the bureau was
overhearing the conversation of the chief and a
portion of the Nebraska delegation, and that then,
forgetting his prosecutions and forgiving his tor
mentors, he should at once relieve the perplexed
bureau by sending the clerk to convey the Joy ful
tidlngs that he would cheeriully accept the prof
| fered route. Strange that innocent circumstances
should weave the sembance of n conspiracy.
In this case Miner was doubtless the most inno-
| cent, a portion of the Nebraska delegation the
most guilty, as will appear hereafter, and the CON
| tract bureau victim, willing however, TO be de-
celved
The excuse for this illegal letting and this
| mysterious meeting and oyerhearing was that
| since congress adjourned "strong petitions bear.
ing the Endorsements of the best men In Nebraska
and Dakota were urgl Ing SO says the defense.
| The records of your department show three pc
tltons-one from Neigh, over l50 miles east o
Fort Niobrara, on the line Of the Sioux City and
Pacific railway, containing 40 names. The sec.
ond carefully omits TO give any locality, but from
the text evidently comes from the Black Hills
country with 100 names The third and last rep
resented to he by "cltizens OF northwestern Ne
| braska," which includes large territory and
sparse population, signed by so persons, bearing
| the ear marks of professional skill.
| The star reuters always operate successfully In
the region of forts and camps. Here appeared the
army suffers, the subcontractor under Miner and
| 10 "A mi f ltnWa
| they hailed the excitement of reading and sign.
ing petition and they were accordingly utilized
| aud nearly seventy soldiers aud army teamsters
were transferred from the muster rolls to this peti
tlon, the only one representing the suffering oiti
| zens of "NOrthwestorn Nebraska" leaving about
twenty probably genuine citizens TO plead for this
| service
My objection has been to increasing at large ex.
pense additional daily routes to Deadwood, where
public necessity does not demand them If tn,
postmaster general is satisfied this proposed route
Is superior TO the Others, and the public interes
will be better observed by Withdrawing others anC
substituting this. that is matter for MIN to deter
mine. Yours, respectfully c. II. VAN WICK,