The morning call., 1893-10-06
SOUTHERN MAILS.
Merchants of r1aZatIan
Complain.
THE STEAMERS PASSED BY
Superintendent Brooks Takes Hunt
ingtoD's Line to Task for Vio-
Iation of Contract.

Some complaints have come to the San
Francisco Postofflce lately from Mexican
merchants at Mazatlan. Mexico. having
correspondents in this city, about the un-
satisfactory manner in which they get
their mails from this city; and these COM
plants have been sent on to the depart
ment at Washington.
One particular source Of grievance was
the failure of the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company's steamer. the City of Sydney.
to stop at that port after leaving here on
July "a. 1t seems that the mail steamers
have been passIng by Mazatlan and going
on to Acapulco. thus leaving the MaZatlan
people at the inconvenience of waiting for
some northward steamer The business
of Loaiza & Co. was made to suffer on that
account, as was also that of the Melchers :;
and these business houses were loud in
their protests.
The San Francisco postal authorities had
proceeded upon the theory that the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company was bound by
its contract obligations to carry mails di-
rect 10 MaZatlan, and had. of course,
turned over the MazatlaD mail sack to the
City of Sydney: SO when the Sydney's
dereliction was reported, word was at once
seut 10 IN. NJ. DTOohS, oupoEIutenueGt vi
mails at Washington. Mr.. Brooks com.
municated with the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company, and the company's excuse
was communicated to him couched in the
following words:
We have ascertained that the steamer on the
voyage referred TO did not stop at MaZatan.
and doubtless the Information which the de-
partment has received that letters for that por-
tion OF that voyage were carried 10 Acapulco
and were delivered at destination by steamer
gong north Is correct.
The omission of the steamer to stop at MaZat-
Ian OIL the voyage referred to arose from the
apparently greater Importance 10 postal and
commercial interests of The prompt completion
of the voyage to Panama and stopping for the
requisite length OF time for the accommodation
OF the important commercial interests OF he
ports OF Acapulco, Champerico, San Jose, Aca-
Julia and La Libertad.
MI. Brooks. however, does not look at
the matter from the same point of view
ana by letter just received from him
Postmaster Backus is Informed that the
steamer subjected herself to fine by her
breach. The letter is dated the 2Sth ulr.,
and the following extracts convey its
import:
Str: have to acknowledge the receipt OF
your letter of the 18th ut.. with its inclos-
ures. relative TO the delay In delivery OF letters
for MaZatlaD. Mexico, by reason Of the failure
to call at MazatIan Of the contract mail steamer
City Of Sydney, which sailed from San Francis
co on the Oath Of July last =
As the steamer in question was under con-
tract obligations to call at MaZatlan. your office
was correct in making up and dispatcbing
mails for that port in accordance with my letter
No. los, 1852, OF the 14th OF June last, and the
steamship company has subjected itself to a
fine for the failure to call.
The delay In the delivery OF the correspon-
dence for MaZatlan Is regretted. but for the
reasons stated above the delay cannot be at
trihuted TO the fault OF your Office OF to the In
structiOns issued by this department
| BY my letter No. 110,229, of the 14th inst,
! you were advised that the contract mall SER
vice between San Francisco and Panama and
] intermediate ports VIII be discontinued on the