“It is not considered expedient either for the government to
purchase the existing lines, or to construct and operate lines. How,
then, can the desired results be best attained? The Post-Office
Department has no facilities of its own for the transmission of
correspondence either by rail or telegraph. It contracts with the
railroad companies for carrying the mail, and it is proposed that it
shall contract with a telegraph company for transmitting messages.
“A bill was introduced at the last session of Congress, and referred
to the committee on Post Roads and Routes, to incorporate the
‘United States Postal Telegraph Company, and to establish a postal
system.’
“The first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sections of the bill
incorporate the company, with power to construct lines on all the
post roads and routes of the country.
“The sixth section authorizes the Postmaster-General to receive bids
from any telegraph company for the transmission by telegraph of
messages received and delivered through the post-office, to all
cities and villages of 5,000 inhabitants and over, and to towns on
the line of the telegraph, where stations may be established by
order of the Postmaster-General.
“The seventh section authorizes the Postmaster-General to contract
for the transmission by telegraph of messages with the company that
will engage to transmit them for the least sum, provided such sum
does not exceed twenty-five cents, including five cents postage for
each message of twenty words, including date, address, and
signature, for each and every 500 miles or fractional part thereof
the message may be transmitted, with five cents for each added five
words. All messages to be prepaid by stamps, or written on stamped
paper.
“Messages to be received at any and all post-offices, street-boxes,
or other receptacles for letters, and to be delivered by special
carrier without extra expense.
“Messages requiring immediate despatch to have priority of
transmission on payment of extra rates.
“The effect of the proposed reduction will be better appreciated by
comparing the present and proposed rates.
┌──────────────────────────────┬───────┬────────┬──────────┬──────────┐
│ DISTANCES. │Present│Proposed│ │ Pro Rata │
│ │Rates. │ Rates. │Reduction.│Reduction.│
├──────────────────────────────┼───────┼────────┼──────────┼──┬───────┤
│To stations within 500 miles │ $0.41│ $0.30│ $0.11│26│per ct.│
│To stations between 500 and │ │ │ │ │ │
│ 1,000 miles │ 1.43│ 0.55│ 0.88│62│ „ │
│To stations between 1,000 and │ │ │ │ │ │
│ 1,500 miles │ 2.41│ 0.81│ 1.60│67│ „ │
│To stations between 1,500 and │ │ │ │ │ │
│ 2,000 miles │ 3.41│ 1.47│ 1.94│56│ „ │
├──────────────────────────────┼───────┼────────┼──────────┼──┼───────┤
│Averages │ $1.00│ $0.47│ $0.53│53│ „ │
└──────────────────────────────┴───────┴────────┴──────────┴──┴───────┘