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Richmond Fredk & Potomac Rail RoadOffice Richmond 8th March 1847 Hon Cave Johnson Post Master General Sir
Proposals being invited for the transportation of the Mail on the various routes through
Virginia after the 1st of July 1847. I have the honor to make to you the following proposals for the route
between Washington and Richmond (Nos 2401 & 2427).
That the Rail-Road and Steam Boat Companies both being now under the control of the same Board of Directors will transport
the Mail in the time and agreably to the schedules proposed by the Department, for four years from the 1st July next (including the delivery of the Mail at the Richmond and Petersburg Depot in Richmond and at the rail-road Depot in Washington as well as at the Post Offices in those Cities and the local offices on the route)
for the sum of thirty six thousand five hundred dollars.
The above offer is somewhat higher than that at which the rail-road and Steam Boat Companies proposed to contract for the mail for four years at the last mail letting
in 1843. On the other hand it will be seen on a comparison of schedules proposed
by the Department, that the time allowed in the present schedules is shorter than was then proposed
and that the schedules are particularly disadvantageous to the Steam Boat portion of the route, the way travel of which will necessisarily suffer greatly by the night schedule coming south in winter and in insuring connections
by the short schedules proposed in summer.
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I might add to these considerations that both the rail-road and Steam Boat Companies having spared and being determined to spare no expense, whether in their
ice boats or otherwise in order to insure the speediest and most effective transportation
of the Mail at all seasons of the year and never to allow a failure of it when it can be avoided, trust they
may rely on the disposition of the Department to award a fair compensation for the same.
They hope under these considerations that the above proposition may be satisfactory
to the Department.
RespectfullyYour Obt[Obedient] ServantSigned M Robinson Prest[President]
Statement in connection with the above
| From Baltimore to Cumberland, to carry the mail in Stages or Mail Carts 138 miles at an average of 6 miles p hour, including stoppages, would require |
23 hours |
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| The Rail Road 180 miles long, requires | 11 2 do | ||
| Saving to the Department by use of Rail Road | 12 hours | ||
| From Washington to Richmond to carry the Mail in Stages of Mail Carts 130 Miles at an average of 5 miles p hour which in view of the bad condition of the road between those points a larger average throughout the year, than 6 on the Maryland Turnpike,) would require |
26 hours |
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| The Rail Road and Steam Boat line requires | 92do | ||
| Saving to the Department by use of Rail Road | 17 hours | ||
| The mail pay on the Baltimore & Ohio Rail Road at $237 50/100 p Mile for 180 Miles is | $42.750 | " | |
| To Carry it in stages 138 Miles at $200. p mile would cost | 27.600 | ||
| Sum paid for 12 hours saving of time to Balto & Ohio Rail Road | $15.150 | " | |
| The Richmond Fredg & P. Rail Road and ^steam^ Boat Companies offer is | 36.500 | ||
| To carry the Mail in stages, 130 Miles at $200 would cost | 26.000 | " | |
| Asked for 17 hours saving of time by R F & P RlRd Compy | $10.500 | " |
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Handwritten Transcription, 3 page(s), tray 12, folder 2, RG 233, Entry 364: Records of the United States House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Committee Reports and Papers, 1847-1849, NAB,