Your petitioners, citizens of Chicago, Illinois, respectfully represent, That in February 1847, they were invited to bid for Several mail routes which had been abandoned by O Hinton & Co. On the 16^th Feb. they entered into contracts with H L Stewart Post Master at Chicago, acting as agent for the Post office Department, for Route N^o 4272, Chicago to Ottawa, at the rate of thirty three dollars per trip, going & returning, and for Route 4269, Chicago to Galena at the rate of Fifty dollars per trip, both ways, and for Route N^o Chicago to Milwaukie, at the rate of Nineteen dollars per trip, both ways. Your petitioners continued to carry Said mails according to contract, until some time in March, or April, when the Post Master at Chicago was instructed by the Post office Department, to advertise, and let Said routes at public Letting, within certain limits. There being no lower offers for either of the routes, your petitioners were required to continue the Service under their contracts, until the routes were permanently relet in May & June

Your petitioners also Entered into contract with W^m H. Fessenden, Post Master at Peoria, as agent for the Dep^t for carrying the mail on Route 4240, Peoria to Ottawa at the rate of Twenty five dollars per trip, both ways, and continued to carry the Same, until it was permanently

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relet in June, to E S Alvord, no notice haveing been given that the contract was disapproved by the Department.

After all the above routes, were permanently relet Your petitioners presented their claim for payment, according to contract, which was refused by the Post Master Gen^l on the grounds that the Post Masters had no authority to make contracts, Payments were subsequently made, amounting in all to the sum of $3,498⁷⁸ leaving the case open for us to show by testimony that their contract prices were fair & reasonable under the circumstances & as low as any person would perform the same Service for Which Your petitioners think they have abundantly prooved by witnesses of the most unquestionable character & veracity, but still the settlement of their of their claim is refused.

Your petitioners therefore pray that Congress may pass a law for the payment of the balance of $4,905.³⁰ due them on their contracts