Your petitioner, a resident of Galena, in the State of Illinois, respectfully represents, That in the month of February 1847 he was Solicited by Post Masters & others to make proposals, for carrying the mails on the Several routes abandoned by O Hinton & Co. And that on the 13^th Feb. he entered into contract with J R Diller, Post Master at Springfield Ill. acting as the agent for the Post office Department, for carrying the mail on Route N^o 4157, Springfield to Peoria, at the rate of Twenty five dollars per trip both ways, and on Route N^o 4155, Springfield to Rushville, at the rate of Sixteen dollars per trip both ways. He also entered into contract on the 15^th Feb. with A Dunlap Post Master at Rushville, acting as agent for the Post office Dep^t for carrying the mail from Rushville to Burlington, at the rate of Sixteen dollars per trip both ways. all of which contracts were to continue, until the Post Master ^Gen^l^ who was immediately notified, should order otherwise. At the time of making said contracts, Your petioner owned no Stock upon the route, nor had he ever been interested in running Stages upon either of the routes, but immediately made arrangements, and put the lines in operation, and continued to perform the Service, in good faith, during the

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most unfavourable portion of the Year, until June, when the first named route was let, to E. S. Alvord, and the two latter to John Frink. During all of this time of three months & a half, no notice was given that the contracts were disapprooved, but was permitted, to carry the mails during all the high waters & bad roads, when there was but little, or no travel, until the roads became Settled, and a favourable time arrived, for Strong competion in reletting Said routes.

In August last your petitioner presented his claim for payment, which was refused, and the authority of the Post Master who made the contracts disavowed by the Dep^t. Subsequently, payments were made on the above routes, amounting in all to the sum of &1,790.96. leaving the question open, for your petitioner to Show by testimony, that the prices Stipulated in the contracts, were fair & reasonable. Your petitioner has at great expense and trouble, procured, & submitted to the Post Master Gen^l numerous affidavits, from men of the most unquestionable character & veracity, which shows that the prices were not only reasonable under the circumstances, but less than any man could afford, or would agree to take. Still the Post master Gen^l declines payments [...?]

Your petitioner would therefor pray that Congress may pass a law

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for the payment of the balance due him under his contracts of $2,116,04, as will appear from the contracts, and certificates, on file in the Post. office Dep^t