Chapter XII: Philadelphia—1793 (2)

─────────────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬───────────┬──────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────
States and │ Letter │ Newspaper │ Registered│ Stamps │ Total │ Compensation
Territories. │ postage. │ postage. │ letters. │ sold. │ receipts. │ allowed
│ │ │ │ │ │ postmasters.
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
─────────────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼───────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Maine │ $16,151 48 │ $15,143 32 │ $364 75 │ $174,250 15 │ $205,909 70 │ $87,437 05
New Hampshire │ 5,270 41 │ 10,600 40 │ 245 15 │ 112,674 66 │ 128,790 62 │ 57,605 44
Vermont │ 5,040 02 │ 13,210 71 │ 107 80 │ 111,001 79 │ 129,360 32 │ 62,723 43
Massachusetts │ 53,960 83 │ 26,017 85 │ 938 25 │ 630,945 54 │ 711,862 47 │ 178,302 36
Rhode Island │ 4,597 27 │ 3,138 61 │ 124 00 │ 71,259 82 │ 79,119 70 │ 18,723 46
Connecticut │ 10,360 68 │ 16,560 24 │ 200 55 │ 199,995 04 │ 227,116 51 │ 78,643 49
New York │ 186,079 59 │ 82,877 23 │ 2,462 60 │ 1,543,349 08 │ 1,814,768 50 │ 375,647 15
New Jersey │ 17,902 57 │ 11,681 08 │ 254 10 │ 145,255 42 │ 175,093 17 │ 69,264 81
Pennsylvania │ 70,982 27 │ 41,634 24 │ 2,054 20 │ 770,025 27 │ 884,695 98 │ 248,695 26
Delaware │ 1,782 20 │ 2,265 95 │ 50 95 │ 26,431 57 │ 30,530 67 │ 10,867 93
Maryland │ 19,330 33 │ 9,053 54 │ 412 15 │ 178,566 52 │ 207,362 54 │ 48,059 82
District of Columbia │ 8,113 23 │ 3,295 38 │ 714 85 │ 220,399 83 │ 232,523 29 │ 4,974 33
Virginia │ 8,261 65 │ 3,526 45 │ 301 50 │ 129,284 88 │ 141,374 48 │ 30,212 30
North Carolina │ 86 │ 1 00 │ ... │ 1 17 │ 3 03 │ 1 37
South Carolina │ 693 54 │ 16 68 │ 31 25 │ 8,734 47 │ 9,475 94 │ 1,173 96
Georgia │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
Florida │ 224 29 │ 238 44 │ 27 10 │ 3,702 27 │ 4,192 10 │ 2,181 17
Alabama │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
Mississippi │ 768 82 │ 45 39 │ 2 10 │ 2,598 46 │ 3,414 77 │ 571 74
Texas │ 410 41 │ 303 63 │ 3 25 │ 3,774 49 │ 4,491 78 │ 1,568 48
Kentucky │ 10,853 71 │ 10,413 86 │ 225 36 │ 156,383 79 │ 177,876 71 │ 56,134 80
Michigan │ 18,627 77 │ 20,035 00 │ 565 60 │ 198,002 35 │ 237,230 72 │ 96,342 58
Wisconsin │ 20,500 74 │ 21,160 79 │ 706 15 │ 200,304 73 │ 242,672 41 │ 92,140 83
Louisiana │ 413 88 │ 12 50 │ 1 55 │ 1,063 97 │ 1,491 90 │ 164 83
Tennessee │ 346 25 │ 294 67 │ 9 65 │ 13,242 05 │ 13,892 62 │ 1,722 39
Missouri │ 17,158 44 │ 12,012 51 │ 419 45 │ 197,941 27 │ 227,531 67 │ 54,391 22
Illinois │ 35,528 66 │ 40,921 73 │ 1,516 90 │ 512,537 84 │ 590,505 13 │ 192,517 25
Ohio │ 51,011 36 │ 46,777 68 │ 1,608 15 │ 601,087 26 │ 700,484 45 │ 242,660 99
Indiana │ 30,056 54 │ 28,366 16 │ 720 55 │ 258,659 00 │ 317,802 25 │ 133,765 80
Arkansas │ ... │ 46 │ ... │ 12 26 │ 12 72 │ 45
Iowa │ 12,736 41 │ 18,866 91 │ 444 60 │ 151,436 63 │ 183,484 55 │ 80,201 30
California │ 24,430 64 │ 9,869 93 │ 402 55 │ 218,540 19 │ 253,243 31 │ 48,672 41
Oregon │ 2,211 07 │ 1,467 34 │ 7 25 │ 10,390 35 │ 14,076 01 │ 5,975 93
Minnesota │ 5,907 22 │ 6,336 24 │ 159 05 │ 41,850 41 │ 54,253 22 │ 24,693 39
Kansas │ 1,842 71 │ 2,348 60 │ 44 25 │ 26,236 61 │ 30,472 17 │ 13,592 51
Utah │ 1,436 81 │ 174 49 │ 2 40 │ 1,348 58 │ 2,962 28 │ 1,597 13
Nebraska │ 843 61 │ 1,023 34 │ 9 35 │ 7,876 64 │ 9,752 94 │ 4,846 26
Washington │ 1,013 85 │ 258 66 │ 2 45 │ 2,017 39 │ 3,292 35 │ 1,852 25
New Mexico │ 240 54 │ 95 00 │ 95 │ 1,246 42 │ 1,582 91 │ 815 24
Colorado │ 1,639 00 │ 569 83 │ 3 70 │ 6,404 97 │ 8,617 50 │ 4,478 89
Dakota │ 569 76 │ 72 23 │ 50 │ 817 40 │ 1,459 89 │ 810 78
Nevada │ 1,905 54 │ 862 01 │ 6 25 │ 3,200 68 │ 5,974 48 │ 3,500 44
├────────────┼────────────┼───────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
│ 649,205 26 │ 461,550 08 │ 15,151 20 │ 6,942,851 22 │ 8,068,757 76 │ 2,337,531 21
Deduct miscellan’s │ │ │ │ │ │
items │ 1,297 20 │ 745 22 │ 1 85 │ 32,719 33 │ 34,763 60 │ ...
Add miscellaneous │ │ │ │ │ │
items │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ 3,236 07
├────────────┼────────────┼───────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
│ 647,908 06 │ 460,804 86 │ 15,149 35 │ 6,910,131 89 │ 8,033,994 16 │ 2,340,767 28
On acc’t of route │ │ │ │ │ │
ag’ts, mail │ │ │ │ │ │
messengers, special │ │ │ │ │ │
transportation, │ │ │ │ │ │
for’n mails, &c. │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
├────────────┼────────────┼───────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
│ │ │ │ │ │
Add receipts on │ │ │ │ │ │
account of │ │ │ │ │ │
emoluments, &c. │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
Deduct excess of │ │ │ │ │ │
receipts │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
─────────────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴───────────┴──────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────

─────────────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────┬────────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────
States and │ Incidental │ Total │ Amount of │ Total │ Excess of │ Excess of
Territories. │ expenses of │ compensation │ transportation │ expenses. │ expenditures │ receipts
│ post-offices.│ and │ certified to │ │ over │ over
│ │ incidental │ the Postmaster-│ │ receipts. │ expenditures.
│ │ expenses. │ General for │ │ │
│ │ │ payment and │ │ │
│ │ │ credited to │ │ │
│ │ │ contractors. │ │ │
─────────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Maine │ $17,489 69 │ $104,926 74 │ $103,483 36 │ $208,410 00 │ $2,500 40 │ ...
New Hampshire │ 5,118 38 │ 62,723 82 │ 53,929 30 │ 116,653 12 │ ... │ $12,137 50
Vermont │ 1,344 44 │ 64,067 87 │ 73,958 60 │ 138,027 47 │ 8,666 15 │ ...
Massachusetts │ 112,309 47 │ 290,611 83 │ 177,787 29 │ 468,399 12 │ ... │ 213,463 35
Rhode Island │ 9,676 44 │ 28,399 90 │ 11,369 87 │ 39,769 77 │ ... │ 39,349 93
Connecticut │ 17,295 78 │ 95,939 27 │ 82,471 38 │ 178,410 65 │ ... │ 48,705 86
New York │ 323,254 45 │ 698,901 60 │ 479,342 89 │ 1,178,244 49 │ ... │ 636,524 01
New Jersey │ 8,691 96 │ 77,956 77 │ 98,778 11 │ 176,734 88 │ 1,641 71 │ ...
Pennsylvania │ 103,911 87 │ 352,607 19 │ 365,907 08 │ 718,514 21 │ ... │ 166,181 77
Delaware │ 2,335 17 │ 13,203 09 │ 18,730 29 │ 31,933 38 │ 1,402 71 │ ...
Maryland │ 34,410 10 │ 82,469 92 │ 232,202 13 │ 314,672 05 │ 107,309 51 │ ...
District of Columbia │ 62,304 15 │ 67,278 48 │ ... │ 67,278 48 │ ... │ 165,244 81
Virginia │ 19,062 42 │ 49,274 72 │ 53,319 09 │ 102,593 81 │ ... │ 38,780 67
North Carolina │ ... │ 1 37 │ ... │ 1 37 │ ... │ 1 66
South Carolina │ ... │ 1,173 96 │ ... │ 1,173 96 │ ... │ 8,301 98
Georgia │ ... │ ........ │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
Florida │ 91 49 │ 2,272 66 │ ... │ 2,272 66 │ ... │ 1,919 44
Alabama │ ... │ ........ │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
Mississippi │ 395 08 │ 966 82 │ ... │ 966 82 │ ... │ 2,447 95
Texas │ 50 │ 1,568 98 │ ... │ 1,568 98 │ ... │ 2,922 80
Kentucky │ 19,066 27 │ 75,201 07 │ 216,073 18 │ 291,274 25 │ 113,397 54 │ ...
Michigan │ 23,322 77 │ 119,665 35 │ 187,149 80 │ 306,815 15 │ 69,584 43 │ ...
Wisconsin │ 14,584 80 │ 106,725 63 │ 151,010 16 │ 257,735 79 │ 15,063 38 │ ...
Louisiana │ 465 51 │ 630 34 │ ... │ 630 34 │ ... │ 861 56
Tennessee │ 2,639 96 │ 4,362 35 │ ... │ 4,362 35 │ ... │ 9,530 27
Missouri │ 42,601 09 │ 96,992 31 │ 1,340,613 47 │ 1,437,605 78 │ 1,210,074 11 │ ...
Illinois │ 90,703 04 │ 283,220 29 │ 386,610 21 │ 669,830 50 │ 79,325 37 │ ...
Ohio │ 35,636 32 │ 328,297 31 │ 558,771 56 │ 887,068 87 │ 186,584 42 │ ...
Indiana │ 18,836 84 │ 152,602 64 │ 283,193 46 │ 435,796 10 │ 117,993 85 │ ...
Arkansas │ ... │ 45 │ 1,089 29 │ 1,089 74 │ 1,077 02 │ ...
Iowa │ 13,272 81 │ 93,474 11 │ 204,283 26 │ 297,757 37 │ 114,272 82 │ ...
California │ 35,259 26 │ 83,931 67 │ 297,072 52 │ 381,004 19 │ 127,760 88 │ ...
Oregon │ 67 37 │ 6,043 30 │ 23,474 00 │ 29,517 30 │ 15,441 29 │ ...
Minnesota │ 2,860 03 │ 27,553 42 │ 123,278 10 │ 150,831 52 │ 96,578 30 │ ...
Kansas │ 790 06 │ 14,382 57 │ 73,703 60 │ 88,086 17 │ 57,614 00 │ ...
Utah │ 39 87 │ 1,637 00 │ 17,226 00 │ 18,863 00 │ 15,900 72 │ ...
Nebraska │ 88 71 │ 4,934 97 │ 51,904 37 │ 56,839 34 │ 47,086 40 │ ...
Washington │ 6 84 │ 1,859 09 │ 32,685 45 │ 34,544 54 │ 31,252 19 │ ...
New Mexico │ ... │ 815 24 │ 19,825 14 │ 20,640 38 │ 19,057 47 │ ...
Colorado │ 124 76 │ 4,603 65 │ 1,327 60 │ 5,931 25 │ ... │ 2,686 25
Dakota │ 8 75 │ 819 53 │ ... │ 819 53 │ ... │ 640 36
Nevada │ 59 93 │ 3,560 37 │ ... │ 3,560 37 │ ... │ 2,414 11
├──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
│ 1,068,126 38 │ 3,405,656 59 │ 5,720,570 56 │ 9,126,228 15 │ 2,439,584 67 │ 1,382,114 28
Deduct miscellan’s │ │ │ │ │ │
items │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ...
Add miscellaneous │ │ │ │ │ │
items │ ... │ 3,236 07 │ 65,143 61 │ 103,143 28 │ 103,143 28 │ ...
├──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
│ 1,068,126 38 │ 3,408,893 66 │ 5,785,714 17 │ 9,229,371 43 │ 2,542,727 95 │ 1,382,114 28
On acc’t of route │ │ │ │ │ │
ag’ts, mail │ │ │ │ │ │
messengers, special │ │ │ │ │ │
transportation, │ │ │ │ │ │
for’n mails, &c. │ ... │ ... │ 1,207,899 58 │ ... │ │
├──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────────┼──────────────┤ │
│ │ │ 6,993,613 75 │ │ │
Add receipts on │ │ │ │ │ │
account of │ │ │ │ │ │
emoluments, &c. │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ 265,826 74
│ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────
│ │ │ │ │ │ 1,647,941 02
Deduct excess of │ │ │ │ │ │
receipts │ ... │ ... │ ... │ ... │ 1,647,941 02 │
│ │ │ │ ├──────────────┤
│ │ │ │ │ 894,786 93 │
─────────────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────┴────────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────

NOTE.—The following items of revenue are not embraced in the above statement, viz.:

Receipts on account of emoluments $93,842 25
Receipts on account of letter-carriers 167,662 16
Receipts on account of fines 1,455 00
Receipts on account of dead letters 1,052 51
Miscellaneous receipts 1,814 82
———————————
Total 265,826 74
===========
Excess of expenditures over receipts $894,786 93
Add amount paid for foreign mails and expenses
of government mail agents $405,249 22
Route agents 274,081 30
Supply of special offices and mail messengers 238,916 10
Ship, steamboat, and way-letters 6,860 11
Letter-carriers’ fees 167,662 16
Dead-letter money refunded ...
Amounts allowed and paid to Department, viz.:
Interest to contractors, under Act of
February 15, 1860 400 36
———————————————————————————
Amount carried forward $1,093,169 25 $894,786 93

Amount brought forward $1,093,169 25 $894,786 93
Wrapping paper 18,179 70
Office furniture 213 31
Advertising 24,120 73
Mail bags 47,902 35
Blanks 89,557 44
Mail locks, keys, and stamps 16,690 00
Mail depredations and special agents 48,320 06
Clerks for offices 14,697 63
Postage stamps and stamped envelopes 93,291 04
Miscellaneous payments 27,723 43
Foreign postage collected and returned
to foreign governments 167,238 40
—————————— 1,641,103 34
————————————
Total excess of expenditures over receipts $2,535,890 27
Add difference between _accrued_ and _paid_ transportation 289,652 96
Add amount charged to “bad debts” and “suspense” accounts 601 12
—————————————
Total amount $2,826,144 35

The aggregate receipts for 1863 were $11,163,789 59
” ” expenditures for 1863 were 11,314,206 84
——————————————
Deficiency $150,417 25

NUMBER OF POST-OFFICES, EXTENT OF POST-ROUTES, AND REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES OF THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT; WITH THE AMOUNT PAID TO POSTMASTERS AND FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE MAIL, SINCE 1790.

───────┬────────┬─────────┬──────────┬────────────┬────────────────────────────
│ No. of │ Extent │ Revenue │Expenditures│ Amount paid for
Year. │ Post- │of Post- │ of the │ of the ├─────────────┬──────────────
│Offices.│ Routes │ Depart- │ Department.│ Compen. of │ Transport’n
│ │in Miles.│ ment. │ │Postmasters. │ of the Mail.
───────┼────────┼─────────┼──────────┼────────────┼─────────────┼──────────────
1790 │ 75 │ 1,875 │ $37,935│ $32,140 │ $8,198 │ $22,081
1795 │ 453 │ 13,207 │ 160,620│ 117,893 │ 30,272 │ 75,359
1800 │ 903 │ 20,817 │ 280,804│ 213,994 │ 69,243 │ 128,644
1805 │ 1,558 │ 31,076 │ 421,373│ 377,367 │ 111,552 │ 239,635
1810 │ 2,300 │ 36,406 │ 551,684│ 495,969 │ 149,438 │ 327,966
1815 │ 3,000 │ 43,748 │ 1,043,065│ 748,121 │ 241,901 │ 487,779
1816 │ 3,260 │ 48,673 │ 961,782│ 804,422 │ 265,944 │ 521,970
1817 │ 3,459 │ 52,089 │ 1,002,973│ 916,515 │ 303,916 │ 589,189
1818 │ 3,618 │ 59,473 │ 1,130,235│ 1,035,832 │ 346,429 │ 664,611
1819 │ 4,000 │ 67,586 │ 1,204,737│ 1,117,861 │ 375,828 │ 717,881
1820 │ 4,500 │ 72,492 │ 1,111,927│ 1,160,926 │ 352,295 │ 782,425
1821 │ 4,650 │ 78,808 │ 1,059,087│ 1,184,283 │ 337,599 │ 815,681
1822 │ 4,709 │ 82,763 │ 1,117,490│ 1,167,572 │ 355,299 │ 788,618
1823 │ 5,043 │ 84,860 │ 1,130,115│ 1,156,995 │ 360,462 │ 767,464
1824 │ 5,182 │ 84,860 │ 1,197,758│ 1,188,019 │ 383,804 │ 768,939
1825 │ 5,677 │ 94,052 │ 1,306,525│ 1,229,043 │ 411,183 │ 785,646
1826 │ 6,150 │ 94,052 │ 1,447,703│ 1,366,712 │ 447,727 │ 885,100
1827 │ 7,003 │ 105,336 │ 1,524,633│ 1,468,959 │ 486,411 │ 942,335
1828 │ 7,530 │ 105,336 │ 1,659,915│ 1,689,945 │ 548,049 │ 1,086,313
1829 │ 8,004 │ 115,000 │ 1,707,418│ 1,782,132 │ 559,237 │ 1,153,646
1830 │ 8,450 │ 115,176 │ 1,850,583│ 1,932,708 │ 595,234 │ 1,274,009
1831 │ 8,686 │ 115,486 │ 1,997,811│ 1,936,122 │ 635,028 │ 1,252,226
1832 │ 9,205 │ 104,466 │ 2,258,570│ 2,266,171 │ 715,481 │ 1,482,507
1833 │ 10,127 │ 119,916 │ 2,617,011│ 2,930,414 │ 826,283 │ 1,894,638
1834 │ 10,693 │ 119,916 │ 2,823,749│ 2,910,605 │ 897,317 │ 1,925,544
1835 │ 10,770 │ 112,774 │ 2,993,356│ 2,757,350 │ 945,418 │ 1,719,007
1836 │ 11,091 │ 118,264 │ 3,408,323│ 3,841,766 │ 812,804 │ 1,638,052
1837 │ 11,767 │ 141,242 │ 4,236,779│ 3,544,630 │ 891,353 │ 1,996,727
1838 │ 12,519 │ 134,818 │ 4,238,733│ 4,430,662 │ 933,948 │ 3,131,308
1839 │ 12,780 │ 133,999 │ 4,484,657│ 4,636,536 │ 980,000 │ 3,285,622
1840 │ 13,468 │ 155,739 │ 4,543,522│ 4,718,236 │ 1,028,925 │ 3,296,876
1841 │ 13,778 │ 155,026 │ 4,407,726│ 4,499,528 │ 1,018,645 │ 3,159,375
1842 │ 13,733 │ 149,732 │ 4,546,849│ 5,674,752 │ 1,147,256 │ 3,087,796
1843 │ 13,814 │ 142,295 │ 4,296,225│ 4,374,754 │ 1,426,394 │ 2,947,319
1844 │ 14,103 │ 144,687 │ 4,237,288│ 4,296,513 │ 1,358,316 │ 2,938,551
1845 │ 14,183 │ 143,940 │ 4,289,841│ 4,320,732 │ 1,409,875 │ 2,905,504
[A]1846│ 14,601 │ 152,865 │ 3,487,199│ 4,084,297 │ 1,042,079 │ 2,716,673
[A]1847│ 15,146 │ 153,818 │ 3,955,893│ 3,979,570 │ 1,060,228 │ 2,476,455
[A]1848│ 16,159 │ 163,208 │ 4,371,077│ 4,346,850 │ │ 2,394,703
[A]1849│ 16,749 │ 163,703 │ 4,905,176│ 4,479,049 │ 1,320,921 │ 2,577,407
[A]1850│ 18,417 │ 178,672 │ 5,552,971│ 5,212,953 │ 1,549,376 │ 2,965,786
[A]1851│ 19,796 │ 196,290 │ 6,727,867│ 6,278,402 │ 1,781,686 │ 3,538,064
[A]1852│ 20,901 │ 214,284 │ 6,925,971│ 7,108,459 │ 1,296,765 │ 4,225,311
[A]1853│ 22,320 │ 217,743 │ 5,940,725│ 7,982,957 │ 1,406,477 │ 4,906,308
[A]1854│ 23,548 │ 219,935 │ 6,955,586│ 8,577,424 │ 1,707,708 │ 5,401,382
[A]1855│ 24,410 │ 227,908 │ 7,342,136│ 9,968,342 │ 2,135,335 │ 6,076,335
[A]1856│ 25,565 │ 239,642 │ 7,620,822│ 10,405,286 │ 2,102,891 │ 6,765,639
[A]1857│ 26,586 │ 242,601 │ 8,053,952│ 11,508,058 │ 2,285,610 │ 7,239,333
[A]1858│ 27,977 │ 260,603 │ 8,186,793│ 12,722,470 │ 2,355,016 │ 8,246,054
[A]1859│ 28,539 │ 260,052 │ 8,668,484│ 15,754,093 │ 2,453,901 │ 7,157,629
[A]1860│ 28,498 │ 240,594 │ 8,518,067│ 19,170,600 │ 2,552,868 │ 14,281,655
[A]1861│ 28,586 │ 140,399 │ 8,349,296│ 13,606,759 │ 2,514,157 │ 9,173,274
[A]1862│ 28,875 │ 134,013 │ 8,299,820│ 11,125,364 │ 2,340,767 │ 6,993,613[47]
1863│ 29,047 │ 139,598 │11,163,789│ 11,314,206 │ 2,876,983 │ 6,541,580
───────┴────────┴─────────┴──────────┴────────────┴─────────────┴──────────────

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF THE VALUE OF STAMPS AND STAMPED ENVELOPES ISSUED DURING THE THREE YEARS 1860-61-62.

───────┬───────────────┬─────────────┬───────────────
Years.│ Stamps. │ Envelopes. │ Total.
───────┼───────────────┼─────────────┼───────────────
1860 │ $5,920,939 00 │ $949,377 19 │ $6,870,316 19
1861 │ 5,908,522 60 │ 781,711 13 │ 6,690,233 73
1862 │ 7,078,188 00 │ 756,904 00 │ 7,835,092 00
───────┴───────────────┴─────────────┴───────────────

Increase over the issue of 1860 $964,775 81
Increase over the issue of 1861 1,144,858 27

STATEMENT SHOWING POSTAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN TOTO AND PER CAPITA, ACCORDING TO POPULATION, AT EIGHT SUCCESSIVE DECADES, FROM 1790 TO 1863, INCLUSIVE.

──────┬───────────┬──────────────┬────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
Years.│ Revenue. │ Expenditures.│ Population.│ Revenue per │ Expenditures
│ │ │ │ capita. │ per capita.
──────┼───────────┼──────────────┼────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
1790 │ $37,935│ $32,140 │ 3,929,827 │ 9/10 of a cent.│ 8/10 of a cent.
1800 │ 280,804│ 213,994 │ 5,305,925 │ 5-3/10 cents. │ 4 cents.
1810 │ 551,684│ 495,969 │ 7,239,814 │ 7-6/10 ” │ 6-8/10 ”
1820 │ 1,111,927│ 1,160,926 │ 9,638,131 │ 11-1/2 ” │ 12 ”
1830 │ 1,919,300│ 1,959,109 │ 12,866,020 │ 14-9/10 ” │ 15-2/10 ”
1840 │ 4,543,522│ 4,718,236 │ 17,069,453 │ 26-6/10 ” │ 27-6/10 ”
1850 │ 5,499,985│ 5,212,953 │ 23,191,876 │ 23-7/10 ” │ 22-1/2 ”
1851 │ 6,410,604│ 6,278,402 │ 23,873,717 │ 26-9/10 ” │ 26-3/10 ”
1852 │ 5,184,527│ 7,108,459 │ 24,575,604 │ 21-1/10 ” │ 28-9/10 ”
1853 │ 5,240,725│ 7,982,756 │ 25,298,126 │ 20-7/10 ” │ 31-1/10 ”
1854 │ 6,255,586│ 8,577,424 │ 26,041,890 │ 24 ” │ 32-9/10 ”
1855 │ 6,642,136│ 9,968,342 │ 26,807,521 │ 24-8/10 ” │ 37-2/10 ”
1856 │ 6,920,822│ 10,405,286 │ 27,595,662 │ 25 ” │ 37-7/10 ”
1857 │ 7,353,952│ 11,508,058 │ 28,406,974 │ 25-9/10 ” │ 40-1/2 ”
1858 │ 7,486,793│ 15,754,093 │ 30,101,857 │ 26-1/2 ” │ 52-3/10 ”
1860 │ 8,518,067│ 14,874,601 │ 31,445,089 │ 27-1/10 ” │ 47-3/10 ”
1861 │ 8,349,296│ 13,606,759 │ 32,577,112 │ 25-6/10 ” │ 41-8/10 ”
1862 │ 8,299,821│ 11,125,364 │ 33,749,888 │ 24-6/10 ” │ 33 ”
1863 │ 11,163,790│ 11,314,207 │ 34,762,384 │ 32-4/10 ” │ 32-9/10 ”
──────┴───────────┴──────────────┴────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

NOTE.—The population from 1851 to 1863, excepting the year 1860, is estimated by the standard ratio of increase.

_CHANGES AND REDUCTIONS IN THE RATES OF DOMESTIC POSTAGE IN FORMER YEARS._

The following will exhibit the principal changes and reductions in the rates of postage on domestic letters at various dates from 1792 to 1863. The _single_ rate for _land_ transit is referred to in every case.

Act of February 20, 1792. Rates for a single-sheet letter,—30
miles or under, 6 cents; 30 to 60 miles, 8 cents; 60 to 100
miles, 10 cents; 100 to 150 miles, 12 cents; 150 to 200
miles, 15 cents; 200 to 250 miles, 17 cents; 250 to 350
miles, 20 cents; 350 to 450 miles, 22 cents; over 450 miles,
25 cents.

Act of 2d March, 1799. Rates for a single-sheet letter,—40
miles or under, 8 cents; 40 to 90 miles, 10 cents; 90 to 150
miles, 12-1/2 cents; 150 to 300 miles, 17 cents; 300 to 500
miles, 20 cents; over 500 miles, 25 cents.

The revenue act of 23d December, 1814, added 50 per cent. to
the rates last above; but the addition was repealed February
1, 1816, which restored the rates of 1799.

Act of April 9, 1816. Rates for a single-sheet letter,—30
miles or under, 6 cents; 30 to 80 miles, 10 cents; 80 to 150
miles, 12-1/2 cents; 150 to 400 miles, 18-1/2 cents; over 400
miles, 25 cents.

Act of 3d March, 1845. Rates for a single-sheet letter,—300
miles or under, 5 cents; over 300 miles, 10 cents.

Act of 3d March, 1851. Rates for a half-ounce letter,—3000
miles or under, if prepaid, 3 cents, if unpaid, 5 cents; over
3000 miles, double.

Act of 3d March, 1855. Rates for a half-ounce letter,—3000
miles or under, 3 cents; over 3000 miles, 10 cents.

Under this act prepayment was not compulsory, and after
January, 1856, prepayment by stamps was required.

[The issue of postage-stamps was first authorized by an act
of 3d March, 1847, and subsequently by the act of 3d March,
1851.]

Act of 3d March, 1863. Rate for half-ounce letter, 3 cents
everywhere throughout the United States.

_DOMESTIC POSTAGE._

The law requires postage on all letters (including those to foreign countries when prepaid), excepting those written by officers of the government, addressed to the department with which they are connected, and on official business, to be prepaid by stamps or stamped envelopes, prepayment in money being prohibited.

All drop-letters must be prepaid, at the rate of two cents per half-ounce or fraction of a half-ounce, by postage stamps. If not prepaid, the double rate to be charged.

The single rate of postage on all domestic mail-letters throughout the United States is three cents per half-ounce, with an additional rate of three cents for each additional half-ounce or fraction of a half-ounce. The former ten-cent (Pacific) rate is abolished.

_NEWSPAPER POSTAGE._

Postage on _Daily Papers_ to subscribers when prepaid
quarterly or yearly in advance, either at the mailing-office
or office of delivery, per quarter (three months) 35 cts.
Six times per week, ” ” 30 ”
For Tri-Weekly, ” ” 15 ”
For Semi-Weekly, ” ” 10 ”
For Weekly, ” ” 5 ”

WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS (one copy only) sent by the publisher to actual subscribers within the county where printed and published, _free_.

POSTAGE PER QUARTER (to be paid quarterly or yearly in advance) on NEWSPAPERS and PERIODICALS _issued less frequently than once a week_, sent to actual subscribers in any part of the United States:

Semi-monthly, not over 4 oz. 6 cts.
” over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz. 12 ”
” over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz. 18 ”
Monthly, not over 4 oz. 3 ”
” over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz. 6 ”
” over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz. 9 ”
Quarterly, not over 4 oz. 1 ”
” over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz. 2 ”
” over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz. 3 ”

PUBLISHERS OF NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS may send to each other from their respective offices of publication, free of postage, one copy of each publication, and may also send to each actual subscriber, enclosed in their publications, bills and receipts for the same, free of postage. They may also state on their respective publications the date when the subscription expires, to be written or printed.

Religious, educational, and agricultural newspapers of small size, issued less frequently than once a week, may be sent in packages to one address at the rate of one cent for each package not exceeding four ounces in weight, and an additional charge of one cent is made for each additional four ounces or fraction thereof, the postage to be paid quarterly or yearly in advance.

NEWSDEALERS may send newspapers and periodicals to regular subscribers at the quarterly rates, in the same manner as publishers, and may also receive them from publishers at subscribers’ rates. In both cases the postage to be prepaid, either at the mailing-or delivery-office.

Publications issued without disclosing the office of publication, or containing a fictitious statement thereof, must not be forwarded by postmasters unless prepaid at the mailing-office at the rates of transient printed matter.

A letter over 500 miles cost thirty-seven and one-half cents in 1815; now it is carried to the extreme portion of our country, traversing mountains, passing deep ravines and rivers, for the small sum of three cents!

Harpers’ Magazine, had it been in existence in 1815, would have cost for each one twenty-seven cents, whereas now they only cost three cents to all parts of the country. What an age for literature! what an era in learning!

In 1779, in consequence of the increased nature of the postal business and the necessity for a more extended ramification of the system, the postmaster-general was to receive $5000 per annum, and the comptroller $4000,—meaning, of course, Continental money. Besides these two offices in the postal department, there was a secretary who acted as clerk to the postmaster-general. The comptroller settled the accounts, and was the book-keeper. There were three surveyors, who were to travel and inspect the conduct of the riders, agents, &c. There was also an inspector of dead letters, at a salary of $100 a year.

What is now called the post-office department was established in 1789 as the “post-office,” and subsequently as the “general post-office,” under the power given to Congress by the Constitution “to establish post-offices and post-roads,” and the exclusive privilege and control of all postal affairs, &c.

_ORGANIZATION OF THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT._

Congress shall have power “to establish post-offices and post-roads.” This short, concise, yet _embracing_ sentence sums up the constitutional basis of this department. It is comprehensive enough to all who fully understand the economical and practical workings of our government. Its conciseness is its very history; and that history becomes a mighty _tome_ in the library of nations.

The direction and management of the post-office department are assigned by the Constitution to the postmaster-general. That its business may be the more conveniently arranged and prepared for its final action, it is distributed among several bureaus, as follows:—the Appointment-Office, in charge of the First Assistant Postmaster-General; the Contract-Office, in charge of the Second Assistant Postmaster-General; the Finance-Office, in charge of the Third Assistant Postmaster-General; and the Inspection-Office, in charge of the Chief Clerk.

The duties of the several departments named above are thus defined:—

The postmaster-general “is further directed to superintend the business of the department in all the duties that are or may be assigned to it, and he is required once in three months to render to the Secretary of the Treasury an account of all the receipts and expenditures in the department, to be adjusted and settled as other accounts.” The postmaster-general may establish post-offices and appoint postmasters on the post-roads which are or may be authorized by law, at all such places as to him may appear expedient. He regulates the number of times the mail shall go from place to place, and he is authorized to contract for carrying the mail, and to establish post-roads.

_APPOINTMENT-OFFICE._

The Appointment-Office not only has supervision of the appointment and regulation of all postmasters, and the establishment and discontinuance of post-offices, but also the distribution of blanks, wrapping-paper, and twine to all post-offices; the supervision of pay of clerks in post-offices; of allowance for furniture of post-offices; of extra allowances to postmasters under the acts of Congress; of the appointment and pay of special agents, route-agents, local agents, and blank-agents, and of baggage-masters in charge of mails; of the foreign mail transportation and foreign correspondence; together with some other miscellaneous duties.

_CONTRACT-OFFICE._

The Contract-Office is charged with the conduct of mail-lettings, and all contracts and allowances for inland mail transportation, with the mail messenger service; the supervision and regulation of mail-contractors, and the routes of mail-transit, including distributing-offices; and with the increase and diminution of service on mail-routes.

_FINANCE-OFFICE._

To this office are assigned the issuing of postage-stamps and stamped envelopes for the prepayment of postage and the accounts thereof; the preparation of warrants and drafts in payment of balances reported by the Auditor to be due to mail-contractors and other persons; and the superintendence of the rendition by postmasters of their quarterly returns of postages. It embraces, also, all the operations of the dead-letter office, and the accounts connected therewith.

_INSPECTION-OFFICE._

The Inspection-Office is charged with the observation of failures and delinquencies in the service of contractors and route-agents; with fines and remissions thereof; with the subject of mail-depredations, and prosecution of violators of postal laws; with the duty of procuring and distributing mail-bags, locks and keys, and some other duties of detail.

Perhaps no institution in this or any other country requires more enterprise, general knowledge of business, and geography, than does that of the post-office. We have already alluded to the fact of its being considered by many as a “mere workshop” of the general department, and whose operations are simply mechanical; but our readers ere this have been undeceived as regards such a construction, and it must loom up before them a prominent intellectual branch of our government.

That England has a high estimate of her post-office department is evident from the encouragement given to every one connected with it, and sustaining alike its literary character in historic publications. We make the following extract from a recent work entitled “Her Majesty’s Mails”:—

“There is no postal service in the world so well managed as that of Great Britain. It is now not merely a self-supporting but a productive institution; whereas there was a deficiency of half a million in the post-office of America before the rupture between North and South. Though America for ninety years has been, next to England, the most commercial country in the world, yet, compared with the population, five times as many letters pass through the English post as through the American. London and its suburbs alone, with its less than three millions of inhabitants, sends forth a greater number of letters than the whole of America.

“The next best-managed post-office to our own is that of France; but in France, by the law of 1856, there are five different tariffs of postages. Judged by the revenue produced, the English post-office, notwithstanding its low rate of charges, stands first.

“The Austrian post-office produces a revenue of 3,714,200 florins, or £378,000; the Belgian, 2,960,000 francs; the French, 66,452,000 francs; and the English, £3,800,000; being more than a quarter of a million beyond the proceeds of 1862.

“A comparison of the year 1839—the year immediately preceding the penny postage—with the year 1861 gives these results: An increase nearly eightfold in the chargeable letters; a threefold increase in the receptacles for letters; a fortyfold increase in the number of money-orders; a fiftyfold increase in the amount of money-orders; and an increase of the gross revenue in round numbers from £2,390,000 to £3,402,000. The amount of the correspondence of a country will measure, with some approach towards accuracy, as Mr. Matthew Hill says, the height which a people has reached in true civilization. The town of Manchester equals in its number of letters the Empire of all the Russias both in Europe and Asia; and this fact we owe, as many of the marvels we have stated, to Sir Rowland Hill. The poor and the lowly, the domestic servant and the humble artisan, can now correspond with each other from one end of the kingdom to the other at the trifling expense of 1_d._; and for this civilizing, Christianizing, and eminently social good we are indebted to a late post-office secretary, whose merits have been recognized, but who cannot be overpaid in money or money’s worth. As Lord Palmerston said on the 10th of June, Sir R. Hill showed, in relation to the post-office, great genius, sagacity, perseverance, and industry, and he was the first to prove that the department was a public institution for the performance of services, rather than for the collection of revenue. If, as the first minister of the crown stated, and as we believe, the cultivation of the affections raises men in their own estimation, improves their morals, and develops their social qualities, Sir R. Hill has been amongst the greatest benefactors of the human race, and he well deserves the vote that was agreed to on the 10th of June without a dissentient voice.”

_POST-COACHES, POST-HORSES, AND RAILROADS._

Postmaster-generals up to the period when railroads superseded that of post-coaches and post-horses had a much harder time in their “vocation” than have their successors since. The difficulties then were to overcome the opposition of parties interested in contracts. Coaches and post-horses, routes and agents, became important items in such contracts; and the least favoritism on the part of the postmaster-general called forth not only censure from those immediately interested, but not unfrequently from those high in authority. During the postal administration of W. T. Barry, Esq., considerable political feeling was mixed up with these complaints. Mails at that period (1835) were carried on horseback from central points, and by four-horse post-coaches from city to city. Lines of stages were established in several sections of our country. The number of post-offices was 10,693. The line of stages extended to the western boundary of Missouri; to St. Augustine, in Florida; through Indiana, by the seat of government in that State; through the whole Territory of Michigan and State of Illinois; from Detroit to Chicago; and from Chicago to St. Louis, in Missouri; thence to New Orleans, in half the time which it formerly occupied. This facility, however, was afforded by connecting the coaches with steamboats in the mail-transportation. Lines of post-coaches were also established in this year from Nashville to Memphis, on the Mississippi River, in Tennessee; from Tuscumbia in Alabama to Natchez in Mississippi; and to Tuscaloosa, the seat of government in Alabama; and from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery; completing a direct line from Nashville in Tennessee, and all the other Western States, to the city of New Orleans.

A semi-weekly line of two-horse stages was added to a tri-weekly line of four-horse post-coaches from Washington City, through Lynchburg in Virginia, Salisbury, N.C., Yorkville, S.C., and Augusta, to Savannah in Georgia; from thence to the northern part of Georgia, through that State to Tallahassee, and to Pensacola in Florida.

We have given this statement for the purpose of showing the amount of labor essential to the transportation of the mails at that period, compared to what it is now. It is, however, somewhat strange that railroads were not established in many places, which would have obviated the necessity of coaches.

_SOMETHING ABOUT RAILROADS._

Railroads, although evidently of ancient origin, were first used near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in 1650. Wooden rails four to eight inches square, resting upon transverse sleepers two feet apart, were in use for many years, when railroads of the same description covered with thin plates of iron were substituted.

In another part of this work we speak of the lost arts. Proofs of their existence are found in the excavated cities, and even in those vestiges which establish the belief of an antediluvian state of society equal to any that has existed since. Egypt abounds with antiquities. Where are the ramparts of Nineveh, the walls of Babylon, the palaces of Persepolis, the temples of Baalbec and Jerusalem? Where are the fleets of Tyre, the docks of Arad, the looms of Sidon, and the multitude of sailors, pilots, merchants, and soldiers? Where are those laborers, those harvests, those flocks, and that crowd of living beings which then covered the face of the earth?[48]

The temples are crumbled down, the palaces are overthrown, the ports are filled up, the cities are destroyed,—all,—all. Earth itself is only a desolate place of tombs. Yet specimens of high art remain, and also indications of a classic taste far superior to that which boasts of refinement since. We have every reason to believe that railroads were known to the Asiatics long, long before these cities fell in their ruins, carrying along with them the charts by which we could have traced their cause of greatness. The cities of the desert—that of Palmyra, for instance—could never have been built so far away from “marble-quarries” if railroad facilities had not been known and afforded the means of conveying those vast blocks of marble which formed its pillars.

The cities of Palmyra and the spot which marks the site of Tadmor present an imposing spectacle in rising from the sands of the desert. It looks like a forest of columns. The great avenue of pillars leading to the Temple of the Sun, and terminated by a grand arch, is 1200 feet in length. The temple itself is a magnificent object. The city is a vast collection of ruins, all of white marble. How were these huge columns of marble conveyed to this city of the desert?

The sculptures of the Memphite Necropolis say that Memphis once held a palace called the “Abode of Shoopho.” Shoopho was the owner of vast copper-mines: he was termed “pure king and sacred priest.” Historians doubted the power he exercised over Egypt, and also the amount of labor performed in erecting pyramids and monuments,—as, for instance, it is maintained that he employed 100,000 men for twenty years in erecting a monument for which ten preceding years were requisite in preparing the materials and the _causeway_ whereon the stone was to be carried. The monument, as described by historians, was of immense proportions, the base of which was 764 feet each face, the original height 480 feet, containing 89,028,000 cubic feet of solid masonry and 6,848,000 tons of stone. The distance these materials were carried was twenty miles from the quarries on the eastern side of the Nile. What sort of a _causeway_ was that which could transport these huge masses of stone a distance of twenty miles? Again, this great pyramid is lined with the most beautiful and massive blocks of sienite, of red granite, not one particle of which exists twenty-five miles below the first cataract of the Nile, at Aswan, distant six hundred and forty miles up the river from the pyramid. Blocks of this sienite are found in this pyramid’s chambers and passages of such dimensions, and built in such portions of the masonry that they must evidently have been placed there before the upper limestone masonry was laid above the granite. There not being in its native state a speck of granite within six hundred and forty miles from the pyramid, is a proof that Shoopho did rule from Memphis to Aswan, and from Migdol to the tower of Syene. How he conveyed the material that distance involves the question of the origin of _railroads_.

Let us pass on to Alexandria. Pompey’s Pillar stands upon a pedestal twelve feet high. The shaft is round, and, with the Corinthian capital, one hundred feet in height; the diameter is nine feet. Cleopatra’s Needle is of one shaft of granite, covered with hieroglyphics: it is sixty-four feet high, and eight feet square at the base. There are a great number of pyramids scattered over Egypt, but the most remarkable are those of Djizeh, Sakhara, and Dashour. When seven leagues distant from the spectator they seem near at hand, and it is not till after having travelled several miles that he is fully sensible of the size. The largest is ascribed to Cheops. They are on a platform of rock situated one hundred and fifty feet above the level of the desert. Ten years were consumed in preparing a _road_ whereon to draw the immense blocks of stone, and the labors of 100,000 men were employed, who were relieved once in three months.—_Herodotus._

What sort of a road and the manner these blocks were carried are matters of conjecture. _We incline to the opinion of railroads._

_HOW THE PYRAMIDS WERE BUILT._

The stones used in building the pyramids of Egypt, it is supposed, were raised to their places by piling up immense inclined planes of sand, up which the blocks were pushed with rollers. If inclined planes were used to raise large blocks to a great height, is it to be supposed that a similar mode, or _railroads_, were not used to convey them on a level plane?

The statement, often repeated on high authority, that the pyramids were built before the Egyptians acquired the art of writing hieroglyphics, however, which they do contain, do not convey that full knowledge of the state of the arts among them, at the time the pyramids were constructed, which is to be learned from the writings and pictures in their tombs and temples, in regard to the state of their arts at a subsequent period. But we have the less valuable authority of Herodotus that the blocks of stones were lifted from one course to the other up the steps of the pyramid. Remains of Cheops’ grand causeway, for transporting the blocks quarried from the rocks on the east bank, are still seen leading up the great pyramid from the plain, a shapeless ridge of ruinous masonry and sand. According to Herodotus, it was one thousand yards long, sixty feet wide, and forty-eight feet high, was adorned with figures of animals, and was a work of ten years. Some of the stone used for the coping over the passages are seven feet thick and more than seventeen feet long. Lifting these stones up the side of a pyramid four hundred and fifty feet high was certainly a work of great labor; but as a feat of engineering it was mere child’s play compared with some of the triumphs of modern science and skill,—for instance, lifting the Menai bridge on to its piers, or raising on end and placing on its pedestal the monstrous monolith which adorns the city of St. Petersburg.

_RAILROADS FROM 1760—ENGLAND._

In 1760, wooden railroads were in pretty general use to facilitate mining operations. Tram-roads, with rails of cast iron, first introduced at the Colebrookdale Works, at the instance of Mr. Reynolds in 1767; at the Sheffield colliery in 1776. Stone props for the support of the rails substituted for timber in 1797, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Edge rails were brought into use by Mr. Jessop in 1789, at Loughborough. Malleable iron edge rails adopted at Newcastle in 1805, and at Tinsdale Fell in 1808. The improved malleable edge rail now in use was invented by Mr. Birkinsaw in 1820. A locomotive engine propelled by steam was employed for the first time on the Merthyr-Tydvil Railroad in Wales in 1804. Blenkinsop’s locomotive engine, which operated by means of cog-wheels and rack rails, was invented and applied on the Leeds Railroad in 1811. But the locomotive engine that has obtained the greatest reputation and been most generally adopted was that invented by Mr. George Stevenson in 1814. This engine has undergone a variety of improvements up to 1829, and was deemed at that period more efficient than any of its predecessors.

_RAILROADS IN THE UNITED STATES._

(Abstract of the Seventh Census.)

In no other particular can the prosperity of a country be more strikingly manifested than by the perfection of its roads and other means of internal communication. The system of railroads, canals, turnpikes, post-routes, river navigation, and telegraphs possessed by the United States presents an indication of its advancement in power and civilization more wonderful than any other feature of its progress. In truth, our country in this respect occupies the first place among the nations of the world.

From returns received at this office in reply to special circulars, and other sources of information, it is ascertained that there were, at the commencement of the year 1852, 10,814 miles of railroads completed and in use, and that 10,898 miles were then in course of construction, with a prospect of being speedily brought into use. While the whole of these 10,898 miles will, beyond reasonable doubt, have been finished within five years, such is the activity with which projects for works of this character are brought forward and carried into effect, that it is not extravagant to assume that there will be completed within the limits of the United States before the year 1860 at least 35,000 miles of railroads.

The Quincy Railroad, for the transportation of granite from the quarries at Quincy to Neponset River, and the Mauch Chunk Railroad, from the coal-mines to the Lehigh River, in Pennsylvania, were the first attempts to introduce that mode of transportation in this country; and their construction and opening, in the years 1826 and 1827, are properly considered the commencement of the American railroad system. From this period until about the year 1848, the progress of the improvements thus begun was interrupted only by the financial revulsion which followed the events of 1836 and 1837. Up to 1848, it is stated that about 6000 miles had been finished. Since that date an addition of 5000 miles has been made to the completed roads, and, including the present year, new lines, comprising about 14,000 miles, have been undertaken, surveyed, and mostly placed under contract.

The usefulness and comparative economy of railroads as channels of commerce and travel have become so evident that they have in some measure superseded canals, and are likely to detract seriously from the importance of navigable rivers for like purposes. In a new country like ours many items of expense which go to swell the cost of railroads in England and on the continent are avoided. Material is cheap, the right of way usually freely granted, and heavy land damages seldom interpose to retard the progress of an important work. It is difficult to arrive at a clear approximation to the average cost of railroad construction in the United States. Probably the first important work of this class undertaken and carried through in the Union was the cheapest, as it has proved one of the most profitable, ever built. This was the road from Charleston, in South Carolina, to Augusta, on the Savannah River. It was finished and opened for traffic in 1833. The entire expense of building the road and equipping it with engines and cars for passengers and freight was, at the date of its completion, only $6700 per mile; and all expenditures for repairs and improvements, during the eighteen years that the road has been in operation, have raised the aggregate cost of the whole work to only $1,336,615, or less than $10,000 per mile.

It is estimated that the 2870 miles of railroads finished in New England have cost $132,000,000,—which gives an average of nearly $46,000 per mile. In the Middle States, where the natural obstacles are somewhat less, the average expense per mile of the railroads already built is not far from $40,000. Those now in course of completion—as the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Pennsylvania Central, and other lines, the routes of which cross the Alleghany range of mountains—will probably require a larger proportionate outlay, owing to the heavy expense of grading, bridging, and tunnelling. In those States where land has become exceedingly valuable, the cost of extinguishing private titles to the real estate requires, and the damages to property along the routes form, a heavy item in the account of general expenses of building railroads. In the South and West the case is reversed: there the proprietors along the proposed line of a road are often willing and anxious to give as much land as may be needed for its purposes, and accord many other advantages in order to secure its location through or in the vicinity of their possessions. In the States lying in the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi the cost of grading, also, is much less than at the eastward. Where the country is wooded, the timber can be obtained at the mere cost of removing it from the track; and through prairie districts Nature seems to have prepared the way for these structures by removing every obstacle from the surface; while fine quarries of stone are to be found in almost every region. These favorable circumstances render the estimate of $20,000 per mile in all the new States safe and reliable.

The primary design of nearly all the great lines of railway in the United States has been to connect the sea-coast with the distant interior, to effect which object it was necessary to cross the Alleghanies, which intersect every line of travel diverging to the West from the great commercial cities of the seaboard.

The Eighth Census (1860), continuing the line, makes this addition to that of the Seventh:—

Previous to the commencement of the last decade, only one line of railroad has been completed between tide-water and the great interior basins of the country, the products of which now perform so important a part in our internal and foreign commerce. Even this line, formed by the several links that now compose the New York Central Road, was restricted in the carriage of freight except on the payment of canal tolls in addition to other charges for transportation, which restriction amounted to a virtual prohibition. The commerce resulting from our railroads consequently has been, with comparatively slight exceptions, a creation of the last decade.

The line next opened, and connecting the Western system of lakes and rivers with tide-water, was that extending from Boston to Ogdensburg, composed of distinct links, the last of which was completed during 1850. The third was the New York & Erie, which was opened on the 22d of April, 1851. The fourth in geographical order was the Pennsylvania, which was completed in 1852, although its mountain division was not opened till 1854. Previous to this time its summit was overcome by a series of inclined planes, with stationary engines, constructed by the State. The fifth great line, the Baltimore & Ohio, was opened in 1853 still farther south. The Tennessee River, a tributary of the Mississippi, was reached in 1850 by the Western & Atlantic Railroad of Georgia, and the Mississippi itself by the Memphis & Charleston Railroad in 1859. In the extreme north the Atlantic & St. Lawrence, now known as the Grand Trunk, was completed early in 1853. In 1858 the Virginia system was extended to a connection with the Memphis & Charleston and with the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad.

The eight great works named, connecting the interior with the seaboard, are the trunks or base-lines upon which is erected the vast system that now overspreads the whole country. They serve as outlets to the interior for its products, which would have little or no commercial value without improved highways, the cost of transportation over which does not equal one-tenth that over ordinary roads. The works named, assisted by the Erie Canal, now afford ample means for the expeditious and cheap transportation of produce-seeking Eastern markets, and could without being overtaxed transport the entire surplus products of the interior.

Previous to 1850 by far the greater portion of railroads constructed were in the States bordering the Atlantic, and, as before remarked, were for the most part isolated lines, whose limited traffics were altogether local. Up to the date named, the internal commerce of the country was conducted almost entirely through _water_ lines, natural and artificial, and over ordinary highways. The period of the settlement of California marks really the commencement of the new era in the physical progress of the United States. The vast quantities of gold it produced imparted new life and activity to every portion of the Union, particularly the Western States, the people of which, at the commencement of 1850, were thoroughly aroused as to the value and importance of railroads. Each presented great facilities for the construction of such works which promised to be almost equally productive. Enterprises were undertaken and speedily executed which have literally converted them into a network of lines, and secured their advantages to almost every farmer and producer.

The progress of these works in the aggregate, year by year, will be seen by the tabular statements at the close of the report. The only important line opened in the West, previous to 1850, was the one from Sandusky to Cincinnati, formed by the Mad River and Little Miami Roads. But these pioneer works were rude, unsubstantial structures compared with the finished works of the present day, and were employed almost wholly in the transportation of passengers.