Part 3
_The obstacles to the non-fulfilment of the Pacific service._—As before stated, the contractors, this company, and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, entered into mutual covenants, by which the latter company obligated themselves to carry the mails between San Francisco and Acapulco according to the contract and schedule time as therein set forth by the department. At the date of the contract the Pacific Mail Steamship Company were running a weekly line of steamers between Panama and San Francisco, in the weeks intervening with their semi-monthly mail; and the late administration intended, by this weekly line and the Vera Cruz and Acapulco route, to send a weekly instead of semi-monthly mail to San Francisco, and in sixteen days from New Orleans instead of twenty-eight days (the average at that time of the semi-monthly mails) from New York. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company withdrew their weekly line, which of course prevented the execution of the Pacific service in contract time until steamers could be placed on the line between Acapulco and San Francisco, and which this company are making arrangements to effect, not only in reference to the line from New Orleans, but from New York, so as to carry passengers in sixteen or eighteen days from New York to San Francisco. In consequence, however, of the (early) non-performance of the Pacific service in schedule time, it is understood that your department rescinded the order made by the late Postmaster General Hubbard for the postmasters at New Orleans, San Francisco, San Diego, Monterey, and to forward letters by this route. The disappointment of the contractors by the withdrawal of the weekly line was great and embarrassing, and disordered the whole arrangements of this company; and while we respectfully defer to the abstract correctness of the position taken by the Post Office Department on account of it, we yet hope that a great enterprise, so eminently calculated to benefit our commerce, and one so earnestly demanded by our southern and western citizens, as intimately connected with their interests, might have a little further time to place itself right before Congress and the department.
It is respectfully suggested, in this connexion, that the Gulf service is punctually performed twice a month, and will be three times a month as soon as the steamer “Vera Cruz,” now nearly ready, can be finished; that the land-service, _as will be hereafter shown_, (see appendix,) has been performed, carrying an independent mail in sixty hours, (instead of one hundred and twenty hours, schedule time;) that this company have not asked for any special favors from the department—no advance on the appropriations—as other ocean mail companies have done; that no pay is asked for until the service is performed, and the money honestly and equitably earned; and that the 2d section of the law of March 3, 1851, is applicable to our case, viz: that the Postmaster General by this law “_shall be bound to select the speediest, safest, and most economical route_.”
We deprecate a negation of the contract by the department until further time is allowed us; and it is believed, in view of these facts and the spirit of the law last referred to, that our enterprise may receive an impartial consideration and presentation in your annual report on the Post Office Department. An official condemnation, emanating from the department under your administration, would be a serious obstacle in the development of the Mexican grants. _It is believed by many that the department had full power under the law to make the contract without the intervention of Congress for its approval_; but having been made with that contingency, it is now only asked that this enterprise may go before Congress on its own merits and integrity. A spirit of frank and honorable dealing renders it necessary for the undersigned to say, that a difference exists among the associated parties as to the real value and bearing of a government contract on this enterprise, and this difference may have reached the ears of the department.
Some of the parties believe that a government contract nationalizes the route, and gives it an importance superior to mere individual enterprise, and that the imperative necessity of “_making time_” insures more despatch. Others of the parties believe that a line of fast steamers from New Orleans to Vera Cruz, for the increasing southern and western travel from the valleys of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, (composing the source of nearly seven-tenths of the whole resident population of California out of the city of San Francisco,) and another fast line of steamers from New York to Vera Cruz in six or seven days, by steamers built expressly for mail and passenger service, (and not naval service,) of about one thousand tons, in connexion with similar steamers from Acapulco to San Francisco in six days, would form a line that would take precedence of all others for celerity and certainty. Experience has exploded the idea that the mail and naval service can be performed by the same steamers, and an examination of the steamers now in the employ of the United States and mail-service department verifies the position that steamers suitable for a marine battery are too slow for “mail-service,” and that the light and fast steamer which can be propelled three hundred and fifty miles in twenty-four hours is not suitable for a battery corresponding with her tonnage or power adequate to such speed. They believe that such a line, by this overland route, in sixteen, or eighteen, or twenty days, with an independent mail, would seriously diminish the postage receipts of the government, if not virtually supersede them, and render the present mail contracts a sinecure in the hands of the parties holding them. If offices should be opened in proper places for the receipt of mail-matter by advertisements, and the company should enclose that mail-matter in government-stamped envelopes, and guaranty the delivery of the mail by this route in six, eight, or ten days earlier than by the present government route, it is evident that the great bulk of the mail-matter would go by the quickest route, even at double, triple, or perhaps quadruple the present charge for postage. Such an independent mail (_clearly within the law_) would, it is confidently believed, measurably supersede the government mail, and reduce the postage to a pittance. Moreover, such an independent line, not being trammeled by government time, might connect with it English, West India, Australian, and Asiatic mails, all of which are specifically allowed by the several Mexican grants held by this company; and it is believed that the time is not far distant when an English express independent mail in forty-seven days, with Australia, will be in operation. It is also thought by some, that this company should be entirely disembarrassed in order to give an exclusive right to certain foreign interests.
Having frankly stated the difference of opinion on this subject among the associates in this enterprise, it is proper to say that a route nationalized by a public contract is the true official expression of the company’s opinion, and the one which is now before the department. In conclusion on this point, it is respectfully suggested that this route is to be one of the great inter-oceanic routes of Atlantic, California, and Asiatic travel; that this enterprise may be fully developed by the present administration of our government without expense in its initial operations, but mainly by a prudent forbearance and official approbation, and by an order to carry such mail matter as our citizens may choose to send by it.
The enterprise is emphatically a southern and western one; although originated by Pennsylvanians, yet its vitality is due to New Orleans and southern influence, as the very numerous memorials on the files of the department or Congress, and signed by southern and western senators and members, will attest. The steamer Texas, which has been performing the Gulf service during the last summer, has carried a large amount of specie into New Orleans, (at the rate of one million and a quarter per annum;) and soon as the specie and express wagons of this company are fully at work, millions of dollars will flow into the New Orleans mint from the gold placers and silver mines of Mexico now being worked by American and Mexican combined skill.
_Of the practicability of the route._—The direct mail route runs from Vera Cruz, by the way of Orizava, Cordova, Puebla, Matamoras, Chietla, Mitapec, Kalcozotitlan, Chilapa, Tixtla, to Acapulco, with branches from Puebla up to Mexico and via Cuernavaca.
This road was called by Humboldt the “_Asiatic road_,” as indicative of the maritime commerce of Spain; _and is the oldest road on the continent of America_. This route is no new thing, as many suppose, but the whole enterprise is but a recast of one developed long before our country had its name or a place among the nations of the earth.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been received by the government of Old Spain, transported over this road, in the interchange of productions between the flotas of Spain and the galleons of the Indies, and millions of American commerce are yet to be rolled over it in the progress of American enterprise. The distance direct (as will be seen by the annexed itinerary) from Vera Cruz to Acapulco is 404 miles, and via the city of Mexico 517. Colonel Ramsey has since shortened this distance to under 390 miles, and it will be reduced to less than 350.
Over this road the materials and machinery for the vast coffee and sugar plantations of Mexico have to be transported, and these plantations for magnitude and productions are almost unequalled.
From the fact that the current of foreign travel has been turned towards the capital of Mexico, by the way of Jalapa and Perote, and also from the further fact that the very _limited amount of American_ knowledge of Mexico is associated with the line of operations of the American army during the late war, less is publicly or _correctly_ known of our lower, or more southern route, than of the upper or northern route. The lower and shorter route presents the facilities of being six hours shorter to Puebla, and of having lower grades, and a climate unequalled for healthfulness, salubrity, and intertropical luxuriance of productions.
There are features about the roads of Mexico generally that distinguish them from our northern roads; they are not muddy, having no frosts to produce periodic deterioration; they are only slightly disturbed during the rainy months of June, July, and August. The rains during these rainy months are not continuous, all-day rains, but fall in showers seldom longer than an hour, generally in the afternoons and at night, and the intervals between these showers are unclouded and salubrious. The whole geological formation of Mexico is eccentric, and the soil generally composed of the debris of matter of volcanic origin. Such materials form the best roads, and with an exemption from frosts, dust, mud, and rain, except in the rainy seasons, and with no fences to obstruct the facilities for turnpike, road-making, and travelling, presented in this part of Mexico, are unequalled.
It should be remembered that this company are not encumbered with the necessity of enormous expenditures for making canals, building railroads and plank-roads, to develop their resources; they have only to expend under $50,000 to make one of the finest roads in the finest climate of North America, to travel smoothly and pleasantly, at the rate of seven and ten miles per hour, from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.
From the certificate of Mr. Blumenkron, (see Appendix A,) a gentleman intimately acquainted with the whole route from personal observation, it will be seen that the facilities for the transportation of mails and passengers across the republic is the work of but little effort and expense; and from the extracts of Colonel Ramsey’s letter, (see Appendix B,) it will be seen what has actually been done. From these statements—and they are daily corroborated by Americans and Mexicans who have passed over the route—it appears that the mails have been carried over (at the worst of all seasons, the rainy ones) in 50, 60, 70, 80, and 81 hours; that the letter of Mr. Tyler announces their arrival at Acapulco in six days from New Orleans, and that the mail time across may be reduced to 48 hours, and passenger time to 54.
The difficulties, dangers, and expense of mail transportation over this route are not comparable with the Panama route, as it formerly was, or even as it now is, as to the 17 miles yet uncovered by railroad; and this company confidently believe that they will be able to carry the mails over this route for a sum 50 per cent. per mile less than by the Panama route, and in a time under three days.
The company have placed a portion of their rolling stock upon the road, at present equal to the transportation of fifty passengers per week from ocean to ocean. This rolling stock consists of the very best built Albany and Troy post-coaches, Concord (New Hampshire) passenger, baggage, express and specie wagons, and about 500 horses and mules, (at the last report 493.)
It is hoped the next advices from Colonel Ramsey will give information that this rolling stock is in operation. It is intended to increase the rolling stock with the increase of travel. The local travel and business in Mexico will alone pay a large interest on the investment; and were there no connexion with steamers on either side, and as a mere stage route, the profits will be large, especially when that portion of the route through the State of Guerrero is properly worked and widened, and over a portion of the route the company hold the exclusive right of passage, ferries, tolls, &c., for fifty years.
This company apprehend no difficulty in transporting any mails on account of the weight, inasmuch as the company will be prepared to transport the English mails, between England and Australia, in under 47 days; and those mails, it is said, weigh 11 and 12 tons.
The remarkable feature in this route is, that it passes through a constant succession of cities, villages, ranches, &c., (few scarce ten miles apart,) and through a population as dense as might have been found on the old turnpike mail road from Albany to Buffalo before the age of railroads, or on any of the great leading mail routes of New York and Pennsylvania of a ratable distance; and the annexed itinerary, taken from official Mexican documents, verifies the position.
Fears have been expressed that robberies might endanger the mail, passengers, or property. This difficulty has been wondrously magnified, and is provided against, as the vehicles of this company are all armed with blunderbusses and revolvers; and small, but strong, light, iron boxes for specie, jewelry, and valuables, are securely attached as fixtures in each coach. The material fact, however, on this point is, that this line of route is seldom visited by robbers, owing to the more peaceful, permanent, and dense character of the population, and the consequent exposure to detection. General Santa Ana has, moreover, made a decree that the inhabitants of each district shall be responsible for the damages by such depredations.
Much more might be said in relation to this route, but this memorial has already become too long. Reiterating our former assertion, that we only ask the opportunity of placing ourselves honorably before Congress, on our own integrity, we hope that our enterprise may receive such official sanction from the Post Office Department as may be most compatible with the interests of the government and the benefit of the community.
With great respect, your obedient servant,
ROBERT G. RANKIN, _President M. O. M. & I. Co._
Hon. JAMES CAMPBELL, _Postmaster General_.
APPENDIX A.
I hereby certify that I am intimately acquainted with the road between Vera Cruz and Puebla, and thence to Acapulco.
Having been engaged in mercantile business at Puebla for the last seven years, I am intimately acquainted with every mile of this road, having, from the nature of my business, been compelled often to travel over the whole route, and am therefore free to say that the whole distance can be travelled in stage-coaches without any impediment—this road being free from robbers—and will require only an expenditure of from $25,000 to $30,000, to make it equal to any stage route in the United States; and at this time, without the expenditure of even a single dollar, the whole distance can be travelled in stage-coaches, with the exception of about thirteen leagues, with the utmost facility and expedition. The mail is now taken from Vera Cruz to Acapulco in sixty hours, which time will be shortly reduced to fifty hours; and this distance can be regularly travelled with the mail coaches in that space of time the whole year round.
J. BLUMENKRON.
CITY OF NEW YORK, _November 22, 1853_.
APPENDIX B.
_Extracts from letters received from Colonel Ramsey, in Mexico, of the dates following._
“AUGUST 29, 1853.
“I have received a letter from Mr. Markoe, an agent at Vera Cruz, dated August 22, in which he says: ‘The Texas left this morning at 8 o’clock a. m. The express arrived last night at 8. It left Acapulco on the 17th at 4 p. m.’ Mr. Tyler writes me: ‘The riders have done nobly in getting through in the time they did, considering the state of the roads, (in the height of the rainy season.)’ Mr. Denman, at Acapulco, writes me from Acapulco, August 23: ‘Your express which left Vera Cruz on the 17th instant at 4 p. m., arrived here on the 22d at 4½ a. m.’”
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“SEPTEMBER 15, 1853.
“I only returned last evening from a trip I have been making over some distance of our route. The express mail is not working to my entire satisfaction, as too much time (80 hours) is too long, and I am anxious to improve this important service.”
“By the time that the rains are over, all our animals will be in prime condition—say by the 1st November—and then our agents assure me they can easily make the distance under 60 hours. This season has been unprecedented for heavy rains and bad roads. We have now passed through the worst of it, making the experiment under every possible disadvantage, and proving that we can always run from port to port in 80 hours at the farthest.”
“I have a letter from Señor Gernez, the Secretary of State of Guerrero, dated the 7th instant, in which he says: ‘The courier left Acapulco on the 4th instant, at 4 p. m., and arrived here, (Tixtla,) in this city, on the 5th, at 2 o’clock p. m.’ Now, by looking at the distance, you will perceive that it is over the worst part of the road, and more than one hundred[1] miles, at the very worst season of the year.”
[1] The distance has since been reduced.
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“OCTOBER 3, 1853.
“I have been informed by the agent of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company at Acapulco that the steamers will not hereafter touch at that port. If this be the fact, it will be grave matter for the consideration of our company. In that event, we will be cut off from receiving or forwarding any California mails until we establish a connexion of our own.”
“The careful examination I have directed to be made recently of the whole length of our route, has dispelled many of the obstacles and difficulties which we had supposed would have to be encountered. I always supposed that, as we became more familiar with the route, and with the country on both sides of it, difficulties would vanish.”
“Our express mail has not only demonstrated the time in which we can run over the route, but also the obstacles in the very worst season of the very worst year.”
“My last reports received of the time of the couriers from Vera Cruz, on the 17th September, 4 p. m., were as follows: Arrived at Puebla 4 p. m. on the 18th; arrived at Mitapec 11 a. m. on the 19th; arrived at Draper 3½ p. m. on the 19th; arrived at Papagallos river 10 a. m. of the 20th; arrived at Acapulco at 6 p. m. of the 20th—the whole time three days and two hours. At least four hours were lost by the courier going through Chilpanzingo, which was out of the way.”
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“OCTOBER 15, 1853.
“Since writing the above, I have thought it best to finish the subject of the gold-placers on the Mescala river. The existence of these mines have long been known. You will find them mentioned in my notes on this valley, under the article on ‘Mines;’ but recently gold has been found in such abundance as to cause a sensation; people rush in crowds.
“Since then other more extensive placers have been discovered on the Papagallos river, in the line of our route. These have created a still greater sensation, as you will see by the papers. My notes on the mines are almost incredible; but it is gratifying to find every day new confirmation of all that I described of the astonishing mineral wealth of that country.
“If I can leave the city in order to attend more closely to this express line, I could soon convince you that eighty hours is slow travelling. The last reports I sent you show an improvement on this, by reducing the time to seventy hours. My orders will now, I trust, be obeyed, as it is pretty evident I will take no excuses. I have now ordered the mail to be carried in sixty hours, which is only a beginning. If my orders are carried out, in six weeks time _I will have it done in forty-eight hours, which will be at about seven miles per hour. This is no great feat in such a country, in such a climate, and on such roads._ Were the horses now in the proper condition, which they would be, had they been properly fed and attended to, I could now perform it in forty-eight hours. You remark, ‘the route being feasible for an express mail under all the difficulties incident to such an enterprise, why not feasible for heavy mails and passengers?’ To this let me answer that the route, beyond all question, is feasible for heavy mails, as much so as for light mails; we will gain vastly in time as soon as we can put on our stages.
“You must have been in mind that between Rincon and the crossing of the Papagallos there are no mountains; and, to make the road practicable for stages, it only requires some widening at the most trifling expense. Our Concord wagons will suit admirably for this purpose.
“I am ashamed of our contract to carry the California mail to New Orleans in sixteen days, when I know we can carry it even to New York in a less number of days. It has actually placed us in a false position, from which we ought to relieve ourselves by a practical demonstration.
“I regret extremely that the steamers have not joined us at the ends of our route, so that we could demonstrate the few hours in which we can make the distance across Mexico. All that I may report to you—all the certificates of speed—will not satisfy the public; they must have the letters and news from California. It is your affair to require them to make the connexion.”
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ACAPULCO, _September 23, 1853_.
DEAR SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 16th September. In reference to your metallic-boat, it is in good order, excepting that the air-chambers have been cut open for the purpose of stowing baggage.
It is with much gratification that I received correspondence from New Orleans in six days, by your last mail, which arrived here on the 20th instant at 7¼ o’clock p. m.; and I am now satisfied that, at present, this route presents facilities for the most rapid mail communication between California and the United States.
Yours, truly,
S. TYLER, _Agent_.
ALBERT C. RAMSEY, Esq., _Vice President and Agent, Mexico_.
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