Kendall, Amos. Contracts - Transportation Mail U. S. Washington: US Congress, 1838. First Edition. [12343]
Removed, no wrapper, 9 x 5 1/2 inches, 325 pages. Good. Pamphlet.
25th Congress, 2nd Session; House of Representatives, Doc. No. 329.
A descriptive list of all of the mail routes established in the year preceding July, 1837.
This gives the routes, including times of departure and arrival, and frequency. The name of the towns, the names of the carriers, and their pay, are all included. There are hundreds of routes described.
At the end of this report are charts showing more information, including how the mail was delivered, i.e. "Three times a week in four-horse post-coached," or "Once a week on horse," etc.
An example of the information in the main part is this for Route 2,055 in Virginia: "From Richmond, by Bellona Arsenal, Sublet's, and Jefferson, to Cartersville; 42 miles, and back, once a week. Leave Richmond every Friday at 6 a. m.; arrive at Cartersville same day by 9 p. m. Then lists 5 bidder's names, with amounts to be paid, and the result: "Contract with Porter Flagg, dated 23d of January, 1837, in two-horse coaches: to commence 1st of February, 1837; to expire 30th of June, 1839." There are hundreds of such records.
Amos Kendall (1789-1869), b. Dunstable, Massachusetts; d. Washington, DC. A newspaperman by trade, Kendall supported the Democratic Party and Andrew Jackson, who appointed him Postmaster General. Kendall served in this capacity for Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.
