refunded to the State by the paymaster, whose warrant for making the stoppage will be the certificate of the proper agent of the State, accompanied by the receipt of the soldier for the transportation. Where several soldiers of different companies are concerned, separate accounts will be made for each company." On all claims for transportation previous to March 3, 1862, the rates are not to exceed two cents per man per mile; nor should any charge on freight exceedting the rates of the printed local or through tariff of the roads to the public, at the time of the service, be allowed. No. 12. M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General. WAR DEPARTment, Washington City, October 12, 1861. GENERAL: In settling the accounts of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company the tariff of prices fixed upon by this department for transportation of troops and supplies will be followed only in case of troops, the company being authorized to charge for freight the usual rates of the road now existing. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, General M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General. THOMAS A. SCOTT, Acting Secretary of War. To the Quartermaster General: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, D. C., April 4, 1862. The accounts due for service of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to the 1st April, upon the main stem and Parkersburg branch, will be settled at the regular tariff rates of the company in force at the time the service was rendered. By order of the Secretary of War. No. 13. M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General. QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington City, September 11, 1862. SIR: On the 4th April, 1862, you directed that the accounts due for service of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to the 1st April, 1862, upon the main stem and Parkersburg branch should be settled at the regular tariff rates of the company in force at the time the service was rendered.. The president of the company now applies to have this arrangement continued to the present time, basing his application upon the irregular character of the service, the danger and interruption from the movements of the rebel army, and the destruction of their bridges by violence and by flood. This road has done good service to the government, and, though the question is one of some doubt, I think, upon the whole, it will be not more than just to grant their request and settle their accounts to this date upon the same basis as heretofore. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General. Approved: SEPTEMBER 21, 1862. No. 14. EDWIN M. STANTON, QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S Office, Washington City, November 3, 1862. SIR: I have the honor to state that on the 12th of October, 1861, the Secretary of War directed that in settlement of accounts of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company for freight the usual rates of the road then existing should be allowed. On the 4th of April, 1862, you directed that the accounts of that company for service, both passenger and freight, prior to April 1, 1862, upon the main stem and Parkersburg branch, should be settled at the regular tariff rates of the company in force at the time the service was rendered. On the 11th of September, 1862, the president of the company applied for a continuance to that date of the last arrangement, basing his application on the irregular character of the service, the danger and interruption from the movements of the rebel army, and the destruction of their bridges by violence and flood. On that day I wrote to you, recommending that their accounts to that date should be settled upon the same basis as had been authorized to the 1st of April, which recommendation was approved by you September 21, 1862. The president of the company now asks that, in consequence of the recent interruption of their business and destruction of property by the rebels, the same arrangement may be continued until such time as their road shall be reopened to the Ohio. I think, in view of all the circumstances, it will be just and reasonable to continue to settle their accounts for service upon the basis of their published tariffs for freight and passenger business, excepting passengers on the Washington branch, with the distinct understanding that in thus paying first class passenger rates the allowance of baggage transported without extra charge to each soldier or passenger shall be as it was fixed by the railroad convention, 80 pounds per man; and that for all articles not specially classed in the printed tariffs heretofore in use by the company the classification fixed by the railroad convention shall apply. The prices to be those specified by the tariffs of the 117 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company for the respective classes to which the railroad convention assigned the articles. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General. The foregoing report is approved so far as it relates to the settlement upon the same basis as the report of September 11. The qualifications mentioned in the above report are reserved for decision hereafter. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, December 1, 1862. SIR: The condition and operations of this department, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1862, are shown in the following report. I also suggest therein some modifications of the existing postal laws for the improvement of the service. FINANCIAL CONDITION. It gives me much pleasure to report a great improvement in its financial condition, as compared with several preceding years. The gross revenue for the year ending June 30, 1861, was $8,349, 296 40, which embraced the revenue from all the southern States for a large portion of that year. Notwithstanding the cessation of revenue from the so-called seceded States during the last fiscal year, the increase of correspondence of the loyal States has been such as to produce a gross revenue of $8,299,820 90, or only $49,475 50 less than was derived from all the States of the Union in the previous year. The expenditures show a still more favorable result. In the fiscal year 1861 the gross amount expended was $13,606,759 11. In the fiscal year 1862 the expenditures amount to $11,125,364 13, showing a decrease of $2,481,394 98 in the expenses as compared with the last year, and of $3,749,408 76 as compared with the fiscal year 1860. The deficiency in the department for the fiscal year 1861 was $1.551,966 98. The deficiency for the fiscal year 1862 is reduced to $2,112,814 57, including among the receipts in both cases the standing treasury credit of $700,000 for free mail matter. APPOINTMENT OFFICE. DUTIES. The appointment office not only has supervision of the appointment and regulation of all postmasters, and the establishment and discon |
