TEMPORARY CONTRACTS.

I again invite your attention to the subject of temporary contracts, mentioned in my last report. The law formerly authorized the Postmaster-General, when immediate service became necessary, or a new route was established, to make a temporary contract, without advertisement, "for a period not to exceed twelve months." By section 12 of act of June 23, 1874, and section 251 act of August 11, 1876, the law was so amended as to limit all temporary contracts to six months. This change has caused much embarrassment to the service, and has made it necessary to issue two miscellaneous advertisements each year instead of one, as formerly, thus greatly increasing the labor and expense of the department without seeming to gain any advantage to the service. The extension of the limit for temporary contracts to one year, as formerly, would seem to be an improvement of the law.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. DAVID M. KEY,
Postmaster-General.

THOS. J. BRADY,

Second Assistant Postmaster-General.

EXPLANATION OF TABLES ACCOMPANYING THE REPORT OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL.

POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL,

Washington, D. C., November, 1878.

SIR: For a statement of the mail service for the contract year ended June 30, 1878, &c., I have the honor to refer you to the tables hereto annexed.

Table A exhibits the character of the service, the length of routes, the number of miles of transportation, and the cost thereof, at the close of the contract year.

Table B exhibits the railroad service as in operation on the 30th of June, 1878; also the cost per mile per annum in each State and Territory.

Table C exhibits the steamboat service, as in operation on the 30th of June, 1878.

Table D shows the increase and decrease of mail transportation and cost, in the several States and Territories, during the year ended June 30, 1878.

Table E shows the weight of the mails, the speed with which they are conveyed, the accommodations for mails and agents, the trips per week, and the rates of pay per mile per annum, on railroad routes in States in which the contract term expired June 30, 1878, and also in other States and Territories; the returns having been obtained with a view to the readjustment of pay, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1873, and used also in accordance with the acts of July 12, 1876, and of June 17, 1878, in the case of readjustments taking effect on and after July 1, 1876. This table is accompanied with an alphabetical index of the titles of the companies carrying the mails.

Table F shows the readjustment of the rates of pay per mile on railroad routes in States and Territories in which the contract term expired June 30, 1878, and also in other States and on certain new routes, the adjustment of the rates based on returns of the weight of the mails, the speed with which they are conveyed, the accommodations for mails and agents, and the number of trips per week, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1873, and with the acts of July 12, 1876, and of June 17, 1878, in the case of readjustments taking effect on and after July 1, 1876. This table also is accompanied with an alphabetical index of the titles of the companies carrying the mails.

Table G is a statement of the number, description, and prices of mail-bags, mail-catchers, mail locks and keys purchased, and of the expense incurred on account thereof, during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1878.

Table H is a statement of all contracts in operation on the 30th of June, 1878, for mail-bags, mail-catchers, &c. Also of one contract for mail locks and keys, which expired July 1, 1878.

Table I is a list of railway post-office lines in the United States, June 30, 1878, showing the increase in the service since June 30, 1877, also the decrease since that date.

Tables K and L, giving in detail the railway mail service in operation June 30, 1878, are inserted for the first time this year.

These tables were prepared in the office of the superintendent of railway mail service. They will be particularly valuable as a basis for computing the probable cost of the service, if the proposed law be enacted paying railroad companies for mail transportation according to space

occupied and the speed with which the mails are carried. While they may not be absolutely correct, they are so nearly so as to answer every purpose. The greatest care has been taken in their compilation to avoid errors. As a basis for comparison of the growth of the service in future they will be invaluable. If such tables were in existence from the organization of the railway mail service until the present time, some conception of the wonderful growth of the service could be had.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. DAVID M. KEY,

Postmaster-General.

THOS. J. BRADY, Second Assistant Postmaster-General.