Essays on Sussex County and New Jersey Postal History

SUSSEX COURT HOUSE ~ First Sussex County P.O. ~ Len PeckIn considering this clause I have formed the following conclusions.That the Compensation to a Deputy Postmaster, above allowed is undoubtedly hisAnnual Pay.1. That the Commission cannot in any Case exceed Forty per Cent, but Forty per Centmay be allowed where, at that Rate, the Commission will not exceed Fifty Dollars aYear, and in every Case I agree to allow a Commission of Forty per Cent.2. That where a Year's Postage exceeds 125 Dollars, and is under 160 Dollars, such aCommission should be charged, under Forty per Cent, as will make the AnnualCompensation Fifty Dollars3. That where the Annual Postage amounts to 166 Dollars, and upwards to 333Dollars, a Commission of Thirty per Cent should be charged.I am etc.T. P.This new route from Elizabethtown to Sussex Court House [see c.) in Figure 1] requiredthe hiring of a new post-rider. Whereas Postmasters’ remuneration was based on a percentageof the postage charged on outgoing mail at their post offices up to a certain limit, a post-rider’sremuneration was based on the amount of his contract bid. Asa Chadwick, who was thesuccessful bidder to carry the mail on the route from Newark or Elizabethtown to Sussex CourtHouse and return, was apparently compensated at two hundred dollars per annum, based on theletters below. 6General Post Office,Philadelphia, June 13, 1792Mr. William Shute [Postmaster at Elizabethtown]SirAmong the various proposals for carrying the public mail . from Newark andElizabethtown to Morristown and Sussex Court House, those of Mr. Abraham Winny are thelowest. His proposals are dated Elizabethtown and hence I conclude he lives there or is wellknown to you. Inclosed is a letter for him declaring my acceptance of his proposals anddesiring him to apply to you to enter into the contract, the form of which is inclosed.Mr. Hollock made no proposals. You informed me that his private post took hisnewspapers on Thursday morning to carry to Morristown and Sussex Court House. I supposethat the dispersion of newspapers was a leading object in view of Congress in establishing themany post-roads and I would endeavor to make provisions accordingly, but the time[that] maysuit some printers may not correspond with the publications of others, in many places I couldnot learn on what days newspapers were printed. In fixing the returns of the mail toElizabethtown on Friday evening I meant to accommodate all persons on this route and allinhabitants over the mountain in Orange County and in New York (with which City I presumetheir correspondence to lie) by the Saturday’s Mail Stage. If you think other times of arrivaland departure will better accommodate the people to the extent above mentioned you may soset them in the schedule. But whatever times shall he so set I wish the Contractor tounderstand that they must be liable to a further change if necessary to produce a properconvenience with other mails, tho' not to shorten the period of performing his tour, unless withhis willing consent. I will thank you to see the Contract and Bond executed by Mr. Winny andparticularly that his sureties be sufficient.Vol. 35/No. 4204NJPHWhole No. 168 November 200715