Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1881 — Gems of the Star Service. [ARTICLE]

Gems of the Star Service.

“This number,” said Mr. Brady in his letter of self-vindication, when referring to the ninety-three star contracts which had provoked most comment —“ this number, as small as it may be in comparison with the whole number, includes all the great national routes.”

When the House committee investigated this business a year ago, inquiries were made as to the cost and the receipts of five star routes, with the following results : No. 31,454, from Fort Worth, Texas, to Yams, Arizona : Original pay, $134,000 ; increased to $299,000 ; receipts from postage, $38,194.34. Na 32,024, from Vinita, Indian Territory, to Las Vegas, New Mexico : Original pay, $6,330 ; increased to $150,392.03 ; receipt# from postage. $5,640.76. No. 35,051, from Bismarck, Dakota, to Fort Keogh, Montana : Original pay, $2,850; increased to $70,000: receipts from postage, $6,545.77. No. 37,110, from Rock Creek, Wyoming, to Fort Custer, Montana: Original pay, $10,507.25; increased to $88,768.12 ; receipts from postage, $2,493 52. No. 40,101, from Prescott Arizona, to Santa Fe, New Mexico: Original pay, $13,313; increased to $135,975 ; receipts from postage, $10,844.18. RBOAFITULATIOM. Original Increased Pay. Pay. Receipts. No. 31,454 $134,(00.00 $299,000.00 $38,194.34 No. 32,024 6,330.00 180,392.03 5,640.70 No. 35,051 $,350 00 70,000.00 6,645.77 No. 37,110 10,507.25 88,768.12 2,493 52 No. 40,101 13,313.00 135,975.00 10,844.18

Total $166,500.25 $744,135.15* $63,718 57 These figures tell the whoifc story, and they prove incontestably that there was no other reason for this increase of service than the corrupt jobbery and collusion to plunder the treasury which •re now made plain to all the world. These are specimens from what Mr. •Brady calls “ the great national routes,” running through the wilderness, with with Indians for population. What the Court House was to Tweed and his gang of thieves, the star service has bedh to Brady and his confederates in and out of Congress. Contracts aggregating seventeen millions and a half a year for carrying the mails passed through Brady’s hands. Some of them were fortunately regulated by law, and the stealing on that part of the service was comparatively limited. But wherever there .was an opening the thieves rushed in and carried off everything they could lay hands on. After doing this they were ready to denounce “ Southern outrages,” shout loudly for a “ free ballot ana a fair count,” and glorify Mahone as the leader of a new dispensation.— New York Sun,