Show THE STEAMSHIP MAIL TROUBLES A an interview with bell on the th ahrea threatened t misunderstanding washington march 3 second ads asgis tant po postmaster emaster general bell was asked as to the facts concerning the reported conflict between beart een the postmaster general and the pacific mail company as to whether we latter should receive and deliver mail at san diego cal in pursuance with th its contract recently ent entered ep into under the a act ig of march 3 1801 bell Belli belliard said aid there ther e had been en no friction or even a misunderstanding I 1 ng between the steamship company and the tile department on the subject he lle knew there was an impression prevailing amone among sonic rome citizens at ban san diego that because of prior bior arrangements with the southern pacific fic railroad co and the pacific coast steamship co the pacific mail company intended to avoid avold if po possible ible doegg doing any in Y passenger is or freight business i be between t v sa ban 11 diego bego and anti the ports south 0 of f it bell expressed the tile belief that the steamship company had no auch such intention and expected an and desired deir cd to fully carry out the contract with the government both in letter and in spirit the company had however intimated it w would uld be extremely difficult at times to make san diego harbor and had inquired what act action I 1 on would w auld be talen taken by the department III incase case of a failure because e of stress of weather the department declined to answer tins this hypothetical question and informed t the lie c company amp that they were ex expected fectea to fully co comply amply with the terms term 8 0 01 the contract B bell e it was asked whether atwould it would be deemed a violation of the contract if of the company should not RO go up tip to the san bail diego dock but deliver and anti receive mails malls by means of alighted v essel vessel in lit reply he lie said the spirit of the act under which their contracts were w ere made undoubtedly carries with it the ilia allegation to and this includes all business incidental to a slen steamship iship line running for freight and passengers and therefore the companas comp anys vessels may way bo be expected to go to the wharf and regularly barly receive freight and passengers I 1 e rs failure to do this his said bell would t be e followed b by deductions and fines and if it appears these tile e omissions or failures were wilful he did not believe the postmaster general would hesitate to annul the contract bell however desired it distinctly understood that the company had bad in no way indicated any purpose or desire other than to carry out the contract in lit letter and spirit |