The Mail Pay on the Burlington Railroad Statements of Car Space and All Facilities Furnished for the Government Mails and for Express and Passengers in All Passenger Trains on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad

A detailed snapshot of the early twentieth‑century partnership between the U.S. Post Office and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, this work unpacks how mail‑car payments were calculated and why they mattered to both government and rail operators. Readers learn the origins of the 1873 system, the way routes were designated, and the formulas that turned daily mail weight into a complex web of rates, mileage charges, and “car pay” allowances.

Beyond the numbers, the text explores the tension between efficiency and service, highlighting how the demand for on‑board sorting space kept cars under‑loaded despite growing volumes. Contemporary testimonies from officials and railroad executives illustrate the financial strain on the lines and the broader debate over fairness in public‑private contracts. For anyone curious about the logistical and economic foundations of America’s historic railway mail service, the book offers a clear, data‑rich portrait of an era when a single penny per pound could shape entire rail networks.