Clarksville evening tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1890, 1890-03-08
FREE DELIVERY.
Clarlxsyille Entitled to its Bene-
fits,
And Can Have Them by Making
Proper Efforts.
Representative Washington Has Made
Application and Desires the Wish
es of Our People on the
Matter.

Several weeks ago the TOBACCO
LEAF stated that "Clarksville is in
good position to at once get free
delivery. The right effort will get it,
and in very short time" Then fol-
lowed statistics showing the business
of the office nearly 81, 900 in excess of
the amount required to entitle us to
free delivery, the steady and won
derful growth of the business of the
postotfice the past ten years, in which
time it increased more than one hun
dred per cent, Notwithstanding the
reduction in that time of letter
postage from three to cents per
one-half ounce, and papers from one
to one-half cent per ounce. The
LEAF then argued the benefits of
free delivery, and urged an effort to
obtain it.
The postal laws and regulations
provide that when the gross receipts
of any postoffice exceed $4,000 per
annum, the city is entitled to, and
on application may claim the bene-
fits of the free delivery system by
letter carriers. The receipts of the
Clarksville postofflce last year
amounted to $10,629.7O.
Mr.. Ingram, secretary of the Board
of Trade, is in receipt of a letter from
Mr.. Washington, calling attention to
this fact, and stating that he has
already made application to J. F.
Bates, superintendent of free deliv-
cry, for the establishment of the sys-
tenn in GAINESVILLE, and he desires
to know the wishes of our citizens, if
they are or will be prepared for it
and will supplement his efforts,
backing up what he has done
by sending a petition from the
people with the endorsement
of our postmaster, Mrs. John
son. Mr.. Washington also urges the
necessity of prompt, united and en-
ergetic action, such as has character
lied our citizens in other matters, if
we desire this benefit, and that the
matter be brought before both the
Board of Trade and City Council for
an expression of their wishes.
We take occasion to thank Mr..
Washington Tor the interest he has
taken in this and other matters of
much importance TO GAINESVILLE. OF
course we want the free delivery
system; want everything we can
get in the line of progress, and don't
intend to go back on Joe in any
thing. We would suggest an early
meeting of the Board of Trade to
discuss the matter, have committees
appointed to get names to the petit
ton, and confer with the city author
tiles, etc. The law states what is
necessary to be done in Sec. 624 of
the postal laws and regulations,
which can be found at the postoffice,
and requires no more than just what
we ought to do, whether we have
free delivery or not. 1t reads as fol-
lows:
Application for the establishment
of the carrier system must be made
to the pOstmaster-general, through
the superintendent of free delivery,
and must state the name of the
postof1ice, the population OF the city,
village or borough, according to the
last general census, taken by author
ity OF State or United States law,
the. gross revenue Of the postoffice
for the preceding fiscal year, the con
ditiOn of the sidewalks, whether the
names of the streets and number of
the houses are posted up, and the
city properly lighted. The applica-
ton may be made by the postmas-
ter, by petition of citizens, or by the
municipal authorities. Application
for additional carriers must be made
by the postmaster to the superintend-
IF Il pli