Evening star., 1898-11-19
FOR GoOD ROADS
Director Stone Acting in Harmony With the
Post Office Department.
Tests Made in the Delivery Of Nails
In New Jersey
1""fF.

At the suggestion of Gen. Roy Stone di-
rector of the office-of rpad inquiry Of the
Department OF Agafultlre. the Post Office
Department has bAen making experiments
with rural free delivery of mails upon good
roads. The object was to- prove that I'M
proved highways in country districts would
enable the Post Office Department 20 ope-
rate rural free deliveries at about nalf the
present cost and time, thus permitting ex-
tension or, twice-a-day service at little addi-
tional expense The post office officials Sc
lected four routes IN Berlin county, N j..
for the test. II hese center at the towns of
| Mcorestown and Riyerton, and lie over
good stone roads. In most rural districts it
has been found impracticable on account
of the highways, to- deliver more than
twelve miles from the distributing center
1t was found that at the test places in
New Jersey the mails could be delivered
twenty-five to twenty-four miles away in
the same time usually taken for twelve. or
instead there could be two deliveries a day
for little mere than the usual cost of one
This Important result was directly brought
about through official correspondence
which The Star exclusively was permitted
today to copy as follows:
Expert Harris0n's Suggestion.
Gen. Roy Stone, Director, Office of Road
Inquiry, United States Department of Ae.
riculture
Sir: In prosecuting my work as special
agent and road expert, l am frequently
called upon in an advisory way to desig
nate roads to be macadamized or improved
in other ways In determining this l con.
slider which will give the best results to
the greatest number of people
l was pleased to see in the recent report
Of the Hon. Perry S. Heath first assistant
postmaster general, his approval of rural
free delivery of mails, and his determine
ton to extend it as far as the appropria
ton would permit. In this direction | sec
an opportunity for the road inquiry 10 work
in harmony with the Post Office Depart
ment. The objects of the Post Office De
rartment and the road inquiry of the De-
partment of Agriculture are Similar in this
TO promote the business. social and edu.
cationaa interests of the people
In selecting roads to be improved we take
those that will give these results as far as
possible.
l. We give preference to roads leading to
important centers, through villages and
thickly settled portions of the country
2 Roads upon which star routes or mes
senger service to carry the mails have been
established.
J. Roads passing by or near school
houses, public halls churches and indus
trial establishments.
Villages are built up from the necessities
OF rural communities. and the interests of
Doth are promoted W CLOSE intercourse
On permanent rCadS-thOse which are
hard, smooth and fit forOuse at all seasons
of the year-maii can be carried at much
less cost and less time than on other roads
Rural free delivery of mails may be sub
stituted in many cases On these roads for
star rot tes and messenger service with
saving in cost and better service
The advantages Of delivering letters to
factories and other Industrial establish
ments. particularly wh4re large numbers
are employed, need rot he dweit upon. The
mail left at public Schools can be distrib-
uted to great number OF families through
the pupils living remote from post office
and carrier routes. Letters brought to the
nearest school for mailing can be collected
by the rural letter carrier and left at the
nearest post office for mailing. Teachers
can use these latters as object lessons in
giving suggestions and instruction in re-
sardttoh pepper, plain and neat addressing
&c. In schools remote from post 1ffices
the teachers might with advantage be made
stamp agents, and in this way families far
away from post offices can Be supplied with
stamps, stamped envelopes and postal
cards This Will promote letter writing and
use of mails and will also insure more regu-
lar attendance.
l would respectfully recommend that in
lhe selection OF roads in the future for i'm
pfoVements the above suggestions be con-
s1dered and that the Post Office DEPART
ment, In establishing routes for rural free
delivery, use the improved roads whenever
possible: The carrier whenever practicable
should be allowed to arrange with the Off
Gals having charge of the improved roads
LOT hlmself to act as inspector or caretaker
or the road over which his route runs In
thiS way he could many times prevent
waste and damage to the road from sudden
showers or thaws, and he could also re-
port promptly to the road officials all wash
outs OF otner Damage of Importance requir-
ing immediate attention. He should be al
loved to receive such compensation as he
anu the road omciais may agree upon. This
compensation would enable him to equip
nl1nself for better service and need not in
terfere with the prompt delivery of mails,
and at the same time would help to secure
proper maintenance of the road.
would respectfully suggest that the road
INJURY OF the Department Of Agriculture
ana the Post Office Department work in
harmony on the lines above mentioned to
secure the best possible advantages for the
business. social and educational interests of
the people. Respectfully,
(signe0 E. G. HARRISON,
special Agent and Road Expert.
Director stones Action.
director Stone transmitted this report to
the postmaster General, saying:
take pleasure in transmitting to you
report from my assistant and road ex-
pert, Mr.. E. G. Harrison, whose long sx-
perieace ooth as a postmaster and road
builder has given him valuable opportuni-
lies to study the public needs in both these
olrecuons His suggestions for combina-
uon or interests and efforts of your de-
partment and of the Department OF Agri-
culture In serving the public in these i'm
portant regards are in line with our con-
Versatlon on the same subject. and l only
take occasion to ask your careful attention
lRfipita he
makes. II Will be very great advantage
to US II 1t can be generally understood that
road Improvement Will bring better mail
facilities creating thereby another strong
inducement to the betterment of the high
ways.
Il will direct Mr. Harrison to call upon
the proper officers of your department for
snch consultation as may be necessary in
The Agricultural bepaftmcnt is confident.
that as a consequence pf the tests men
toned the cause OF better highways will
be advanced in all statee desiring to secure
the delivery Of mail in the country Sec
ticns.