The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-11-10
FREE DELIVERY.
ANNUAL Report of the First Assistant
Postmaster General Perry Heath.
The Adoption OF . unifcrm >'yie Of NAH
10. for tho ,ervice 10 Bs Put ~
and Kept In Repair ny ths
Department Urged

WASHINGTON, Nov. "A vigorous
,lea for rural free delivery is made in
.he annus, report Of First Assistant
Postmaster General Perry = Heath.
made public sunday night.
Mr.. Heath says the service so far has
resulted in increased postal receipts;
cnhancem OF the value of farm
lands reached by rural free delivery of
from S. to- S. per acre; general I'M
provement OF the condition OF the
roads traversed by the rural carriers:
better prices for farm products, the
producers being brought into daily
touch with the state Of the markets.
besides educational benefits conferred
by relieving the monotony OF farm life
through ready access TO wholesome lit
crature and knowledged OF current
events
On November rural free delivery
was in successful operation over SIS
services. radiating over 40 states and
one territory, Idaho, Wyoming. Mis-
sissippi and Montana being the only
states unrepresenied.
Between the beginning OF the new
iscal year. July !, 1893, and November
!, an additional expenditure of $3.50, 900
rural free delivery has been extended
90 nearly $50. 600 persons, at an annual
cost Of sooui ~ cents per ca 1ita against
an average per capita cost Of s.. ~ in
small towns of 8, 900 population.
at Is a small matter TO q resident OF
a town" says the report, TO be saved
a walk OF few hundred yards to the
pDst office, wnile on the contrary IL il
great accommodation to the farmer
20 DE spared a drive of five or ter miles
over cordurDvs roads to get his mail
In recent public discussion advocates
OF the system who took tn, value OF
the time thus lost in the uusy farming
season at only so cents per head found
that their figures run up into many
millions OF dollars lost to the agricul-
tural interests through beng obliged
10 send TO the village for the mailA
Rura. carriers are shortly TO be au-
tho lied 10 receive and receipt for let
tiers for registration a. city carriers do
now,
The report recommends the adoption
Of some uniform style OF mail box for
the rural free delivery service, with
two compartments. one for delivery
4 o.. I. .
Der key for the carrier 20 open the ccl
lect.ou comparlm- Of al, the boxes
and Key for tHc delivery compart-
ment to De furnished 10 each patron Of
the delivery.
These oox,s are to be put uD aud
sept in repair by the post office o.
p1r,meut, for ren;a, at moderate
prices which won q not only pay the
government interest on - Investment
cut yield a revenue The rural mail
Jpxe, would thus nave thrown around
them the und,spIJed pro.rctio1 OF the
United SAFES laws By illustration
1t IS shovn that the rural delivery at
Westchsster, Pa, no. onv paid Tor It.
self Dat left in the nine mottns of It's
operation 40 To septrm Der 80 oal-
ancc 81 sJ9i, fer delivering l55. 500
pieces OF mail matter at the
door, OF the ia-ner- The reports
OF hos,ilities Of Dos masters and from
s;ar route contractors are dismissed as
having no substantial grounds and as
AMI mated by no desire for the
pubic good. A mod fcltion oi
the pos;a, Laws is recon nended %
permit star route messengers undcT
special app),n ment and oath TO psr.
form rurai free delivery service. -Four
additional postal wagon routes with
auxiliary carriers in the travelling
rural post Office whose experimental
operation in Carroll county. Mary land,
has attracted general interest. is re.
om .aendei.