The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-25
RURAL DELIVERY.
Farmers Will Have Mail Left
at Their Doors.
Route Through Teeumseh
Township Being Established.
GO IN EFFECT JULY 1.
Government Will Extend Free
Delivery System.
1t Has Passed Experimental
Stage.
GO IN EFFECT JULY 1.

Shawnee county farmers are to have
their mail delivered TO them daily, ac
cording to plans now under considera-
ton by the postoff1ce department The
first Of these routes will be established
IN about two weeks by E H Hatha-
way. special agent Of the rural free de-
livery system for Missouri and Kansas.
and Mr. Hathaway expects to have the
route in operation by July L
This route. as at present mapped out
by Mr.. Hathaway, Will cover all Of Te-
cumseh township and go one mile into
Monmouth township. It will be p
miles in length. as prescribed by law,
and will accommodate about 700 peO-
pie Mr. Hathaway has not fully de-
termined whether 10 have the route
start from the Tecumseh pOstOffice or
from Topeka He would prefer start
ing 1t from Topeka but in doing so the
carrier would be compelled to traverse
two miles Of territory each way
through which he would deliver no
mail as it is covered by the city car
riers-
It is the intention. Of course. to go
through the most thickIy settled COM
munities, so as TO accommodate the
greatest number Of people in the p
mile route II the route begins at Te-
cumseh it will go two miles east, one
south one east, two and one-haIf south,
one west. the nOne-half mile south to
go one mile south into Monmouth town
ship, one and One-haIf mile west, one
mile north, One-half mile east, two
north. two west, one south, one west.
three north and then two east to Te-
cumseh. This is the general route as
now outlined by Mr. Hathaway. but the
latter part may be modified to cover
the thickly settled community west and
north of Tecumseh.
Any person along the route IS emit
tied 10 free delivery every day prOvid-
ing he will puc up a suitable box for
his mail A sample box will be left a
the Topeka pOstOffice so that farmers
may see what they should be like. The
boxes should be water tight. and 4x6xI5
inches, placed on a post by the road
side, so that the carrier may leave the
buggy.
The carrier leaves the postoffice at a
given time each morning. and is ex-
pected 10 pass each box within half an
hour Of the same time each day so
that il viii not be necessary for the
farmers 10 leave their mail in the
boxes very long after its arrival The
carrier receives $500 a year. and furn-
ishes his own horse and vehicle
One thing is important to the success
of the free delivery system, and that is
good roads The continuance Of the
routes will depend upon the condition
IN which the roads are kept over which
the carrier has to travel
Mr. Hathaway will leave the matter
to be considered by the farmers along
the proposed route for a week or so. at
which time he Will return to Topeka TO
eSta blish the route If any changes
are suggested by which the route may
be bettered, they will be considered.
There are two other appIica tons for
free delivery routes in Shawnee courl-
~. and if the Tecumseh route is sue
cessful, and there is no reason why it
should not be, several routes will be es-
tablished.
Congress still calls rural free deIiv-
cry an experiment" said Mr.. Hatha-
way tOday, but it IS passed the ex-
perfmental stage It is a success where
the people take hold of it in the com
rnunitieS where routes are eSta bIiShed.
I believe that mail could be delivered to
practically every person in the United
states with little more expenditure
than there is now
Among the routes for which petitions
have been filed and which Mr. Hatha-
way will Investigate in the near future
are the following: AgricoIa- north into
Usage county. Agric0Ia. south into Cot
fey county: Bendena- DOuiphan county:
Ellsworth, Ellsworth county: Anthony
Harper county, Fountain. Usage coun-
y. Osawatomie, Miami county; Jew
ell, Jewell county, Manhattan. Riley
county; Valley Falls. Jefferson county.
The day is probably not far distant
when the majority of the farmers Of
their doors each day the same as the
people Of the larger towns do at pres
ent-