Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1899-06-10
RURAL DELIVERY.
Being Extended to Various Points in
the WebfOOt State.
II Saves the Farmer Many Trip to Town
and Promotes the Circulation
Of Daily Newspapers

rural districts, which was inaugurated
by Postmaster Heneral Wanamaker and
approved and extended by Assistant
Postmaster Gederal Heath, is gradually
being introduced in this state and is
giving great satisfaction Two such
routes are being operated from Turner,
Marion county, each supplying the
minimum number Of families, which is
fixed at 1875. The carriers receive 5000
per annum, and 800 for horse hire.
T. o. Haupt, special agent of the
rural free deliver system, has estab-
tablished and put in operation route
at La Grande in the Grand Ronde cover
ing an aera of nine square miles, and
furnishing daily delivery of letter and
paper mail to 1875 families. All that is
required of the people thus served is to
put up a mail box in front of their
premises, in which the carrier will
place their mail, and from which he
will take any letters, etc, deposited
there for mailing.
These free rural delivery routes can
be established on the petition of the
residents of country who will at least
guarantee the minimum number Of fam
lilies to be benefited by this service; or
upon the representations of United
States senators or congressman. OF
course, 1t is not practicable to extend
this service tn very thinly settled sec
tions, where carrier would have to
ride an unreasonable length of time to
reach and serve l25 families. Rural
delivery of mail by carriers has long
been in vogue in Great Britain and
Europe, and one Of the carriers under
the name of "Posty" has been inn
mortalized by Ian MacI.aren. 1t will
probably be some time before carriers
in the rural district make their rounds
on foot in this state.
! Hood river, the most prosperous and
thickfy settled valley of Eastern Oregon,
is reused by the announcement that on
July 10 a, free rural delivery will be
established, and a population of over
2000 will have their mail left ut the
door at Uncle Sans expense. This
system of mail delivery to country
communities is OF recent date. The
act Of 1897, carrying an appropriation Of
$4,000 was passed grudgingly. The
success of the experiment resulted in an
appropriation of $40,0O0 the succeeding
year, and the last congress, impressed
with the value OF the service, allowed
$500, 900, which is being expended where
applications are filed or recommended
tions are made by the delegations in
Washington from the various eligible
localities.
At Hood River the route of the car
rier will be up one side of the valley TO
fuckers mill and down the other side
The distance 10 be travelled by the car
rier is 2l miles, and the territory 10 be
served embraces II square miles. All
the families to be served will have to
put up boxes for their mail alongside
the road, 30 that the carrier can leave
the mail without dismouting. Parties
residing half mile or mile back from
the road will also place boxes by the
highway, and have their mail delivered
and taken by the carrier.
When mail is placed in the boxes TO
! be taken by the carrier, a flag is put up
to attract his attention, and when the
carrier deposits mail in the box he
blows a whistle TO attract the attention
OF the householder. Sections where 100
families are located within a radius
which can be covered by carrier in
five or six hours are adapted for the free
rural delivery system.
First Assistant Postmaster General
Heath takes great interest in this rural
free delivery and will push it as rapidly
as practicable.
This rural free delivery system some
times does away with star mail routes
and fourth class postotiices. Al Santa
Rosa, Cal, three carriers were put on
three free delivery routes, and dld away
with hree-fourth-class offices and a
star route, and the saving effected about
covered the expenses Of the carriers.
Mr.. Iaupt says that the general pub
lie is not fully aware Of the utility Of
this rural postal service, but that where
it has been introduced its popularity is
so great that a much larger apporprla-
tion will be demanded and granted in
the future, and that as fast as commun-
tiles require the necessary population,
which is l25 families for a % mile route,
the government will be called upon to
furnish this delivery, as it, convenience
is soon realized by those who can i'll
spare the one or two days a week con-
sumed in going to more or less remote
pOstoifice.