Mower County transcript., 1899-09-06
{ FREE. RURAL ..||! J. DELIVERY. ] |. VI i.
Free Delivery Service to be Com
menced From Austin About
September 2Oth.

The subject Of free delivery Of
mails In the rural districts as we'll as
in the cities has been much discussed
tor years and it's desirability has been
generally admitted, For some time
the postotf1ce department has. been
experimenting in few localities and
the rural free delivery service is
Officially commended wherever esta b.
lished and the results during the past
year which will be reported to Con-
gress will assuredly induce that body
to make more adequate approprie-
tions to extend this feature OF free
delivery. ~
Last Thursday, Thomas Howard,
Esq, OF st. Paul, special agent for
the rural free delivery service was in
Austin and the preliminaries were
completed for the esta blishment Of
route out from this city, regular
service to commence about Sept. 20.
He will return again tomorrow and
will be taken over the contemplated
route. AS now planned this route
will go east from Austin by way of
Concord, Colum bia, and Charles Van
degrift's to the See bach settlement in
Dexter township, returning to Austin
by the north road, which runs by
Motifs and Sachse's. Mr.. Howard
will decide tomorrow: whether this is
an acceptable route.
There are several conditions which
are to be met in order to obtain free
rural mail delivery; one essential is
good roads. The experiment will not
be tried where roads are very poor.
Another requirement is that patrons
along the route shall put up at their
own expense, galvanized iron mail
boxes on a post by the roadside SO
that the carrier can deliver mail into
the box without getting out OF his
wagon. There must be at least 100
houses on the circuit of twenty-five
miles. The circuits usually run from
twenty-five to twenty-eight miles.
The mail boxes required cost only so
or 70 cents, and any person substitu-
ting anything else for the reception
OF mail which is not accepta BILE to the
government, will not have their mail
delivered by carrier. Uniformity is
desired and Is important.
The carrier will be required to 20
over the entire route every week day
Of the year. He will start from Aus.
tin about nine O'Clock in the morn
ing, and will make the circuit in six
or seven hours. Any person, no mat
ter where he lives, can have the bene-
fit Of this free delivery and will get
his mail regularly delivered if he
comes to the main line Of the route.
The carrier will bring back to the
Austin postoffice all letters and mail
to be sent away These will be put in
the boxes and will be taken out by
the carrier.
The carrier will also sell stamps,
envelopes, postal cards, and will have
blank applica tion for money orders,
so that people can have the money
order system at their doors. The
carrier is also allowed by the Depart
1nent to do. g. small parcel express
business when this can be carried on
without interference with bis postal
duties; he will also have facilities for
registering letters and delivering
such. The salary of a. carrier at the
start will be small, not exceeding $40O
and he will be allowed to carry a few
passengers and do an order business
to and from Austin, take su bscrip-
tiOns and collections for newspapers,
and do other errands in order to add
to his income.
Remember that Mr.. Howard will be
here tomorrow to 20 over the route
and all parties interested should in.
terview him. It is an important move
for this community and we predict
will nrOVe nOnlllar