Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-24
RURAL MAIL REPORT
W. F. Conger, the Special Agent
Tells Of the Work.
HEDRICK ROUTE LAST TO Be PUT ON
Forty-Three Free Delivery Routes in
iowa - Popular Where it Has
Been TrIed-rt Stimulates
Use Of tie Mails.

Des Moines, Oct. 19.-There are 43
rural mail delivery routes in Iowa. The
last to be established was at Hedrick,
in Keolsuk county. The route extends
from there southeast into Wapello
county. The special agent of the post
Office department for rural free deliv-
cry in Iowa is w. T. Conger, of Clin-
ton. His report for the month of
September has just been issued, and is
herewith reproduced. Little is UNDER
stood by the average person about the
efforts being made 10 demonstrate the
practicability of free rural delivery
Interest in this city was lately awak
NJ. Dice, special agent in charge of the
western division of rural free delivery,
at the good roads convention.
'Dear Sir: In compliance with your
request, communicated to me by the
special agent in charge of western d.
vision, L beg leave TO submit the fol-
lowing:
'.I'irst, desire to say in general that
/ have found the people eager for rural
free delivery of mail wherever they
have come to understand its advantages
and benefits. find a majority of the
people know little or nothing about ru-
raj fee delivery or the attempt on the
part OF the government TO establish
and ties. ii. | might say further that
few 'aStmasiers have given it serious
attention or realize its advantages to
the people served by it or the just
claims of the rural population to a fair
share of the benefits of our postal sys-
tenn
Il do not desire to speak in disparag-
ment of free city delivery, but aside
from a business delivery in cities the
claims are, TO my mind, much stronger
in favor of rural free delivery than res
idence delivery in cities.
THE residents of the average free
delivery city are within short dis
tance of the postoffce or some of its
sub-stations ard have the additional
advantage of sidewalks and street cars
by which TO conveniently reach it in
any and all kinds of weather.
Farmers are miles from the post
office and often prevented, through
the bus producing season or by reason
of bad weather and bad roads, from
getting their mail for many days OF
weeks at time.
again, farmers being producers oil
food supplies, grains, etc. need the
daily market reports, which are OF
small advantage TO the residents of q
city.
''Why eight hundred or ore thousand
people, living within mile OF u post
Office in city, with sidewalks ana
street cars at their service, should hav,
their mail delivered by 4 carrier. cost.
ing the government $500 TO $1,000 q
year and an equal number of farmer:
postotfice. Should not be served by q
$500 carrier, | am at u loss TO under
stand. The stronger claim OF the
farming community to daily delivery
of mail is becoming better understood
each year, and whenever and whsreve,
a rural route is established the adj
vantages become aI once so appareu,
10 those served that the justice OF IN,
claims of rural delivery is al once adj
mitted
Zone of the most frequent and ap
parently most formidable objection:
urged against it is that since all can
not have il none should. ! try 20 ans
swer this objection by saying that ii
the very nature and constitution of so
ciety there cannot be an absolutely
equitable distribution of public advan
tages. Comparatively Few conmnni
ties can have the advantage of fas
mail trains, but no fair-mintled or in
telligent man upon reflection would
want to suspend the fast mail service
on that account. There are few cite:
and towns favored with free carrie,