The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
COUNTRY posTMKN OF EUROPE
Some Information About Them Which the
State Department. Has Secured.

Some Information About Them Which the
saato Department Has Secured.
Last year the Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads OF the House OF Representatives
called upon the Postmaster &c moral for some
details OF letter delivery in the rural districts
OF some European countries with view OF still
further extending the free delivery system In
tho United States. The answers sent through
the State Department show a rather primitive
method OF such delivery in most European
countries. though in the outfit and equipment
OF the travelling postman. q picturesque fea-
ture Of local life Is introduced. The rural mail
carriers In Austro- Hungary. for instance. wear
gray uniforms, carry ironshod sticks. leather
pouches, ink-horns and sgnal-horns. and the
latter are violently blown at the entrance Of
each village to notify it's inhabitants that the
letters have arrived. Among the articles de-
livered are letters. postal cards. newspapers,
samples. and kilograms. the fees charged for
ordinary letters being one kreutzer a half Of
cent. and half kreutzer for newspapers
This payment Ia. OF course, additional to the
charge for prepayment and is added to 1t for
the special delivery service.
In Belgium the rural mail carriers are fur
nished with waybill, upon which is entered the
date. the hours OF departure and return. the
position OF tho different letter boxes from
which collections are ode. and an i'm preston
OF the stamp o. each letter box. These rural
carriers OF Belgium travel on the state rail-
roads free, but only when In uniform and when
carrying their portfolio and card OF identif-
cation. They are also permitted Ito circulate
freely IN the railroad stations and they are
OF trains or locomotives and never TO cross the
tracks when q train or LOGON olive IL iu sight
The Belgium rural letter carriers are armed
The provincial postmen in England ts,lch is
their official designation are from eighteen TO
thirty years OF age at entrance TO the service
the only exception being discharged soldiers
when over thirty. They get fourteen week
days year as holidays. get free medical at
tendance. serve four hours on Sunday. for
bo sp %ssI . pas Is Gn and receive
proyinoisl postman is from fifteen to eighteen
miles day. Tho average rate in walking is
three miles an hour. In addition to their regu-
lar pay. each provincial postman is allowed
otherwise shoe eather wear and tear. and after
ten years service. In case OF incapacity or at
the age OF sixty. there is pension for the post
mon on retirement
In Switzerland the government furnishes
every rural postman, who is regularly en-
pioyed IN outdoor delivery. with one tunic a
year and one blouse and a cape every third
employed In outdoor delivery get a tnnic and
blouse every other year and cane every Ave
years; Tho salary varies from $22 to $40 a
month month; Ths average number OF working
In France the salary Of postmen Is fixed by
the number OF Kilometres travelled and not
According to any liked grade, There are 49,
3OO country postmen in France. and to their
yarying salaries, as hxed by kllometre are
added RratuitieS for carrying packages and re-
P"attnR verbal messages The rural postmau
u not national institution in Spain ''' '-