Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1899-11-07
MAIL OF THE FARMER
Strong Plea for Extension of Rura
Free Delivery.
VALUABLE TO ALL
Experiments In Forty States SHOW IA
scheme Is Decided Success.
The Recommendation Of
Posioilice Department.


for rural FREQ delivery is made in Oh
annual report Of First Assistant Post
master General Perry s Heath. Mr.
Heath says the service 30 far has 70
suited ia increased postal receipts. on
hancemont OF the value Of farm land
reached by rural free delivery Of from
y 10 81 per acre. a general improve
ment OF the condition of the roads ira
Versed by the rural carriers. bette,
prices for farm products. the produce
being brought into daily touch with no,
markets. besides educational beneit
conferred by relieving the monotony 70.
farm life through ready access 10 whole.
some literature and knowledge Of cur
rent events
On Nov ! rural free delivery was 10
successful operation over 3s3 services.
radiating over 40 states and territory
Idaho. Wyoming. Mississippi and Mon
iana being che only state unrepreseutol
Between the beginning Of the new fiscal
year July /, 1899. and Nov I. at an az.
ditional expenditure Of Slj0OOO. rural
free delivery has been extended 10 near.
ly 10000 persons. at an annual cost a
about ~ cents per capita against an %,
erage per capita cost Of $3.50 in sma..
towns Of 5000 population
1T il a small matter 10 resident OF
a town. says the report 80 be saved %
walk Of few hundred yards 20 tho
postofice, while on the contrary II ISIS
great accommodation TO the farmer &c
b. spared a drive Of five or ten mile.
over country roads 10 get his mail la
a recent public discussion advocates OF
the system who took the value Of the
time thus lost in the busy farming sea
son at only 80 cents per head. found
that their figures ran into many million
Of dollars lost 10 the agricultural inter
ests through being Obliged 10 send &,
the village for the mails Rural car
riers are shortly TO BE- authorized TO 70
ceiyo and receipt for letters for registra
ton as city carriers do now"
II recommends the adoption Of som,
uniform style Of mail box for the rural
free delivery service with two compart
ments one for delivery and one for col
lection. with ons master key for m,
carrier TO open the collection oompart.
ments Of all the boxes aud key for th,
delivery compartment 10 bo furnished
70 each patron Of the delivery.
These boxes are 10 be put up auc
kept in repair by the postonlce depart.
msnt for rental at moderate prices
which would not only pay the govern
ment interest on its investment. bui
yield a revenue The rural mail bo1e,
would thus have thrown around then
the undisputed protection OF the United
States laws BY illustration II Is shown
that the rural service at West Chester.
fa, not only PAID Tor itself but left IN
the nine months Of It's operation up &
Sept 30. balance Of S503. after deliv
ering l5' sOj pieces OF mail matter al
the doors Of the farmers
The reports Of hostility Of postmas
ters and from star route contractors ar,
dismissed as having no substantial
grounds and as animated by no desir,
for the public good
A modification Of the postal laws II |
recommended 10 permit star route mes
sengers under special appointment anc
oath 10 perform rural free delivery serv
Ice -Four additional postal wager
routes with auxiliary carriers IN N,
travelling rural postonices whose experi
mental ope' alton in Carroll county Md.
has attracted general interest, is recon
meuded