The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-29
Shawnee County Will Test
Rural Free Delivery.
Excellent Route Mapped Out by
Government Officials.
LARGE TERRITORY.
Nearly 1000 Country People
Will Have Daily Mail.
Believed That 1t Will Pay Its
Way.

The rural free delivery route through
Tecumseh and Monmouth townships
has been definitely settled by Special
Agent E H Hathaway and Thomas
Howard, who is assisting him. Mr..
Howard will shortly take charge of the
free delivery system in Iowa.
Both Mr.. Hathaway and Mr.. How
ard went Saturday all over the terri
tory to be covered by the Tecumseh
route, inspecting the roads and the
neighborhoods through which the car
rier ought to pass. The carrier will
start from the Topeka postoffce, going
east over the Sixth street viaduct, and
will begin his delivery three-cuarters
of a mile east of where the city car
riers now stop. Just east of the city
the route Will make a jog of mile to
the south. half mile east, and then a
mile north again, in order to cover
thickly settled community out there
which is not reached by the city car
riers- From that point the route Will
lead directly east until it gets a mile
east of Tecumseh, but no deliveries will
be made within half a mile of the Te-
cumseh office. After going half mile
south and another half east, the route
Will go directly south three miles and
a half to the township line between
Tecumseh and Monmouth townships,
and then a mile east to Watson post
office. From there it will go a mile
south. two miles west. half mile north,
half mile west, half mile north, half
mile west one mile north one mile
west and then three miles north, inter
sectinS the line going out of the city.
After going a half mile west over the
territory traversed before the route
goes mile north, half a mile west a
half mile south and then into the city
again, making total length of 2511
miles 1t will be traversed in less than
six hours by the carrier.
There are already a number of appli- /
cants for the position of carrier and
Mr.. Hathaway will give them an exam
ination to determine their qualifications.
The position is not governed by civil
service rules, but Mr.. Hathaway be-
lieves in giving it to the person best
qualified for it, and will insist on the
carrier personally delivering the mall !
so as to get the best service possible.
This is the best route 1 have ever
mapped OUT said Mr.. Hathaway to- I
day. and there is no reason why it !
should not be very successful. There !
are 212 houses within half a mile of !
the route, with population of 954 per- /
sons
The establishment of this route will /
entail but little extra expense upon the I
government and will take the mail !
daily TO the doors Of thousands of peo- !
pie. many of whom have had their mail I
only twice a week heretofore.
The route will cover practically all of
the territory served by Watson postof- (
flee on the township line between Te- I
cumseh and Monmouth townships and /
will therefore result in the discontinue
ance of that office. This will save the /
salary of the postmaster at that place. /
1t will also do away with the necessity /
of carrying the mail across from Te- /.
cumseh pOstoffce to Watson, as is now +
done twice a week, and will thus save !
the salary of the carrier who takes it /
across. These two items and the in (.
creased business which the rural de- (
livery will bring about will probably /
more than pay the salary of the rural /
delivery carrier This is the manner /
in which the government can afford to 1
establish the rural delivery system with !
little or no extra expense.
The petition for the establishment of /
the rural delivery system was signed .
by w T Watson, postmaster at Wat /
son pOstOffice, but when he learned /
that it would do away with his office 3
he came to Topeka and entered a pro-
test, but it was too late to do any good /
1t is likely the system will decrease the ,
business of the Tecumseh postoffice, al /
though no deliveries will be made within (
half a mile of the office.
People who live along the route who
have heretofore been getting their mail .
al the general delivery window at the 4
Topeka postOffice or at Tecumseh or /
Watson will in the future want to have /
their letters addressed in this manner: (