Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-13

miles. France 2O4,O92, and Germany
20S,830. We are already covering
with rural free delivery a larger area
than England, all effected within the
past two years. BY the end of the cur
rent fiscal year we shall reach one.
sixth of the 21,OOO.OOO to be served
What has already been substantially
accomplished is certainly capable of
skiold expansion.
On the 1st of July, 1899 there were
391 rural delivery routes in opera.
ton. Within the fiscal year, under
an appropriation of $450,O00, this num-
Der was increased to 1,214. On the
1st of July 1900, the appropriation of
$1,750,000 became available, and Oh
the 18th of November 2,614 routes had
been located and established, 61,97y
miles in aggregate length, covering
66,S42 square miles, divided among "A
states and territories, and serving a
popu alton of 1,801,524. The number
of applications pending Ut unau GATE
and awaiting action or under .rrestl-
CATION was more than 2,1O0-nearly
enough to double the existing service
and every day brings more The
close of the present fiscal year will
see about 4,300 routes in operation,
carrying the mail daily to the door.
of not less than 100000 residents of
the rural districts.
An Interesting Experiment.
The. actual results where the ex.
pertinent has been tried are eminent
~ encouraging. Perhaps the most
interesting and instructive of all the
tests thus far made is that which was
applied to Carroll county, Md. In.
stead of fragmentary undertaking,
it was determined to extend a com.
plete service, covering the entire coun-
ty, and accompanied by all the meas
ures OF retrenchment, on the one
hand, and of full facilities on the
other. which would give fair illustra.
tloEA of what was practicable. Car.
roll county covers 453 square miles.
The experiment began by the discon.
tinuance of GO of the "a fourth.cIass
postoftices in the territory and of SO
star routes, and by the substitution OF
a Tree delivery services with four COM
pete postal wagons and &c rural Ier-
Ter carriers in their own conveys ces.
80 radical an innovation, involving
the displacement of a number of Off
Gals, naturally at the outset excited
some antagonism. But the service
proved SO satisfactory and the adyan.
tages of universal delivery were so
great that the opposition speedily sun.
sided, and there is now an undivided
sentiment OF cordial approval and sun.
port.
Marked Increase in Mail,
The inauguration of the change was
followed by an immediate and mark
cd advance in the quantity of mail.
Inc increase in the first quarter in
the number of pieces handled was
about 40 per cent. With the means
OF transmission brought to the door
more letters were written, but there
was special augmentation of the
volume of newspapers, circulars and
postal cards. The other facilities of
the postal system were employed in
liberal measure. In the first quarter
OF rural free delivery, as compared
with the last quarter preceding, the
increase of registered letters was 81
per cent, and of money ordes 40 per
cent. These facts signify the enlarg-
ed use of the instrumentalities of the
postal system when placed within con-
yenient reach. Augmented revenues
follow. The increased receipts in
Carroll county during the first quar-
ter were $1,5O1, or 90 per cent. AS
the normal increase is only about 8
per cent in the populous centers, and
less than per cent in rural sections,
these figures attest the efficacy of rur-
al delivery in swelling the revenues.
The saving effected in the discontinue
ance of fourth-class Offices and star
routes amounted for the quarter to
$2,S05. Add to this the increase in
receipts, and we have a credit account
which very nearly balances the cost
of the rural delivery, thus showing
that the service in Carroll county is
well-nigh self-sustaining. This is
doubtless a favorable case and prob
ably exceptional. Yet like results ap-
pear in other localities where the ex-
pertinent has been tried.
The Probable Cost.
elf rural free delivery is to be &C.
cepted as general policy, it is pru-
dent to inquire into the probable cost
of extending the service turnout the
sections of the country favorable
to it's establishment. 1t must in the
nature of the case be limited to those
regions where geographically admit
of it's introduction and which are
sufficiently settled to warrant it. Any
calculation with the present data
must be somewhat conjectural, but an
approximate estimate may be reached.
Surveying the country with reference
to the density of the population and
the character of the territory, and en-.
tering upon a detailed examination by
states, it is Believed that in the aggre.
gate an area of about 100000 square
miles comprises all to which the ser.
vice might reasonably be extended
Certainly it would take some years to
cover that area. and 1t is all that need
now be contemplated.
In arriving at on estimate ne The