The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-02

brunswick, Ne; December 8, 1896, Quit
man, Ga; December 10, 1896, Auburn, III. !:
december p, 1896, Grand Isle. VT, and
Lancaster, Pa; January l. 1897, Earning
Ton Mimi; Allensville, Ky, and Atoka,
!ehn-; February l. 1897, Campbell, Cal !;
April 1887, North Yakima, Wash.
COST OF THE SYSTEM.
In regard to the installation of the
service. all details We're placed in the
hands OF the officers of the division of
Postofilce Inspection and Mail Depreda-
tons" They We're instructed to start
experimental tests Of rural free delivery
IN specifically named localities, no matter
whether the conditions seemed to them
favorable or not. Under these unfavorable
conditions the rural free delivery routes
We're started from severaI offices. The de-
livery of mails from Allensville, Ky, cost
about 4 cents for every piece OF mail
handled. At Hartsville, Bartholomew
county, Ind, the cost of delivery Der
piece of mail was about G IL cents. De-
livery of the rural mails from Ouitman
Oh cost 400 cents per piece for the first
year of its establishment: Halltown. w
Va, So cents: Atoka, Tenn, 293 cents.
Palmyra, Va, 2.G4 cents; Tecumseh. Neb.
Isl cents; Clarksville. Ark, 2.72 cents:
Uvllla, w Va, 3.S3 cents, and other routes
proved equally costly
from every part of the country where
the service had been given a fair trial,
Peuuons began to pour in upon tho De-
par'hent. Special agents were appointed
10 look INTO the claims of the people and
lay out services wherever the conditions
seemed favorable to an economical and
successful administration. Such good re-
SUITS were obtained that Congress appro-
private $l5O,CG0 for the rural free delivery
Tor the fiscal year 1S97-'9S, and gave $500 ONA
Tor the same purpose for the current fiscal
year. as requests for the establishment of
me service multiplied like an endless chain.
Inc appropriation was found 10 have been
pfacucally apportioned out before four
months OF the fiscal year, ending June Goth
1899, had expired.
FAVORABLE SHOWING,
0n the list of November, 1899, rural free
uei4'efE service was in successful opera-
uo1l from ~ distributing points. radiatins
over forty States and one Territory. Be
tween the beginning of the new fiscal
year. Juiy lst. 1899, and the 1st of Noyem-
per 1889, when the additional appropria-
ton of $4,000 granted for the extension
OF me rural free delivery service previous
ly established was found ia he exhausted
ne" service was established on 24S routes
serving population Of 1919 people 1t
Will thus be seen that with the additional
expenditure of Sl50.O0O rural free delivery
mas peen extended to nearly 10000 per
sons, at an annual cost of about 81 cents
per capita. These figures make a most ia
Nofaole showing when compared with the
cost Oh free delivery service in the smaller
ciles' many of which, when, by reason
OIL gross receipts aggregating $1,000 per
anhum, they fall within the free delivery
service nave population not exceeding
5UD. Three carriers (the usual number)
asslsned to cities of this class, at a salary
of $500 per annum, make the cost of the
delivery S2S9 per capita, with no very
great increase 10 be expected in the postal
receipts, because of the slight additional
accommodation afforded.
City delivery was Initiated primarily to
relieve the postoftices. it being manifestly
impossible for the postmaster 10 deliver the
mails to ten thousand or more people
through the postofiice window. whereas
rural Tree delivery has for its main pur-
pose the advancement and education of
the people and TO bring the postal service
within their reach. While the receinients
Of the rural free delivery service have to
provide boxes, which are placed at con-
Nenient places along the line of the road
traversed by the rural carrier, and watch
for the delivery of their mails, they save
the time which they would otherwise con-
sumo in going to and from the postoffice
daily. in all kinds of weather. on the mere
chance that there may be something await
ing them. One Missouri farmer calculated
that in the last fifteen years he had driven
fifteen thousand miles in going to and
from the posto1tice to get his mail.