The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-10
TO THE PUBLIC:

CONCLUDED PROM FIRST PAGl


been located and established, 81, g79 miles in
aggregate length, covering 66,S42 square
miles, divided among A States and Ter
~.ftories, and serving a population of 1,S0l,-
524. The number of applications pending
at that date and awaiting action or under
investigation was more than 2,l00-nearly
enough to double the existing service-and
every day brings more. The close of the
present fiscal year will see about 400
.outes in operation, carrying the mail daily
% the doors of not less than $500. 600 resi-
dents Of the rural districts.
THE actual results where the experiment
mas been tried are eminently encourage
ing. Perhaps the most interesting and in
structive of all the tests thus far made
S that which was applied to Carroll coun-
y; Nd. Instead of a fragmentary under
aking, Ii was determined to extend a COM
plete service, covering the entire coun-
v, and accompanied by all the measures
of retrenchment, on the one hand, and Of
full facilities, on the other, which would
give a fair illustration of what was prac-
ticable. Carroll county covers 453 square
niles. The experiment began by the dis
continuance Of 63 Of the "a fourth-class
oostofices in the territory and of SO star
'outes, and by the substitution of a free
delivery service with 4 complete postal
wagons and 26 rural letter carriers in their
,wn conveyances So radical an innova-
ion, involving the displacement of a mum.
Der OF officials, natuf ally at the outset ex-
,ited some antagonism. But the service
proved so satisfactory and the advantages
u UNIVERSAL uelNerY were so great that
he opposition speedily subsidized, and there
5 now an undivided sentiment of cordial
approval and support.
RAPID INCREASE IN BUSINESS.
The inauguration of the change was
followed by an immediate and marked ad-
sance in the quantity of mail. The in
crease the first quarter in the number OF
pieces handled was about 40 per cen..
With the means of transmission brought
to the door more letters were written, but
there was a special augmentation of the
volume of newspapers, circulars and pos
tai cards. The other facilities Of the pos
tai system were employed in liberal meas
ure. In the first quarter of rural free de-
livery, as compared with the last quarter
preceding, the increase of registered let
tiers was 81 per cent, and Of money or
ders 40 per cent. These facts signify the
enlarged use of the instrumentalities of
the postal system when placed within con-
yenient reach. Augmented revenues fol-
low. The increased receipts In Carroll
county during the first quarter were $1,50i.
OF q per cent. AS the normal increase
is only about 8 per cent. in the %populous
centers, and less than 3 per cent in rural
sections, these figures attest the efficacy
of rural delivery in swelling the revenues.
The saving effected in the discontinuance
u Il III anu SUR u
amounted for the quarter to 81, S05. Add &c
this the increase in receipts. and we have
81 credit account which very nearly bal
ances the cost of the rural delivery, thus
showing that the service in Carroll coun-
ty is well-nigh self-sustaining.
This is doubtless a favorable case and
probably exceptional. Yet like results APP
pear in other localities where the expert
ment has been tried. A county service has
been established in Washington county
Tennessee, and in Washington county,
Pennsylvania. In the former, with some
contiguous territory that naturally goes
with ii, "A per cent. of the fourth-class
Offices have been discontinued, and in the
latter about so per cent. will be discon-
tinued. In both there is already a large
increase in the quantity of mail handled.
With Westchester, Pa, as a center, ten
routes were established, and the section
Is so populous that after more than a year
was authorized. Under the single service
the increase in the mail handled was q
per cent, and under the double service the
quantity almost doubled. while the addi-
tional cost was only 40 per cent. An ex-
animation of the reports of twenty-five
rural delivery offices, selected indiscrimi.
nately throughout the county, shows tina
the collections make up 10 per cent. of the
total number of pieces handled. In Car
roll, with a solid county service. they con.
stitute "a per cent, and at Westchester,
with q double service, they reach 50 pei
cent. Almost all of the collections arc
firm the familiar truth that when facilities
are increased the revenues increase.
COST OF THE SERVICE.
eff rural free delivery is to be accepted
as a general policy it is prudent to inquire
into the probable cost of extending the
service throughout the sections Of the coun-
try favorable TO its establishment. 1t must
In the nature of the case be limited &c
those regions which geographically adj
nit of its Introduction and which are suffi-
GENTLY settled to warrant il. Any calcula-
ton with the present data must be some
what conjectural, but an approximate esti-
mate may be reached. Surveying the coun-
try with reference to the density of the
population and the character of the terri
tory, and entering upon a detailed exami-
nation by States IL is believed that in the
aggregate al area OF about 100000 square
mics comprises all TO which the service
might reasonably be extended. Certainly
IL would take some years to cover tina
area, ard it is all that need now be con-
templated.
I'm arriving at an estimate of the gross
cost there are three methods OF computa
ton. The first is 10 take as the basis the
ccst per square mile, the second the cost
per capita and the third the cost per coun-
ty. On July 1, 1850. the rural delivery serv-
Ice covered an area OF $3.50 square miles,
with l.276 routes. The cost per route. in.
Guiding the compensation of carrier and
incidental expenses, but not administers
tive expense. is fixed at $50. This makes
the total cost for 1.z76 routes, covering 30.
156 square miles, $3.50. 40, or S21.l6 per square
THE second calculation Is on the basis
OF population. The strictly rural popula-
ton OF the country varies little from "a
10000. 1t to believed that upon q moderate