The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-24
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Results of Postal Experiments Made
In BfarSiand.

VI
Ia Maryland
The Postmaster General, in compliance
with resolution adopted by the House
OF Representatives on March Z, has trans
united to Speaker Henderson report on
the experiment of rural free delivery in
Carroll county, Md. The report was pre-
pared by A. w. Machen, Superintendent Of
Free Delivery. 1t recites that during the
past three years the Postofice Depart
ment. in undertaking a broad and diversi-
fiei experiment in rural free delivery. has
1Lned to distribute the appropriations pro-
SiteG tOr that purpose as equitably as
p-ac;lcable among the States and Congress
sif cal districts. It's success in this direc-
ton is attested by the fact that today sew
eral rural free delivery routes are In op-
GRAFTON in almost every Congressional dis
trict wholly or partially made up of farm
ing communities. In every instance the
new service has proved an unqualified sue
cess. marked by expressions OF satisfac-
ton from the people and phenomenal in
creases IN the quantity of mali and in the
postal revenues. Yet the necessarily scat
tered condition of the experiment has pre-
vented the Department from obtaining a
thoroughly satisfactory basis for a fair
comparison between rural free delivery
and the old system, embracing star routes
and fourth-class Postofices.
At the beginning of the current fiscal
year the Department, with largely in
creased appropriation at its command. felt
mat Il could safely undertake a systematic
and general extension OF the rural free de-
livery service N one locality for the pur-
pose CT determining with reasonable accu-
racy-
FiTst-To what extent rural free Geliv-
cry. as system OF the postal service. can
cassidy dispiace OF supersede fOurth-class
postofices and star routes
Second-TO what extent il can Je used
as channel through which 20 extend 70
the farmer all other postal facilities.
Ihird-Its effect on the postal revenues.
Fourth-lts net cost 20 the Government
as compared with that OF the old system.
1t seemed essential that such an expert
mcnt should be made In a strictly farming
community presenting many OF the topO-
graphical and other physical c5nditioas
ana obstacles likely to be encountered in a
general introduction Of the service. so that
its successful operation under such C r
cumstances might be locked upon as a
guaranty of its success il any other 20 al
!ty n which it might be establi he+ ex-
cepung. Of course. the extremely mcun-
@'A-NN'A VI 1EaA1NAE DElA4EA oEILDLH OF TIE
country.
Carroll county. Nd. presented these con
dltions- ard was therefore selected f-r the
experiment As was expected. the former
postmasters, with one or two exceptions
vigorously denounced the dfsco-t -nuance
OF the fourth-class Dostoffiees and the At
routes as withdrawal Of modern postal
facilities and return 70 the mail service Of
colonial days. etc With the aid cf rsIa-
Z md
many misleading statements regarding the
Intentions OF the Department and sue
ceeded In creating in some Ccarters a
I strone but temporary opposition 70 the ser
vice 2nd bitter feeling against those en-
gagged IN the work OF its Introduce oa
Some Of the most foolish stories were told,
suCn as the statement that free delivery
would cause an increase OF county taxes
and that those patrons who had erected
boxes fo= the reception Of their mail would
each be assessed 81 per arnum b. tie
Government. Then. too. some dizatisfsc-
ton vas caused By the failure OF the De-
p2ruaent 20 reach at first each patron wkc
was really entitled % the service.
The prejudice against the innovation
/ finally culE2iaated in the calling OF a me L
ing. 10 be held at Westminster On J n
uary II. for the purpose Ct selecting a
I committee 10 proceed 20 Washington "a
FAe9 N--N AfeN4l 1AAOl OF the EODL 0lQ ENS
/ tenn The call was signed by a BIO her
Of a former postmaster. In his % -nira
I remarks the chairman announced that the
meeting wes called and the hall rented by
the opponents OF rural free delivery. ard
that anybody attempting 10 speak IN favor
OF that system would not be recoznize1
by the chair. The friends OF rural free de-
livery promptly withdrew. ard resolutions
denoUncing the service were adopted with
ON ra~.v.g
selected 10 nresent the resolutions to thf
member Of Congress and the PCstu astel
{ General
The service was now fairly on its feet
and II only remained for the Department
to gather the necessary data 10 compile an
accurate mail directory OF each route. "a
furnish the patrons Of rural free delivery
the information necessary to enable them
70 lntelligently corporate with those in
charge OF the service in making it a per-
. feet convenience. and to compile the sta
tistiCal statements used in the preparation
Of this report. This work was entrusted
10 Special Agent Hathaway. who has spar
ed no pains to obtain the desired infOr-
molten down 10 the minutest detail
From the data obtained the Department
has compiled an accurate register OF all
families served by rural free delivery
showing TIE number CT persons in each
l. -AAAsl is oeeu supplied
with complete list Of the patrons Of his
route, arranged in the order he serves
them, and each patron advised OF his cor
rect postal address and urged 10 request his
c0rr~-pOndents to address him according
" A route schedule for each route has
been published. showing the time the car
rier passes certain important points on the
route and the time he makes collections
from the various mail boxes Postmasters
o t,a rural free delivery Offices have been
furnished alphabetical lists Of all patrons
IN tie COUNTY 10 ensure prompt despatch
ana delivery OF mail to every part OF the
county"
The report presents statistics showing
the Increase o. mail matter carried over
the rural routes.