Evening star., 1900-04-26
RURAL FREE DELIVERY
A TEST RECENTLY MADE IN CAR
ROLL COUNTY. MD.
Results Shown to Be Favorable to
the Extension of the
System.


is set forth in report just made by First
Assistant Postmaster General Heath. 1t is
a summary. in concise form. of the expert
ment-the first one of its kind-made in Car
roll county, Maryland. 1t covers a period
of three months, and shows conclusively
the benefits of the service.
In his letter to the Postmaster General
Mr. Heath says the results achieved are far
beyond the expectations Of the most enthu-
siastic advocates of rural free delivery, and
the results will go far to allay the fear that
a general Introduction of the service might
prove a tax upon the postal revenues too
burdensome to be thought of. which was
the reason assigned by two former heads
of the Post Office Department in declining
to dsburse the appropriation provided for
an experiment of rural free delivery. 1t also
confirms the opinion expressed by the office
early In the present administration that
judicious extension of rural free delivery,
carrying with it all other postal facilities
would prove of incalculable benefit to the
agricultural classes without becoming q
burden upon the postal revenues.
Making the Test.
1t was deemed expedient to make the test
in strictly farming community presenting
many of the Typographical and other physi-
cal conditions and obstacles likely to be
countered in a general introduction Of the
service Carroll county, Maryland, pos
sessed all of these qualifications. To carry
out the plan it became necessary to discon-
tinue SiXty-three of the ninety-four fourth
class post offices in the county, thirty-three
star routes and two messenger services, and
the substitution therefor of rural free de-
livery service by four postal wagons and
twenty-six rural letter carriers. AS was ex-
pected, the innovation met with consider
able opposition, especially from the ex-
postmasterS, and with the aid of relatives
and personal friends they showed in some
quarters a strong but temporary opUosf-
ton to the service
After the service had been in operation
for forty days the sentiment changed and
opposition almost entirely disappeared.
This was manifested by the appointment
of a committee which called upon the Post
master General February to express their
hearty approval of the new system and to
protest against return to the old. The
service being finally established, the de-
partment proceeded to collect statistics.
The postal wagons serve an average of S5S
patrons each, and the rural carriers an
average of 40S patrons each Mail is de-
HVered to boxes or at points 176 yards
distant from farm residences. Heretofore
farmers We're obliged to travel S-1O0 miles
to the nearest country post office every
time they received or dispatched mail.
Under the old system the farmers got their
mail when it was convenient for them to go
for it. Rural free delivery has changed all
this, and mail is brought regularly to the
farmer regardless of the elements bad
roads,
Large Increase of Mail.
Perhaps the most important feature of the
report is the showing made in the large in
crease of mail handled under the new sys-
| tenn. February over January showed an
| increase of 37,52i pieces handled March
over January an increase of Ga, ,159 pieces
| The statement which is made by months
and compares the work of the new system
| with that of the old is most encouragin
| and shows that over 80 per cent Of the in
| crease is IN newspapers and circulars, in
| dicating a largely increased circulation of
| newspapers among the farmers. The great
| est portion of the increase is credited to
| daily newspapers. 1t was ascertained that
| the largely increased number of circulars
| and postal cards sent out by country
| merchants. The system also showed excel
| lent results in the registration of letters,
| issuance of money orders and the number
of stamps sold. The report also demon
| strates that under rural free delivery there
| is a largely increased amount of revenues
| received, and that the system is practically
| self-sustaining.
In conclusion the report says:
AS the experiment progresses and the
| service improves the postal revenues will
| increase to such an extent that at the close
| of the first year the balance sheet will
| show a snug profit to the government.
Such a prediction may safely be made
| for rural delivery service that has, under
| adverse circumstances and unfavorabie
conditions, increased
/
cent
The number Of letters registered 81 per
| cent.
The number Of money orders issued 40
per cent.
The postal revenues 23.5 per cent
The fourfold object of the Carroll coun-
| ty" experiment set forth In the beginning
Of this report has been attained. for the
results demonstrate concIusively
| % That the rural free delivery service
| within the territory covered by the expert
ment has successfully supplanted the old
system, embracing fourth-cass post Offices
and star routes.
CD 1t has proved an effective agency for
| the extension of the registry and money
| order systems.
90 1t has increased the postal revenues
| Of the county.
"a Its net cost is Insignificant
| The experiment was under the personal
| supervision of Mr.. A. w. Machen, superin-
| tendent of the free delivery service