River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-01-24
RURAL MAIL ROUTES.
THE INITIATIVE.


a little over two years 10 any part or
the country. At the beginning Of
/ 1900 there were 3S3 Of these routes es-
tablished and operated. The service
was popular from the start and has
rapidly developed within the past
year, new routes being laid out as
fast as the agents Of the government
can attend 10 the applications proper
ly A year ago there were 10 routes
operated Ia Wisconsin, the service ac-
commodating l4,167 persons. OF
course primary consideration in the
extension and maintenance Of rural
free delivery Of mail is the accommO-
dation Of the people. If the people
want it they will have 1t, regardless
Of the cost. The postoliice depart
ment Of the government IS operated
to serve the people. It's cost is enor-
nous for il is an extensive organiza-
tion, and makes use Of an army Of
agents greater than that operating In
the Philippines against the insur-
gents, employs swift conveyance by
rail and water for tTanspOr tatiOn Of
mail and pays liberal salaries to its
agents. This department Of the gov
eminent comes into the most init
mate relationship with the people,
and just complaint against the ser
vice is a very rare thing indeed; but
while the service TO the people Is the
first consideration, strict regard to
the economical operation OF the SER
vice Is important and is conscien-
ti0usly observed. Consequently in
the laying out and operating of rural
delivery routes the cost, compared
with the value of the service to be
given, is necessarily taken into ac-
count
La the laying out Of the routes it is
intended that distance shall be en-
braced that a carrier can convenient
ly make in day, and this distance is
as near % miles as the conditions I'M
der contemplation will admit.
LOCAL ROUTES.
A free delivery route, designated
Route No, /, has been in operation
from the River Falls postofiice with
daily service since the lst of Septem-
Der, This route accom- modates 100
families with daily mail service. Ii
has proved an unqualified success
from the start, with constantly in
creasing approval and patronage.
The people on the line OF the route
take more papers, buy more stamp
and write more letters since this ser
vice was Instituted in their conven-
ience. An agent Of a daily paper
passed over the route one day aud
took 81 subscriptions from people who
had never before taken a daily paper.
In October 5000 pieces Of mail were
carried on this route-1446 letters,
1923 newspapers and POI packages,
besides numerous circulars and sam
Pile copies Of papers, while there was a
large increase in mail in Novem Der
over the previous month which again
was largely increased in Decem Der
above that carried Ia Noyem Der.
Route No, has been in contem pla-
tion-starting from this city and
going up the county line to New Cen
terville, back past Clinton William 5
place through Kinnickinnic TO the
city; and Route No. 3, taking In all
the Clifton patrons OF the River Falls
office, part Of Oak Grove and the
town Of River Falls TO the south.
These routes, Nos. and ,, will un.
doubleday be approved and service in
operation early in the spring. AS
there are but four inspectors Of rural
free delivery mail routes in the SER
vice Of the government it can be un-
derstood that there will be more or
less delay in the approval Of routes
and the beginning OF service after
applications have been forwarded for
the opening Of new routes. These in
spectUrs work at the south during
the most Of the winter and in the
north when the weatheris more favor
able, After these three routes men
toned above are established and in
operation two more routes will be
taken up, which when approved and
operated will give convenient mail
service to all the people within a radi-
Us OF twelve to fourteen miles. OF
these routes, which will be designated
Routes Nos. and 5, one will 20 north
aud northwest, and the other south
and southeast. Congressman Jen-
klus Informs postmaster Glass that it
is probable that all these routes will
be supplied with service before July
ot this year MI jenkins writes that
he will have an inspector in the 10th
congressional district just as soon as
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