The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-27
ANOTHER POPULAR SERVICE
NEW WEATHER SIGNAL SYSTEM TO
BE TESTED AT LAFAYETTE.
Rural Mail Vehicles to BE Supplied
with N Set of Flags Showing the
Washington Forecasts.
aft Correspondence of the Journal.

staff Correspondence of the Journal.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-The patrons
of rural free delivery in Indiana may
watch with much profit the development of
the good roads effort in Delaware county.
This is one of the very few counties in the
United States which has been given a COM
plete delivery system. All the fourth-class
pos offices in that county have will be
abolished and all the farmers in the coun-
ty will receive a delivery of mail once
day. Outside of Muncie the residents of
towns and villages must call for their mail.
but these have mail at least twice a day
and the general proposition of daily delv-
cry for the county holds good.
Ten years ago one-half the residents of
the county did not get their mail oftener
than twice a week. This fact alone illus
trates the marvellous development In the
postal system. 1t would be impossible to
tell, in brief space, the change which
would be wrought if a rural free delivery
system such as is being put in in Delaware
county should be spread over all the State.
1t would mean the bringing into daily
touch with current affairs so per cent. of
the people, who heretofore enjoyed less
contact with the business and political
matters of the day. A weekly paper is
great convenience in the farmers home
and it's mission has been of the highest
order, but from now on, if rural free de-
livery is extended it will be supplemented
by the daily newspaper.
1t is estimated that the extension OF the
rural delivery will increase the reading of
daily newspapers 60 per cent. This is not
guess, but based upon figures in practice,
obtained in counties and districts where
the delivery has been established. 1t is
very easy TO see how the number of read
ers of daily newspapers in Delaware coun-
ty will be doubled by the delivery system.
The effect of this alone is of great i'm
portance.
DEPENDS ON GOOD ROADS.
The extension of the system of Indiana
depends mainly on good roads. 1t is under
stood that in Delaware county some of the
roads are almost impossible in the spring.
If such roads found the routes which
they effect will be discontinued. Special in
spectors are scurrying over the country
searching for such roads and when they
found through these inspectors. or on
the complaint of the carrier, the post
master at one of the roads gets a letter
something like this:
IAN investigation by this office of the
road Travelled by the carrier from Blue
Mounds. Dane had county; W1sconsin S route
at Blue Mounds has this day been notified
to inform the patrons of route No. l that
the lack of care of this road endangers
the permanency of the route. A carrier
cannot make time unless the roads in
good condition. Now is the time to repair
the highway and the only way to insure
the permanency or the service is to attend
to il once.
The above letter was sent TO the post
master at BarnLevelt. Iowa county. Wis
conSin. If the patrons of route No. | should
be so careless as to neglect the letter the
next one probably would notify them that
the route had been discontinued until the
repairs were made.
Delaware county is especially open 10
such supervision, because ii is the policy
of the department to give whole county
deliveries except when the roads are i'm
first-class shape. The main turnpikes i'm
Delaware were reported to be i'm fairly
good condition. but in several districts the
dirt roads are reported to be very poor LII
the spring. The departments interest in
Delaware is inspired by the fact that the
father of the rural free delivery service
was Perry 5. Heath. born and reared in
Delaware But regard for Mr. Heath does
not make the roads good and Representa-
tive Cromer's enthusiastic support will
also not make good roads. IL is uD to the
farmers to hump for better roads
The good roads department of the fed
eral government has been sadly neglected
priation for the Department of Agriculture
contained an item of $4,000 for the good
roads department This sum was not so
much as the river and harbor bill con-
tanned for the improvement of the ST Jo-
seph river In northern Indiana. Yet the
St. Joseph river had been declared a non
navigable stream. But the river and har-
bor bill was killed. and the item had moth
ing to do with the case. except by COM
parison. The Congress will have to deal
with a very large river and harbor bill
next year. The last one was defeated at
the last minute, and this will result in a
huge one.
MORE MONEY REQUIRED.
The friends of good roads will make an
effort next year TO secure an adequate ap-
preparation for the good roads branch Of
the government. The industrial commits
sion has determined, after exhaustive in
vestigation, that it costs more to transport
farm products from the farm to the rail
roads than il does from railway stations
10 the markets If this be true. the good
roads people contend, there is as good
reason for looking after country roads as
in spending money on rivers and harbors
Yet this view OF the case is apt TO cause
mlSapprehcnSi0n as 10 the scope and in
tention OF the good roads department of
the government In principle the govern
ment does not believe in undertaking TO
build country roads tt is not assumed
that this is one OF the functions Of gov
ernment II is cOntended. however that
It is part Of the duty of the government
10 show the people now 10 make proper
roads. 1t is more of task To build =
good road than a good house 1t is also
important to the whole that the people
know how TO make these roads. There
fore il is considered by the government
that II is its proper function to conduct ex-
periments, 10 give instruction and 10
arouse interest IN practical way I'm coun-
try road making
with this in view ii maintains a depart
ment where roadnaking materials are ex-
amined Any district can send sample ma
terial TO this department and be informed
as 10 value of the stuff in making good
roads. Sample roads are built In various
States under government supervision TO
give the country residents a chance TO OBJ