The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-04


wear and tear of horses, wagons and har-
ness. For his services the government
pays him $500 annually. In other states
the statement has been made that
the sum is ridiculously small; and thar it
is eaten up by expenses; in Indiana how
ever, the place is eagerly sought after ana
there is lively competition for the appoint
ment. Experience has shown that Indiana
carriers at least have been able TO live
comfortably and save money from their
salaries. In addition, the carrier has come
community where his work is done. Along
about Thanksgiving time. or Christmas, he
is frequently remembered by the farmer or
the housewife with substantial presents
horse, chickens, a fat turkey and some
times even he finishes his days work with
a squealing porker tied to the mail wagon.
THE PARENT STATE.
Indiana may claim the proud honor OF be-
ing the parent State Of rural free delivery.
II was in the administration of General
Harrison that the first appropriation was
made to experiment in such service with
regard TO its practicability. 1t was Perry
5. Heath, who, as first assistant postmaster
general, fought and won, against the OPP
position of Eastern congressman, appropri-
atoms amounting to more than half a mil
lion dollars for systematic experimentation.
and the present existence of the perfected
system may be ascribed to his thorough
understanding of the needs of the rural
population and to his energy in combating
the Tears or congressman and deDa rtment
officials that the expense of a general rural
Tree delivery service would cost a sum en-
urely out of proportion to its value 1t
was the late Governor Mount who, in a
NUMBER or addresses, impressed the people
or the State with a thorough understand
ing or the immense value of rural free de-
livery, and he pointed out to the farmers
lnr hr.w rr..l,s
them IT is in Indiana that the model rural
free delivery routes of the country are
found. The Lafayette rural route is re-
garded as the highest DEVELOPMENT of the
system. 1t may be taken as an example
or other routes in Indiana almost as fully
perfected. The rural carriers are governed
py the same rules as the carriers of the
city delivery service; they wear the same
uniform, provided at their own cost, and
each has furnished himself with a special
delivery wagon with ~. s. Mail. Rural
painted on the front and sides. Each wag-
on has sliding door at the sides with a
glass front, and is fitted up with pigeon
holes In which the carrier sorts his mail
as ne goes along. There is also a con-
rlVance for heating the wagon i'm cold
weather All the boxes along the route
are OF galvanized iron. furnished by the
patrons of the route painted and closely
resembling in appearance the regulation
boxes used in cities. They are nailed TO
posts or such height as to bring them to
a level with the postal wagon. AS he
drives up alongside the box the carrier
opens his sliding door and drops the mail
In the box, at the same time raising a zinc
signal which is attached. If there is any
mail Tor him to collect he finds this signal
raised; If, in return. he has none to deliver
he turns this signal down If the signal
Is not raised and he has no mail to deliver
ne drives by without stopping. Each car
rler has a whistle, with which he signals
the owners of the boxes to let them know
he Is coming with his mail The same gen
eral system as the one in use at LAFAYETTE
Is in use all over the State. and. while the
Lafayette route is an ideal one the other
services, working along the sama lines
give general satisfaction.
GREAT ADVANTAGES.
The advantage to the rural population of
Indiana and all other States in which the
rural delivery system is in force is simply
incalculable by any known standards of
measurement. To the farmers living along
rural free delivery route it means a
daily mail service to each one of them,
with all that such a boon implies 1t means
prompt conveyance of letters, either OF
friendship or business, quick answers and
quick replies. 1t means a morning paper
fresh from the press with all the news Of
the world piping hot. 1t means market re-
ports more valuable and necessary than 10
the great grain merchant or stock dealer
tion of the farmer from the rest of the
world disappears, and he comes i'm closer
and more vital relationship with his fellow
man. 1t means, too. the enhancement ot
the value of his farm. In Indiana IN has
been estimated that farm land lying aIone
rural free delivery routes has increased in
value from s. to 50 per acre. 1t means bet
ter prices Tor farm products, the producers
being brought into daily touch with the
state of the markets, and thus being able
TO take advantage of information hereto
frFl ffgfr n.
VantageS may be added educationa hone.
fits conferred by the relief of the monotony
of farm life through ready access TO thf
newspapers and wholesome literature. The
advantages enumerated are not at all the.
oretical, but have been demonstrated anC
set forth in statistical reports of postal of.
ficialS.
An old farmer formerly possessed of 2
radical aversion to changes of any sort in
the things to which he had become useC
IT. residence of half century in an upper
county of the State was asked not long age
by a postal official what he thought OF
rural delivery. We'll" he said ITS thi.
way. 1t used to be when l wanted to write
TO John that l would put il off and put il
off, thinking: What's the use? | can't &c
to town until Saturday. and l can't mai
the letter till that time. So | would 90
on and on, and John wouldn't get his letter
for month. Now / can post it al my OWL
gate, seven miles from town, and know
that John will get ii in a day or two one
thing, though" he continued. ''it costs m,
more than the old way. Ny wife writes
about five times as many letters as she
used to-
A half dozen years ago these advantage.
had not been fOreSeen, and when the prop
ostion TO spend the governments money
for the new service was brought forward
IL aroused a storm OF opposition. The an
tagOnism came largely. from the fourth
class postmasters who run country postof
fees in connection with their genera
stores They flooded the Postal Depart
ment with petitions against the Inaugural
ton of rural free delivery, declaring thai
their business would be ruined if the rura
routes were established and the farmer:
relieved of the necessity of making week
ly trips 10 town after their mail. One post
master OF the class mentioned sent an ap
peal TO the PostOffice Department, of which
the following is a verbatim copy; Sir
You may not believe me. but when yOi
discontinue the rural postoffice you sevel
one OF the most coveted institutions in thi.
liberty-loving land OF ours. How of zen. oh
how often do the older men of a neighbOr
hood assemble at the pOstOffices Of oul
country and exchange social cOurtesies anC
compare notes telling about SaliieS new
fine chicks, or the spotted sOws fine littel
and Katie's fine fCal Why, sir. | am hon
est when / say that the people would cease
to know anything pertaining 10 neighbOr
hood life and become fOssiliZed TO th'
world, as far as conversation is concerned
ana III Sally Ann should have a new beat
nobody but Sally Ann herself would
know iti'
BADLY FORMED JUDGMENT.
The protest of the country postmaster
was undoubtedly sincere and they undoubt
eddy believed that the establishment Of tn,
system would be a turning over OF thei
world fraught with perils; but the govern
ment decided that it could not afford I,
,og1act raaI interests for fancia1 once 81