The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-11
light of practical tests, to be far. from

light of practical tests, to be far from
insurmountable.
1--WE are now carrying the postoffices
to the door of 1000, 900 of people
massed in towns and cities The task
before us is the more complicated work
of carrying the postofices to the door
of about 81, 900, 900, scattered over
| 1, 900, 900 square miles of territory.
Its magnitude is not to be underesti
mated. England, France and Ger,
many makes rural free delivery their
postman going on foot But England
contains 90 S67 square miles, France
204 092, and Germany POS, $780, We
are already covering with rural deli
very larger area than England, all
| effected within the past two years. By
he end the current fiscal year we shall
reach one-sixth of the 81, 900, 000 to be
served. What has already been sub,
stantially accomplished is certainly
capable of skiold expansion.
ION the LIST of July, 1899, there
were 391 rural delivery routes in oper-
alton. Within the fiscal year, under
an appropriation of $3.50, 600 this num-
Der was increased to 1, ga, On the 1st
of July, 1900. the appropriation of
81, $50, 600 became available, and on
the 10Th of November 2, Ga routes had
been established, 81, 979 miles aggregate
length, covering 66, S42 square miles,
divided among fortyfour states and
territories, and serving a population
of 1, sol, 524.
"The number of applications pend
ing and awaiting action at that date
or under investigation was 2,1OO
nearly enough TO double the existing
service, and every day brings more.
The close of the present fiscal year
will see about A, 800 routes in opera
ton, carrying the mail to not less than
3, 500, 900 residents of the rural dis
tricts. The actual results where the
experiment has been tried are emil
nently encouraging. e.
How Andrew Putillo Of Ontario ex-
planned the important part highway
l't;T;nnsro- .ation takes in the moving of
4ntry products from the producer
TO one consumer, showing that in some
cases it cost as much to haul from
farm to railroad as from railroad to
Europe. On the one item of cheese
he claimed that Canada yearly loses
81, 600, 900 in transportation by reason
of bad roads. A. W. Campbell, de-
putty minister Of public works of On
tario and engineer in charge of road
construction gave most excellent ad-
dress showing the necessary features
of a properly constructed highway.
placing drainage as the first requisite
of a good road and then placing the
details of location, grade, Foundation,
and surface, maintenance, etc. in their
proper order.
He said that under our ordinary sys-
tenn of pathmasters 1--WE spend our
money without ule, reason, or design,
and that the business method we en-
ploy with out business of road building
would in five years ruin the best con-
struction company in the country
One part of his address that is of
particular interest to our prairie coun-
try was the explanation of the use of
concrete, Portland cement and gravel,
in the construction of culverts and
small bridges, showing how for So
set of moulds could be made and the
work done on the ground by any ordi-
nary person. 1t is part of Mr..
Campbell's duties to make school
house campaign in the interest of bet
ter roads, holding meetings telling peo-
pie how to work, supervising the max
ing of sample roads, doing any and
everything that would educate the peo-
pie in the science of road building.
Through his labors the province
has fitted out good roads train and
it is now in actual service building
specimen roads in different parts of
the country, the farmers furnishing
the material and taking keen, active
part in the work.
In the person of Mr.. Campbell the
association had most valuable mem
Der, young active, and intelligent and
| thoroughly interested in his special
| line of work
7fessor J. A. Holmes, state geolo-
tt Carolina, addressed the
- Functions of the
ID the County
HsA5ri ga t1E.4 "rant -