The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-06-20
Some Absurd Current No
tions Disposed Of.
EFFECT ON SMALL P. O.'S
Only 0ne-Tenth as Many Abolished
as Supposed.
PROSECUTING SENATOR CLARK
tentiOn to Discriminate
Against Him.

From The Journal Bureau. Room 10, Post
Building, Washington
Washington, June 20.-Some absurd no
tions have acquired currency in the coun-
try at large about the changes which the
establishment OF rural free delivery has
wrought and is still causing in the general
organization of the postal service. Some
body started the report, and it has gone
the rounds most industriously, that for
each rural free delivery route established
ten fourth class postofices were wiped
cut of existence. As has been stated be-
fore, 1t is not the purpose of the depart
ment to establish any route less than
twenty to twenty-five miles long. The
average, taking the country through,
would be about twenty-five miles. the en-
durance of the carriers horses having to
be taken into consideration. If ten Offices
had TO be abolished because they lay along
side OF a twenty five mile route, it would
follow that the country was dotted with
pcstoffices only two and half miles apart
on the average Such a supposition ans
wers itself from common knowledge But
the fact is that, so far from abolishing ten
Offices. the average route abolishes not
more than one Here and there a petty
Office is found which never had any right
to exist and whose work can be more than
made good by the changed system.
The real revolution wrought by the rural
free delivery is in the star routes. Where
formerly the government was party to
serious economic waste it is now SPAR
FvNrr 10
ground by different persons to accomplish
the same end. To illustrate: A railroad
town which We may call A, is the distrib-
uting point for three hamlets, B. c and D,
connected by one we'll kept turnpike
twenty-five miles long. The bulk of the
population who patronize the three offices
live along this turnpike. Under the old
system a star route contractor drove a
stage from A over the twenty-five miles
of road, passing the homes of all these
persons, but delivering his mail, only in
closed pouches, at B, c and D.
There the respective pOStmaSters opened
the pouches and assorted the letters and
other matter and the farmers who lived
along the turnpike hitched UP their horses
once day and journeyed TO the. office each
patronized, taking an hour or two of his
time in the busy season to make this trip,
though going over precisely the same
ground as the contractor Under the new
regime the carrier takes his open mail
sack full OF matter for distribution along
his route, saving every one of these pat
rons the trouble Of Harvesting and the
time OF a trip from one to three miles and
return. But he takes also closed pouches
for delivery at the several postofices, con-
tanning mail addressed TO persons who dc
not live along the turnpike, but in the
back country not reached by his route
These people have to have a postoffice as
heretofore, and they will continue to make
their journeys daily, or so many times &
week until the rural free delivery service
ettains a stage of development where il
covers the entire country and not simply
that which is convenient Of access.
About the only effect the new system Is
likely to have therefore, upon the country
postoffices, is to diminish the volume ot
their business and thus keep them longer
out OF the next higher class. By slow de-
grees the shrinkage is liable to reach {
point where it will no longer pay the post
master, the government or the people Of
the neighborhood to continue certain Of
fees in existence, and they will be extin-
guished. But, on the other hand, improved
mail facilities are found to have marked
effect upon the life and business of
small community, and what the postmas
ter loses in the daily swarming of farmers
at his store, it is believed will be compen-
stated in the increased prosperity of tn,
neighborhood.