The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-07-30
THE MOpUs

by the press and people OF NORTH
Carolina. We have been heartily
ashamed of the position our State has
heretofore occupied in this matter.
Instead of the pitifully small number
of eleven routes now in operation,
our people should have at least 200
within a year. This is not a thought
less guess, but q statement made
after examination and calculation.
! Several times have we set forth the
| proper mode of procedure in plan
ming proposed routes, but the inter
est in the movement is just now so
much more marked than ever before
that we offer no apology for repro
ducing herewith the following cir
cular embodying all the Postofhce
Departments orders and regulations
regarding the matter up to date:
HOW TO OBTAIN RURAL FREE DELIv-
cry.
Present a petition, addressed to the
First Assistant Postmaster General,
signed by those who desire the Q r
vice. This petition should be signed
only by heads of families, and should
mention the number in each family
over 16 years of age. 1t should set
forth the nature of the, country
where the delivery is desired,
whether densely or sparsely populat-
ed, the principal ~avocations of the
people, the character of the roads,
and the distances which, under ex-
listing conditions, each person has to
travel to receive his mail, and should
be accompanied by a map or plate in
dicating the route or routes pro-
posed.
The petition should read something
like this:
$40 the First assistant Postmaster
General, Washington, ID. c.:
1.-THE undersigned, head of fami
lies, residing in - county,
State of --, respectfully
ask that the rural free delivery SER
vice be extended to them, the dellv-
cry to start from -- post
office, --c county, ---
State, or such other point as the
officers of the department. may deem
best adapted for the service. Amap
or rough sketch of the proposed
route is herewith inclOsed. Your
petitioners are mostly (here state az
OcatiORS, such as farmers, truck gar
deners, dairymen, cGttte-rGtSerS or
aUh0teUer the chief occupation Of the
people may be- The roads over the
route are Estate Whether pike, graz
eLed or O~theTJCiSe.)
'EThere are no unbridged creeks
and the roads are passable at all sea-
SONS of the year"
Following should be three columns
headed respectively Name of head
of family number over 16 years of
age distance in miles from nearest
postofice.
This petition, when properly sign
ed, should be sent to the Represent
alive in Congress, or to n of the
Senators, with a request that he en-
dorse thereon his recommendation
of the service asked, and forward the
petition to the department.
When a rural free delivery route
has been uniformly equipped with
boxes of any one of the prescribed
descriptions the department will con-
slider these boxes as entitled to the
protection of the United States stat
ues, which provide sever penalties
for wilful or malicious injury to
them or interference with their con-
Rural carriers are not required to
deliver mail to houses standing back
from the main road, except in the
case of registered mail, special de.
and pension letters. The pat
rons are expected to meet the de
partment half way by afording the
carriers every facility for the per
of their duties, by keeping
the roads clear after heavy snow
and using their influence to
maintain the condition of the roads
n al we 4ther up to the standard Re-
by the department.. (This
snowfall regulation applies only to
Northern St4tes.)
Rural carriers are permitted to de
non mailable packages, prOvid
ed their doing so does not interfere
with thu prompt handling of the
mails, which must be made the first
consideration,
Rural carriers are required to take
them on their trips for the &C
oommOdation of their patronsa suff