The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-12-20
How to Obtain Rural Free Delivery

In a number of counties in Ten
nessee the rural free delivery system
is in operation and is proving a
great convenience to the public.
AT the request of some of the citizens
of Hardeman County, who are anx-
ious to have the system introduced
here, We publish below a synopsis
of circular, sent out from the. Post
Office Department, giving informa-
ton on the subject:
\ petition must be presented to
the First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral. signed by those who desire the
service Said petition should be
signed only by heaG> If families,
and should mention the number in
each family over Is years of age.
1t should set forth the nature OF
the country where the delivery is
desired. whether densely or sparsely
populated, the principal avocations
Of tie people. the character Of the
roads. and the distances which
under existing conditions, each
person has 10 travel TO receive his
mail, and should be accompanied by
a map or plat, indicating the route
or routcs proposed.
This petition, when properly
signed, should he sent TO your Con
aressmau or Senator with the re-
quest that they endorse thereon
their recommendation Of the services
asked, and forward the petition to
the Department.
The purpose of the Rural Free
Delivery System is to give postal
facilities TO those who have none:
to carry The mails daily 60 remote
communities, the residents of which
would otherwise have to travel from
two TO twelve miles to receive theiI
letters aud newspapers.
The roads must be good. Nc
route can be established under
ordinary circumstances that is less
than from 20 to % miles in length,
or which serves less thanIOOfamilies.
The route should be so arranged
that the carrier will not be required
to travel over the same ground twice
on the same day. Those desiring
the delivery must be prepared to
put up at their own expense, at some
convenient location which can be
reached by the carrier without dis
mounting from his buggy, approp
rate and secure boxes for the re
ception OF the u. S. Mail, of char
acter TO give protection from the
weather and to be reasonably proof
against mischievous or malicious
interference. Carriers are not re
quired to deliver mail to houses
standing back from the main road,
except in the case Of registered mail,
special delivery and pension letters.
Upon receipt of petition favor
ably endorsed, a special agent Is
assigned to visit the location in6i
Gated, to map out route or routes,
aud to select rural carriers to be
appointed by the Department. Ia
all such cases the advice of the Rep
resentative in Congress is sought,
both as regards the carrier and the
postal service to be discontinued on
the establishment of Rural Free
Delivery.
Rural carriers are required to give
bond in The sum of $500, with two
suraiies. They are paid by warrants
issued by the Treasury Department
upon certificates forwarded by the
Postmaster. Their rate of pay is
fixed by the Department, and in
cludes horse hire. The maximum
ra5e Of pay, as at present establish
ed, is $500 per anuum for a full
rgute'of approximation p miles, or
500 per auuum for each five miles
travelled. On shorter routes, one
or more substitute carriers should
be provided, who must give bond
same as regular carrier, and who
alone are permitted to carry the
mail i'm the absence or disability OF
the regular carrier. The carrier /.
to pay the substitute at the same
rate he himself receives. All rural
carriers are under control of the
Postmaster from whose Office the
service is established, who is re,
quired to report any derelictions
upon their part.
Mail is to be delivered every day
in the year except Sundays. RuraI
carriers are required to take with
them on their trips for the accom-
mediation of their patrons sufi
cient supply of stamps, envelopes
postal cards.