Gilpin observer., 1901-07-11
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
lglerl
Rural Free Delivery.


There is n strong probability that
during the coming fiscal year the mon
ey order system will be Incorporated in
the rural free delivery service, and that
carriers on rural routes will be permit
ted to issue money orders, the same as
pOstmasters ut duly authorized offices.
An attempt was made to have this eX-
tension consummated during the pres
ent year, but the pressure for the es-
tablfshment of new routes was so
great that little time was left for con-
sideratiOn of improvements in the SER
vice. There has been some fear lest
this new provision might be n little
too progressive at this time, but the de-
partment is about convinced that the
change can be made safely, and to the
benefit of the people living along rural
routes. The change, If adopted, will
not be made at once, probably not be-
fore next winter, but it is sure to come.
The forthcoming report of the post
master general will show that the cost
of maintaining rural free delivery has
, materially lessened d uring the current
fiscal year. This decrease is largely
due to two causes; the discontinuance
of larger percentage of fourth-claSS
postofiices than heretofore, and the cor
responding discontinuance of star
routes which supplied the same. In
previous years the fourth assistant
! postmaster general acting under more
! Or less pressure from the different
fourth-class postmasters. has been re-
uctant about disseminating fourth-class
offices whose patrons were served by
rural carriers. Thus the department.
had to support not only the rural SER
vice, but the postofiice as well. In like
manner, in the interest of the carriers,
i .he second assistant postmaster gener-
al did not favor the discontnuance of
star routes even whom supplanted by
+ rural free delivery
Since that time. however. the post
master general has talked the whole
subject over with his assistants, and
from the beginning of the current fiscal
FEAR the two reluctant officials have
given in and have consented to
The prompt discontinuance of fourth
, class offices and star routes, when ask
ed for by the rural free delivery SER
vice. There will be large saving to
the department as n result of this
change 1t seems that the rural free
delivery is the latest innovation in pos
.al circles. and the older lines of SER
vice are jealous of the universal popu-
larity which has marked the spread
Of the rural service.
Rural free delivery has come to stay.
On the 1st of July, 1899, there We're
some LOO routes in operation in the
United States. That was an increase
Of 800 over the year previous. 1t is es-
timated that on July 1st next, there
will be in the neighborhood of 1900
rural routes in operation in the Unit
ed States. In addition to tins it is said
that this rural service is much faster
approaching the state of self-suste-
nance than did the city free delivery
when inaugurated back in the COS. 1t
is not contended that 1t will ever be-
come self-supporting, for it is not be-
lievcd that postal service will lever sus-
+ tain itself, but it is n fact pointed to
with pride that there are now n num-
Der of rural free delivery routes in the
thickly settled communities that are
now being operated at n marked profit.
The service is now pretty thoroughly
established in the East. 1t shows a
greater proportionate gain in the West
than elsewhere, and its limitation in
those states is only because of many
sparsely settled sections which cannot
support the service.