The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-09-10
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.

Washington.-The growth Of the
rural tree delivery service, which is
likely to receive another impetus
firm Congress next session, is the
subject of an exhaustive investigation
made for the Agricultural Depart.
ment by special Agent Greathouse.
who says in the course of his report:
The system of free delivery of mail
at the farm homestead is developing
in the United States by great strides.
The first routes bearing the name
rural free delivery" were established
IN October l, 1896, at halltown,
Uvilla and Charlestown. w. Va.
Others followed at once, and by the
close of the fiscial year the experl.
ment showed satisfactory results.
There were forty.four routes in me
fall of 1897; this number incl eased To
1913 10 1898, and on November /
1890, had jumped to 634 These ra-
dated from 3S3 distributing points,
and served population of 452, 735
persons. On June 80, 1900, a little
more than six months later, the num-
Der of routes had grown to l,214 for
a population of $40, 1877, and in the
next four months the system again
more than doubled its proportions,
showing on November l, 1900. 2,55l
routes for 1901 ,52l persons, and
there were also at that date 2,158
applications for the establishment of
new routes. The whole of the United
States is now laid out in four divi-
sionE COR the iaaugurations and main.
tenauce of this service, and the work
is going forward with steadily in
cressing volume.
Rural free delivery of mails is
scientific. On purely theoretical
grounds the postoffice ought always
to deliver the matter intIusted to it
ht the door of the addressee. The
distance to be travelled from sender
to receiver of mail is precisely the
same, whether the whole trip be made
by the postal employe or he be met
part way by the person for whom it
is intended. Furthermore, the cost
of making the trip is always paid out
of the sum total Of the nations capac.
i,y TO do work. 1t makes little diff.
ference ultimately whether the labor
is paid for from government funds
collected by sale Of postage stamrs or
otheswise, or is done by each man di.
rectly without intervention of the
United States Treasury at all; it all
comes from the people anyhow.
The only question that need be asked
Is whether there will be more waste
oftime large number of empty trips
by the farmer, who never knows
when there is mail for him, or by the
postman, who, always knows whether
there is something to deliver, and to
this there seems to be but one answer.
The number Of times the farmer
would be going to the post town for
other reasons and the times when
several families would send for mail
by the same messenger enter into the
calculation, of course, but in general
this would not change the answer
And whether the addressee may be a
farmer or townsman really is of no
consequence. If free delivery invol-
YES only a short trip to postmen in
the city. 1t also involves only
short trip for the citizen, and the
corresponding relation between length
Of trips exist for the farm delivery.
The opinion of special agents en-
gagged in introducing rural free de.
livery 10 all parts Of the United
States, as shown in their reports IN
1899 aud 1900, are invariable favor
ably to the success of the system
All agree that he opposition comes
only from persons interested in
the mail service who think they ara
likely TO lose by the change, and from
small storekeepers and saloonkeepers
40 fourth class postoifces Some Of
them mention also as difficulties 10
be overcome the fact that the work
has been generally spoken Of as ex-
perimeutal and the impossibiliiy Of
serving all persons precisely alike.
In order Co introduce rural free
delivery ON new roote, n petition
must be circulated and signed show.
ing the desire OF the persons along
the line tor the new service This
paper is then forwarded 10 the Rep.
resentaGve in Congress from the dis.
trict in which the route will be locat
n 80. A.. 800. "a al. ar-...t..-.- g.. al