The state herald., 1901-07-05
Iturnl Free Delivery.

Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith describes the new system Of
rural free mail delivery ms follows:
1--WE are now carrying the postoiiicc
10 the door OF 3l,ODo,0OD OF people
massed In towns and cities. The task
before us Is thc postoiiice to the door
of about 2i,OCO,OOO. scattered over L.
100000 square miles OF territory. Its
magnitude Is not TO be underestimate.
England. France and Germany make
rural free delivery. their postmen go-
Ing on foot. But England contains
D.s67 square miles. France 2Oi ,V.i2
and Germany 20s.s3O. We are nj.
ready covering with rural delivery n
larger area than England. all effected
within the past two years. by the
end OF the current fiscal year we shall
reach oneslxth OF the II 100000 to bc
served. What has already been sub
stantially accomplished IL certainly
capable OF skiold expansion.
ION the LIST Of July. 1899. there were
soi rural delivery routes In operation.
Within the fiscal year. under mn nppro-
priailon OF Si5D.ODo this number was
Increased TO LIZA. On the LIST OF July,
1900. thc appropriation OF Si.IJ0.OOO.
became available. and ON November
18th 2,Gii routes had been located and
established. Gi.DID miles In aggregate
length. covering G6,Si2 square miles.
divided among foriy-four states and
territories. md serving n population
OF sol, ,b2t. The number OF npplica-
tlons pending nt that date and await
Ing action or under investigation was
more thnn nearly enough 20
double the existing scrvlcc-and every
day brings more. HE close OF the
present fiscal year win see about 1890
routes In operation. carrying the mall
daily 10 the doors OF Dot less thnn D.
100000 residents OF the rural dis.
tricin."
To get rural delivery 100 families
have To nprr. To certain conditions aud
put up suitable boxes to receive mail.
In Colorado. six routes were cstnb-
lished prior 10 May ]. 1900. when the
western division wns organized.
Twcniy.scycn have been established
since and petitions for eighteen nrc
now pending awaiting fnyornbl.
weather for their examination. wyom.
.ns Inns four routes Ia operation md
only one application pending. The
srcnt mass OF applications for rurnl
free mnii routes come from The states
II Iowa. Kansas. Nebraska. Minnesota,
rcNns and California. Of the 2.ODo
-nscs waiting 60 he passed upon, more
.hnn Loo nfe IN these states
In Mny, 1900. the United States was
ii,iiod Into four divisions with Den.
ser ns headquarters for she western.
which lakes In MI the states west of
The Mississippi with the exception of
Missouri aud Louisiana. William u.
Amin ~ the special n.ont IN chnrFc
with niue agents IN tbc field under the
direction ~ the department Mr.. An.
nin IN n well known newspaper mnn
~ tho East nnd has had lnrgc OK.
perlence with men mud affairs iIr IN
thoroughly business like IN his meth.
DDS of work iind his division demands
great executive ability na II covers
morr than hair Of the United States.
when even The lsolnted pnris ~ the
country are brought In such close con,
inct with Washington by this rnmlned
mnil satyice tho United States will ~.
simulate lis foreign populations even
more rapidly ihnn u IA doing II now.
making ~. inhabitants from Maine 30
California Kin Ia many senses OF she
sUrJ.