Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-14

The Journal has before called the at
tention Of the farmers Of Georgia to the
necessity for good roads. and. in season
and out, has urged the wisdom OF paying
greater attention to this most important
matter
But here is a point brought out by Col
A ". Machen, superintendent OF the
United States free delivery system, that
VIII appeal to every farmer who appre-
cIates the rural mail delivery. IT is fully
explained in an article in The Louisville
Post, which says:
The policy OF the postoffice department
with regard to the establishment Of the
service has changed. At first rural free
delivery was an experiment. and the re-
strictions were not regarded as IN place.
But the system has passed to the perma-
nent stage. Now no route will be put In
pending the Improvement of the roads. No
rouUe viii be permitted to open until all
the roads upon the route are in good con-
dltion. The mail carrier is not to be
forced to make mis- way through mud hub
deep and almost impossible, as in some
cases during former winters and wet sea-
sons.
The policy Of the department is to see
tnat the roads are good before free de-
livery Of mail is granted to any COM
munity.
The policy of the department. more
than that, Is to see that those routes now
in operation, pending improvements Of
roads by landowners. are not neglected by
those who are pledged for their better
ment. If 1t is found that roads remain
unimproved a reasonable time, the rural
carrier will be called or the route. and
the daily mail service will be abandoned
on the neglected roads.
i The officers in charge OF the rural free
delivery system are as much interested
in good roads as is the good roads bureau
Of the agricultural department at Wash
! ingtOn Good roads are necessity where
the rural carrier mustFpass. II a county
does not possess good roads, that county
viii in future have a hard time securing
routes. and viii have hard time keeping
routes that may now be operating over
poor roads. Poor roads make the mail
service very unsatisfactory, and II Is the
tendency to blame the service and the
department rather than to lay the blame
at the proper door.
The following letter was recently writ
ten TO the Hon. Geo. W. Steele. congress
man from the Eleventh district OF lndi-
1 ana from the Hon. A. w. Machen, gen.
eral superintendent OF the free delivery
system. It is official and will be read
| with interest:
MR.. MACHEN's LETTER.
The temporary suspension of service
last winter and spring on a number OF
rural free delivery routes in the western
| states on account of the impossible con-
/ dition OF the roads brought forcibly to
| the attention Of the department the ne
l cessfty OF good roads in connection with
the rural free delivery service. At that
time the local authorities were Informed
that unless the roads were improved be-
fore the return OF winter there would be
danger Of a permanent withdrawal of the
rural free delivery service. Reports show
that the advice Of the department has
been needed in many instances. In one
locality. which ] recall, favorable action
| was taken by the township trustee by
| appropriating an amount OF money fol
the improvement Of roads over which the
rural carrier travels.
while the actual suspension OF ser
| vice on account OF impossible roads were
few. comparatively speaking. there were
| a great many cases in which the pool
condition OF the roads made II very diff
flcult TO provide an efficient service and
in which the service was performed only
by dint OF perseverance on the part o.
the carrier, backed up by the determine
ton OF the department TO deliver mai
whenever II was possible. It Is readily
seen that the condition Of the roads be-
comes a very important consideration in
the establishment OF rural free delivery
Where the roads are good a route TWEEN.
ty-seven or thirty miles I'm length may be
more easily served than another route OF
eighteen OF twenty miles over poor roads.
I'm the first case more people arc
| served. the service is performed more
| expeditiously and with much more ease
| by the carrier and his horse. The car
rier, too, can establish a regularity OF
service enabling the farmers 10 know
just about what time every day he will