Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-15
RURAL MAIL DELIVERY EXTENDED.
Senator RawIns Receives Communication From Washington
iectng Murray and American ForkPosmaser Thomas on
Subject Of the Betterment Of the Service in This State

their share Of the appropriation asked
for by Postmaster General Smith. The
regulations require carriers route to
be from fifteen 10 twenty-five miles IN
length. the distance being governed al
most entirely by the number Of pat
rons. Very frequently carrier will
have all he can do serving a route If
teen miles In length.
HOW TO OBTAIN IT.
IF the people of any portion OF the
state desire rural delivery they must
prepare, first a map showing the route
to be Travelled by the carrier, and show
ing, also, the sections through which
II runs. and the different highways
which intersect IL, or run parallel with
IL. Second: The houses, school houses
and meeting houses, should also be
shown. II Is usual to place one dot at
the place on the route where the houses
are situated two dots for the school
houses, and three dots for the meeting
houses, and to make a reference to the
meaning OF the dots on the corner OF
the map. Three: A petition should be
prepared to be signed only by the heads
of families, addressed TO the postmaster
general, asking for the establishment Of
the route.
Fourth: The petition and map
should then be sent TO the Representa-
tive or Senator In Congress for endorse
ment and transmission to the post
master general, who then sends a
special agent to examine the proposed
route, and II everything is satisfactory.
the agent selects carrier. and a SUBJ
stitute carrier, and recommends that
the route be established. The depart
ment will next require that each pat
ron OF the new route purchase a secure
box to be placed In front of his resi-
dence, in which the carrier can deposit
the mail. There are about twenty diff
ferent styles Of boxes, which have been
approved by the department, ranging
in cost delivered to the patron from
l.25 TO $3.50. A very excellent box
with safe key can be purchased and
delivered for about $3.50. and this Is
the one mostly used.
"The necessity of putting up appro-
PIRATE mail boxes at the gates on the
main highway has resulted in many
farmers In other states giving their
places distinctive names. IL Is a SPLEEN
did idea as name gives farm an in
diyiduality and dignity that nothing
else can. The custom of naming farms
and estates has been In vogue In Eng
land FOR many years and as a conse-
quence the English highways are the
most interesting In the world to the
traveller.
FIVE ESTABLISHED ROUTES.
There are now five established routes
In successful operation In the Salt Lake
valley, ana three more have been es-
tabllshed 10 commence service on jan
uary next"
The history OF the establishment and
growth OF rural free delivery In the
Salt Lake valley Is interesting. some
three years ago Postmaster Thomas
called the attention OF the postal au.
thorlties 10 the exceptionally favorable
conditions existing In the Salt Lake
valley for rural delivery, and Special
Agen VIM. +. Amin, now superintend-
ent OF the western division OF rural de-
livery. was detailed TO investigate the
situation. The result OF his visit was
the establishment OF the initial Iftah
route running east from the Murray
postOfilce In a thlckly settled conn
munity. The service proved popular.
and soon afterwards POSTMASTER
Thomas met with Postmaster Wilson
and citizens OF Sandy and Murray and
maps and petitions were prepared and
submitted which led 10 the establish
ment Of one additional route from Muir
ray and three from Sandy. In this
work. the county commissioners. under
the lead Of the late Bishop Rawllns
took a special interest and furnished
maps prepared by the county surveyor.
The steps next taken were by the
citizens Of MIL Creek. Riverton and
Taylorsville. Postmaster Walker Of
Rivsrton has been especially active and