New-York tribune., 1901-08-24
RURAL FREE DELIVERY
THAT BRANCH OF THE POSTAL SERVICE
RAPIDLY EXTENDED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1sUSEl


washington, Aug. 2a-The growth Of the rural
rree delivery service. which is likely to receive an
olner impetus from Congress at the next session
tne subject Of an exhaustive investigation made
TOT the Agricultural Department by Special Agent
Greathouse, who says in the course of his report:
The system of free delivery of mail at the farm
great strides The hrsf routes bearing the name
|. 1896 at Halltown, Uviila and Charlestown. "
the fiscal year the experiment showed SATISFACTORY
TssoSutts There were fortyfour in fall OF
Noyemb had Jumped to % si T. i These siT Padil 2tl
ulation of 452 35 persons on June so 1900 little
more MOI than six months later. the number OF routes
the four months the system again "a more sf a IN
fsS TS9o5ed "a It's PROPORTIONS showing November l.
also at that date 215S applica ons for the estab
States is now laid out in four divisions for the
Ine & work is going forward with steadily increasing
purely theoretical grounds the postofice ought al
Ways 70 deliver the matter intrusted to IT at the
elled from sender receiver OF mail is precisely
pns,a ne same whether the whole trip be made by the
person for whom 1t is intended. Furthermore. the
cost Of making the trip is always paid of the
sum total of the nations capacity to do work 1t
makes httle difference ultimately whether the Ia
9 99 the sale Of postage stamps or otherwise or is
q states treasury a ali eome
need be ne se PeoPIe ANYHOW The only question that
OF time larger number Of empty trips by the
farmer farmer who never knows when there is mail for
ntLL, uiL. OF oy the postman who always knows
wbnether there is something deliver and 10 this
tir5e seems ,b TO he but one answer The number of
iIia oReT reasons and the times when several fam
enter into the calculation of course but in gen
TS.Ls UtSa Ins would not change the answer And
mnetner W the aGdressee may he a farmer or towns
in1,oItesa alS Is OF no consequence. II free delivery
c,, cnToyes only short trip for the postman in the
zen ana the corresponding relation between length
u rTa trIos sts exists for the farm delivery
qI!TGing rural free delivery in all parts of the
1900 Invariably favorable to the Sss a9 nf
onT system. All agree that the opposition comes
G MO th.nk they are likely TO lose by the change
foIr Io small storekeepers and saloonkeepers al
also as difficulties overcome the fact that the
mental and the mpassSy,liSP SPOKEN Rf s9 9T as expert
sons precisely alike
In I'D order TO Introduce rural free delivery on
new route petition must be circulated and signed
SS SSIO"Lus the desire OF the persons along the line
.or me new service. This paper is then forwarded
Clct IN which the route will be located or 10 one
OF the Senators from the state, for his recon-
mendatlon- II it is deemed practicable TO start the
SerElce as desired special agent OF the Postoice
I ~ s Is sent to lay out route and make
map OF II His report and man must show that
al least one hundred families be made accessi-
ote 20 the delivery II also shows the character
OF the roads. and the agent impresses upon the
persons interested that the roads must be made
A full route is considered twenty-five miles but.
sccorainE TO the country traversed may vary from
seventeen 20 thirty miles II does not take the
carrier over the same ground twice in the same
They now receive $50 for an ordinary route and
foT special short routes 800 year for each FIVE
has bonded substitute. so that the mails may
never lack responsible carrier. The civil service
vice. but good character and temperate habits are
required. Women are acceptable and a few are in
cient Reports 70 the Postofics Department OF
derecton OF duty on the part of rural carriers are