The St. Louis Republic., 1901-05-12
Superintendent Machen Expects to
See the Time When 1t Is
Universal.
BENEFITS AS He SEES THEM.
Possibilities of Extension and Es-
Inmates of Cost-Inception
of the Plan and Its
Progress.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REfObl.lC SPECIAL
Washington, May ia. w. Machen. SUI
perintendent Of the free delivery service.
hopes to see the day when the whole peo-
pie Of the United States may have their
mail delivered directly into their hands on
their own doorsteps, whether living in the
mountain Businesses Of the Rockies or the
bayous Of Louisiana. making the entire
country, from ocean to ocean, for the pur-
pose of mail delivery, one great city.
THE rural free delivery is now an as
eured; permanent and expanding branch of
4 postal system. SO rapidly developing that
any conclusion applicable thereto may be
considered within reason. Whether 1t may
be desired to extend the system to the
limit Will depend upon varied conditions
to be met In the future. 1t is possible to
give an estimate as to the probable cost
and the extent of the operations of such
tremendous expansion, which would, II
carried out, directly affect every family in
the United States.
The public benefits accruing from the
service are many and ramified. Good roads
are condition precedent to the establish
ing Of = route. Creeks and streams must
be bridged. The highways must be kept
in permanent repair. A community denied
mail delivery for the reason that its roads
are unfit and its bridges insecure. will at
once set about to place Its thoroughfares
in good repair and keep them SO.
Possibilities Of Extension.
h.py ses.1 Sh stroke OF the
master Generals pen, when he authorizes
the establishment of routes. and the roads
In some sections Of the States where the
ns. been established hays have been
tssM.nt ~ .hn sn e Ne. a.cEeu natre .oe oe.
n.sS8;ss; .Ssss.;. Britain n.. what !. substantially
8 noues-to.nouse man delivery. as also
Belgium. Xs srsst as IS the sa.s area Of the the
XXI @,,satso Snywnese ~ wnen desired. Ihe prin-
E = sssin:seaa q tSs. the eAi free rss', delivery
tn tnae II N the 10000 square miles Of terri
e.oss moss persons are to be reached, We
ss. ~ ..seoy snS eetvinS one-sixtn OF TINS num-
f rs sna coyse an srea With Tree rural de-
ines:s.s q area Tor I'll the = past Year year was as
.es ,,.Ses so%ssIe miies. ana IN the number OF
2seec OF . msh matter handled over q, q,
Foasss q opsrssion. covering @ app sppro1imst,e. stsS
y %S0 s square az miles, ne With $500 carriers
ssgneS ssgesyienS Sver s'veo0 resicents. who were
otAoe far thelr mail. from, q short walk to
sevsa0 mAse IN point OF distance.
Es0netee OF Cost.
Iho most thorough test Of rural free
delivery has been had near Washington, in
Carroll County. Maryland. which embraces
q er:e g ~ square miles There vas at
S8~ss. nt-S HHSS,HS ie,,.i ~ sne NUMBER ~ OF
nrSss. n IA A. rerSsepsS iettsrS The ~ aIsenn-
th" 1nPs stsa,,si arcrsass q, ro.ts1 .;rta haa
49, ~.:SA a.. ssS.,c. An ,Ip;S, po;H,na
AAS -. .sSy nsSNs ~ Sis
= S*y. y.u1 MIn Sompa5auve.y SliSnt outlay
:..ss. ..% .CeS Ano sne same re-
n;tss. ~ ths e.rv;co h.s othes hss astnS
MSeNSsS "n~v t"s seSVico nAs oeeh estap-
n.1rrS ,,....
~. 10 TVcsTs @ uiumsee 1. , cost of extenains
sne system ~ over the United states is a
.1Sea nasssG g: es1ma.e. Tnese are many dis
~ S.S1 wnicn nx reason OF tneir topograph-
III MLeeueLioee would make rural free
1eiaEssy = very expensive operation. and
tortne puspocee OF n eSSimate these must
Se omitted; out q &SS counties in the
Unitea 1,ss Sases !, eocus @ one-nasa are such that
0Syegs pef county has been struck in coun-
tieo Wnero the Land = hilly and Irregular.
On the prairies OF the great West mail
for ons.third iess than in the hiliy sec