The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-12
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Establishment Of Billings Route No.
|. 1, is Assured.

49,
I I, is Assured.
If fortune favors them then those
who have petitioned the postal depart
ment for the establishment of a rural
free delivery service, with the post
Office at Billings for its initial point,
will have their wish gratified in about
three months from now, otherwise
they may have to wait two months
longer, making the time five months
from the date on which the first steps
in the direction of installation of the
service were taken by the department
itself.
This is according to the calcula-
| lions of Captain H. A. Clarke, special
| agent of the rural free delivery SER
vice of the postal department, who
was here yesterday for the purpose of
examining the route for which the
service is asked. The captain arriv-
ed from the east yesterday morning
and in the afternoon was taken in
charge by I. D. O'Donnell, who was
one of the principal v in the eff
fort made last spring to secure the
service, and by him driven over the
route which it is asked that the gov
eminent establish. After their re
turn the captain was seen by The Ga
zette and said that he would RECON-
mend establishment of the service,
which means that it is a "go," for upon
that gentleman's report the matter
hinged. He furthermore said he
would Recommend a daily service,
which is, perhaps, more than the petit
TONERS expected.
When asked about the road which
it is purposed to utilize, the captain
expressed himself as highly pleased
and declared that of the 10 or 20
routes examined by him during the
past three weeks, the one over which
he was taken by Mr.. O'Donnell sur
passed them all. The route followed
runs west to a point where it strikes
southwest of the Canyon creek road
to Larsen's corner, thence north a
! mile, west a mile, north two miles, to
the Hesper farm, thence east two
miles to Hopple's corner, north two
miles, to Birely's corner, thence east
seven and a half miles, to the point OF
beginning. The total distance travel.
ed is about 26 miles and ove an
area of about 40 square miles and as
outlined the route will serve about
coo persons.
Although the nature of the rural
free delivery service is fairly familiar
TO all, a few words in explanation OF
its workings may not be amiss. The
carrier will virtually drive about the
country with a postofice or wheels,
In addition to delivering and collect
ing mail he will also carry a stock OF
postage stamps, postal cards and
newspaper wrappers, and will handle
registered letters and packages and
give receipts for money orders, the
latter, of course, being issued and
forwarded by the postmaster in this
city. The carrier is a regularly ap
pointed official of the department and
not a contractor, as some suppose
and must give a bond, as do all per
sons entrusted with the handling Of
mail matter. He is paid a stated sal
airy and is required to furnish ano
maintain his own conveyance, usually
a light wagon or cart drawn by one
horse. That the position is regarded
as a desirable one is evidenced by
the fact that there are already two
applications on file for the route tt
be established here.
The territory under the supervision
of Captain Clarke embraces all thu
country west of the Mississippi and o
the different agents in the service o
the department he was selected t.
/ cover it, being a western man himsel