The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-31

They were instructed to start experiment
tal routes in certain sections, no matter
II the conditions warranted it or not.
some OF them were impressed with the
idea that the locations assigned them had
been chosen to show that rural free de-
livery was not desired and was impossible
of execution
1t was under these unfavorable condi-
lions that the office at Quitman, Ca, and
the forty-three others in different sec
lions of the country were started. 1t is
hardly necessary to say that many of
them were failures and had to be organ
lzeo' and in some instances discontinued.
For instance, the delivery of mail on the
pullman route cost 409 cents per piece on
the first year of it's establishment, and
many or the others were just as costly,
II not more so. But there were some of
these original routes which were so we'll
placed, and under such good management.
that they gave immediate satisfaction to
their patrons and fully demonstrated that
Tree rural delivery. under fairly favorable
conditions, was entirely successful. 1t
was clearly shown that the cost was
less in many Instances that the urban
free delivery in some of the smaller cities
ana towns. Thus it was clearly made evil
dent that the expansion of the rural free
delivery system would be merely a ques-
ton of time
To show how the people of the rural dis
tricts of Georgia appreciated the value of
the rural delivery it is only necessary to
state that in 1876 there was only one route.
that from Quitman, which was very costly
curing the first year or so. Up to date
there are II routes in Georgia, and nearly
all of them are almost self-slstaining
In 1899 Georgia had only four routes. and
.nese were so scattered about the state
that the people had not much opportunity
70 test the merits of the system to the
unrest extent. But they readily grasped
the fact that rural mail delivery was one
Oh une greatest boons they could secure.
and their congressman, in Difference to
popular sentiment, made frequent visits
70 uhe Post Office Department with peti-
lions and recommendations for new
routes, In 1900 there were established AZ
new routes. Petitions have poured in on
Mr. Clarke, the agent in charge during
the past year, and nearly all of them
nave been acceded to-
Inc Following is a dist of the rural free
ae4lvery routes in operation in Georgia up
TO the present time and the date of their
establishment:
Town:
Albany, 8, April 16, 1900
Americas, 4. Dec /, 1900.
Athens, /, Feb. /, 1899
cambridge, 1, April 16 1900
Bethlehem, l. May l, 1901.
Bowersvile, /, May l. 1901
Brownwood, 1, April l. 1901
cairo, 2 LIST April 49, 19O0-July 10, 1900
Camilla, l, May IS, 1900
Canon, l, June II, 1900
Conyers, 8, LIST Oct. Is. $780, June ,
1901
Cuthbert l, April Is, 1900
Dawson, ), April 4, CO. April l, OF.
Decatur. l. May l, 1901
Dublin 2, Oct 1, 1901
Elberton, l, June 4, 1900
Gainesville, 1,yJune 4, 1901.
HartWel !, June II, 1900
Hswlzinsville, 2, / Dec 10, '00-May Is.
90.
Hayston, 1, Oct. 10, 1900.
Hoschton, l, June /, 1901.
jackson, l, Jan. 2, 1901
Jefferson, l, May L. 1901
Jonesboro, ], May l. 1901
Lexington, l, June 4, 1900
McDonough, l, Jan. 2, 1901.
Macon, 1, 2 May IL, co. JAN 2, OF.
Menlo, ], June l, 1900
Monroe, 5, Oct. IS, 'O0-1 Feb. Is. 'O1.
Morgan l, Aug 10. 1900.
Ochlochnee, l. Aug. 10. 1900
Oxford, /, Oct. Is. 1900
Pelham, 2, l April 16. co.. Sept. Is. 90.
Pinehurst, ?, Jan. ?. 1901.
Qmtman, 2. Dec. s, '96-Sept 10, 90.
Riverdale, l, Jan. H. 1901
Rome, 8, l April 10. 81 Feb. l, 's9, 1
Feb. !, 1900.
Shellman, 2, Aug. IS, 1900
Social Circle, 8, Feb. 49, 1901.
Starrsville, l, Oct. 10, 1898
Summersville, l, June l, 1901.
Vienna, 2, Feb. 2 1901.
Watkinsville, l, June 4, 1900.
Thus it will be seen that the state Of
Georgia has seventy-one routes in active
operation. These routes are distributed as
evenly as possible over the whole state,
and serve the largest number of people
possible. New routes are being surveyed
by special agents, laid out and establish
ed all the time and numerous petitions
from the residents of Georgia's rural dis
tricts reach the Post Office Department
frequently. Several of the Georgia con-
gressmen will soon recommend that the
services be extended to whole counties in
their districts, and 1t now seems only
matter of time when not only every fam
lily in Georgia, but the whole United
States will be reached by the postman on
every week day.