The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-05
EXTENDED
DELIVERY
Greatest Thing in Free DeIiv-
cry for Sumner County
EVERY DAY BUT SUNDAY
Mail VIII Be Left at Door of
Every Citizen.
FIRST TEST IN KANSAS
Faxon Writes About Prestige
of Every Citizen.
EVERY DAY BUT SUNDAY
FIRST TEST IN KANSAS

of Every Citizen
Especial Correspondence Of the Fagle)
Washington. Jan. 4.-The greatest gov
ernmentaI institution of modern times is
rural free delivery. The greatest thing
in rural free delivery is county service.
There is not a single county service es-
tablished and in good working order
west Of the Missouri river But Repre-
sentative Chester L Long has secured it
for Sumner county, Kansas, and it viii
be in operation within two months time.
Rural free delivery was q distinctive
factor to the country population. Urban
population had its free delivery; why
not the country? thought the govern
ment. SO eight years ago, down in little
West Virginia town, the great system
was put into effect in the smallest possible
manner. From the acorn grew the oak.
From the beginning made then, has come
the system with its 600 established routes,
and as many more awaiting investigation
It's tendrils, and finally its branches, have
shot their way into practically every nook
and corner OF the country. Reaching
forth, it has handed out TO the farmer,
miles from his postofIice, his daily mail.
and with it the best wishes of the gov
eminent. Such has been the growth Of
the institution.
County service means that every man
IN the county where this sort of ser
vice IS established can have his mail at
Or near his door every day in the year.
sundays excepted. 1t means something
more than ordinary rural free delivery
where some locations are favored and
others are not, even though equally or
nearly as deserving. It means A boon to
the farmer, and it is a great thing. This
IS what Sumner county IS about to get
The favor thus conferred is by no
means slight. Ten counties in the United
States, and ten only. have this peculiarly
good service. Two others are about to
have it. but theis have not yet been es-
The thirteenth county in the whole Uni
ted States to have this service. The ten
counties where it is in running order are:
Anderson county, South Carolina.
Carroll county. Maryland.
Delaware county, Indiana.
Fairfield county, Connecticut
Frederick county. Maryland
Hardin county, Iowa
jefferson county, Alabama
Niagara county, New York
Washington county, Pennsylvania
Washington county, Tennessee.
The two counties where the county SER
vice is ordered but not yet established
are:
Jackson county. Missouri.
Santa Clara county, California
IN the counties where this county ser
vice has been established. the congress
sional district is represented by a mem
Der Of influence For instance. Hardin
county. Iowa, is 81 the district of the
speaker OF the house. Mr. Henderson.
Santa Clara county. California. is in the
district of Mr.. Loud, chairman Of he
house committee of postofHces and post
roads Washington county. Tennessee. (
is in the district Of Walter p Brown
low. etc. And Sumner county. Kansas. Is !
in the district of Chester l. Long.
I have named one advantage Of the
county service-that every man IN the
county SO disposed can have his mail de-
liverod to him daily. but Sunday. There +
IS another. In his report. the first as
sistant postmaster general treats Of Il.
he says oftimes I'm the ordinary service +
localities are torn into struggles and fac I
tional differences over which WY routes +
shan run. etc often this initiates AGAINST
The best service. and so. sometimes. the
service does not carry the advantages +
and good points contemplated. This Is no
doubt true in Kansas and tho Seventh
district Clearly. county service obvi- (.
ates all this. ONLY the best service can /
obtain. because all are served alike.
Sumner county gets the prize for sew +
eral reasons. Next 10 sedgwick aud Reno +
it is the most populous county in the
district Il IS the largest in the territor, F..
which can have rural free delivery. Ii
has not today single route Mcpherson +
has twenty-five. with more coming. Sedg- (
Wick has fourteen. with more TO follow.
Harvey has eight. ana several pending.
Keno has four ana number PENDING
investigation Rice has ten. ana many
cases pending. But sumner had none.
Often ar Ions had attempted to So
cure the Investigation Of routes ia This
county. lie failed. for one and another
reason Twice De had it fixed defritelv
ne thought, for the Investigation of thes.
cases Each time De was disappointed .
Of one protest and smother Finally the
t'0e Uas SET for December IS. vhsu (.
special ageut wouid surely SO in.o the
county and make his investiss'.ous But
b. could nor SO when the time approached
and tAen he was 10 so as a later date.
Finally the superintendent Of The Tree
delivery system told ,lr. Long i lie
Toold consent q sca another delay. he
'.0r'd eive Sumner county The coaaty
Vice air- Long gladly acQuiesced. THE
was set Tor 1eruary &. ana there was
tr= sumner county uoss-
Wellington O. meet Tho special
t-sat SEQ our tc rut
ertce
f'u tner@ was rne.he- reason sar
g c-slaEly ette1 ror th. <. ~