The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-12-04
Washburn People Nav Receive Their
Nail at Their Homes.
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL
Recommends That the Free Delivery sys-
tenn be Extended to Towns of
5000 Inhabitants, or over $4,000
Gross Annual Postal Receipts.

Postmaster General Henry C.
Payne has submitted his annual re-
port, and in the list of recommen-
dations for Congressional action
there is an item that is of material
interest to Washburn. The recon-
mendation is "that the extention of
free delivery to towns of not less
than 5000 population, or $4,000
gross annual postal receipts, be
authorized. !"
The village of Washburn in the
last federal census went little over
5000 in population, while the postal
receipts of the Washburn post office
forthe past three years have exceeded
theamount of S., 900 which is the mini
mum set in the Postmaster Generals
reco mmendation. This recommen-
dation of the head of the post Office
department. is of great Importance
to the people of this city. Under
the present system of establishing
free delivery Washburn is in the
impossible class, and unless there is
material growth in population can
not hope for the system for many
years, but should Congress adopt
the recommendation of the Postmas-
ter General, there is every reason to
believe that Washburn would be one
of the first towns in the country to
profit by the new order of things.
In connection with the above it
might be well for the people If
Washburn, and especially the bust
ness men to get move on them and
secure some votes out of the Wis
consin delegation for the proposed
reform in the free delivery services.
There are not very many pos!s offices
or localities to which the new ruling
applies that are not already in the
free delivery list. A big strong pc
tition to the Wisconsin delegation
from here would no doubt have the
desired effect. Other recommends
tons of the department for legisla-
tion are as follows:
That substitute letter carriers in
cities of Is, 900 population and over
be guaranteed monthly earnings of
not less than $50, and in,cities of less
than $4,000 population not less than
$25.
That rural letter carriers be allow
ed an annual leave of absence of not
to exceed fifteen days with pay.
That the maximum fee for money
order be fixed at Is instead of 80
cents.
That section 8 of the act OF June
l3, 1893, chapter 446, providing that
assistant postmasters, cashiers, and
other employees of postoffices of the
first, second and third classes shall
give bond direct to the United States,
be repealed, and that statute be
enacted requiring such officers to give
bond directlyto the postmasters, and
holding postmasters responsible un-
der their own bonds for any and all
acts and defaults occurring at their
respective Offices.
That the interstate commerce law
be amended. to prohibit common
towit, telegraph and ex-
press companies, or any of their en-
ployes, from aiding and abettirg in
the green goods or lottery swindles,
or any other scheme carried on part
" by common carrier and which is in
OF the postal laws.
That the department be authariz-
ed to adopt a system of postal
checks.
That q statute be enacted author
ling the receiving and dispatching
of certain classes of mail matter
without the necessity of afixing
postage stamps to individual pieces.
That an act be passed comforting
upon the department specific author
ity to introduce a system of reply
postal cards and envelopes.
Says 1t is God-Send
NV kidneys were so diseased that