New-York tribune., 1902-06-29
RURAL NAIL DELIVERY .
SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED IN ALI.
STATES SAVE ONE-USE OF NAILS
is INCREASED - CARRIERS TO
SHOW WEATHER SIGNALS

IT suppose you are quite proud of the rural mail
delivery system which the generous government
has provided for you?" said the grocery drum
1ner to a Long Island farmer who was loahng In
the general store at Lake Grove
You're always supposing things ami you:
renI:ed the farmer. Il don't know as we think
so much Of this mail delivery business
1T must be great convenience to have your
mail left at your gate every afternoon CON-
.inred the drummer. 1T saves you a lot OF trou-
BILE You get the mail regularly, ana 'he let
tiers don't go astray, do they"
.-oh the mail comes all right enough That
Amt what we's got against the new-fangled ar
rangement'
well what is the Natter
Its like this" said the farmer. Before the
government got fossy and gave Us postman JUST
Ike it does you city folks, we had some excuse
for coming TO the Grove every day The women
folks were always expecting something or other
through the mails. and they never said word
against our coming the poStofice- Now III s
different They think We just want TO come
DOWN to the Grove loaf around and women
folks can be mighty pesky when they want to-
This mail delivery business is no success said
fhe postmaster, VINO also the store. THE gov
eminent is sche ming to do away with lot OF the
small postoffices but it won't succeed Farmers
like to come for the mail. It's one of the few
pleasures in their lives. and they're not going
20 give it up.
The drummer was bound to find somebody who
was pleased at the federal innova ton. and said
to the mail carrier: 'of course you are IN favor
of having the delivery service continued
well. don't know" drawled the carrier Il
think I've been buncoed into bad bargain
So many was after the contract that had to
bring my bid down $500 year 1t costs sl2o
TO feed horse and keep him shod so you can
Imagine how much there is in it
According TO the latest report of the Assistant
Postmaster General the rural delivery system Is
continuing prove itself a great success. The
system has been extended TO ali the States in the
~7.a hsd
tain roads and the scarcity of population did not
warrant its establishment. Even in Alaska rural
service was operated during the last summer be-
tween Nome and Gold River which accommodated
thousands of miners scattered about in that region
1t is estimated that by next month s.oD routes
will be established. route averages twenty-five
miles in length. This will accommodate over four
million farmers, bringing the daily papers and
magazines to their doors every day. when before
they obliged TO depend on occasional visits
TO town for news and other reading matter In
many Of the districts where the new system has
replaced the old country postofice the general
mail service T mas @a4s one O eG he now writes
two. The box at his gate is standing invitation
Another good result has been the Improvement
vice has been established only the condition
that the roads be promptly improved rms mas
IN Eve New-England States alone; and in the
Sae Of and 9e Sb Stone bges
Another novel and advantageous feature 70 os
the daily reports of the United States Weather Bu
reau to ali the farmers along the routes: The
carriers. carts will be provided with small nag
stalls from which signals will be displayed, IN
forming the farmers ia the fields at glance what
the weather probabilities are.
Stamford Conn. June 2s-The free rural delivery
system has been in operation in Stamford for about
eighteen months and it has given general satisfac-
sion The principal complaint about the system is
1ha. the salaries Of the carriers inconsderable
They get $500 year, and from this the carrier must
provide his horse and wagon and various sundries
Incidental 10 carrying out the work But 1t is OBJ
served that notwithstanding their objections. they
eeem satisfied hold their jobs and it is also said
that there is always sufhcency Of applicants Tor
the places. However, it is the opinion OF com
netent observers that the salary is inadequate Tor
the work required. Aside from this feature, the
service is receiving the support Of the residents OF
the rural districts. many Of whom Were very much
opposed to .le order OF things at first The
.eople living on the main lines of the routes get
The greatest benefit from the service. Those living
cn the crossroads co not receive sucl, direct ser
vice is much better than the postal facilities
they had under the country postoftice system At
arst. these crossroaders. as they are called, OBJ
3ected having go greater or less distance for
their mail but most Of them have now come TO see
xhat the present system is decided advance over
former methods