The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-08
RURAL FREE MAIL DELIVERY.
TSEXTENSION TO BE COMPLETED
IN THREE YEARS.
Then There VIII he 10000 Carriers, Who
WIN Cover a Territory OF 100000
square Miles. and Make Necessary an
Annual Appropriation OF s2l 600 900.

WAsHISGIoN, Nov. "A. W. Machen.
General Superintendent of the Free Delivery
system. in mis- report for the fiscal year
1902. estimates that within the ne three
years, when the extension of the rural
free delivery service is completed, there
will be 1000 carriers employed, who will
cover territory of 200 900 square miles and
make necessary an annual appropriat ion
of about $2i ,OOO,OO0 The territory Of the
United States available for rural free de-
livery embraces about 1,OOOOOO square
miles. or one-third of the countrys area
including Alaska. and the 1850 routes
now in operation cover little more than
300 900 square miles, so that almost one
third Of the available territory has been
provided with service.
Mr.. Machen says that while for the last
FIVE years the annual increase in the ap-
propriations for the rural service has aver
aged over 200 per cent in two or three
years, when the complete extension shall
have been effected, the rate Of increase
ought not TO exceed or per cent the
rate maintained in the older branches
of the service. The report says:
The soon;,r The he sGrviG" Is completed the
Huence on the postal revenue be felt Here
after the extension OF the service should he
made NJ the rate of u ,ooo routes a year until
partment will require such lar geiy increase
appropriations that the annual postal d, n :
cits, for the ensuing two or three years viii
probably reach 5000 600 or SO 600 600 If
not more, but once the service Is completed
and tho dSM 6 organized, the patronage
from 2o.OOo,OOO OF our people who have thus
far had little opportunity to ENJOY the iuli
benefits OF the mail service will Increase 10
such parked degree that the additional
revenue derI,v. I'LL soon reduce the present
figures. II not entirely wipe them out
An additional appropriation of $500 600
II asked Tor the current year 10 enable the
Department TO carry out its plans for tho
uninterrupted extension Of the service
On July l. 1901, 1901 rural routes were in
operation, and during the year 4, 1876 routes
were established, the service practically
doubling itself in twelve months On july
I, 1901, the humber Of petitions for routes
received at the Depart ment since the estab-
ishnent Of the first route in 1895 reached
1929. while during the year 1902, IL 1913
1900 the total number filed d,rb the pre
Cedih z four years. Slice July 1, 1902 aiou,
2,4CO petitions have been rcccived-or about
600 month"; large average for this season
of the year.
Tbe observations made by the DEPART
ment of the working of the rural free de-
livery system in Carroll county, MARYLAND.
where a complete and model system i IN
operation, shows that rural free delivery
causes healthy and steady increase IN the
gross receipts of the post Offices in the
locality in which free delivery is general
and Is also responsible for ABORTION Of the
Increased revenues Of the larger Offices
accruing from the stimulated use Of tho
mails by merchants and Others who are
now able 10 reach patrons of rural delivery
throughout the country.
Supt Machen recommends that rural
ARRIVES be authorized to pay money orders
to patrons - we'll as to issue them. In
several localities TSstmastorS have at thcir
own risk permitted rural carriers TO pav
money orders. TIE innovation has proved
most satisfactory and in no case has there
Jeen wrong payment of money by carrier
or loss TO postmaster on account Of the
practice.
Mr.. Machen recommends TINT fifteen
days annual leave be granted rural carriers
and that substitute carriers he paid a fixed
living salary in place Of the 81 year they
now receive from the Government.