Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-10-04
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Now over 1000 Routes In the United
states--The Growth of the servsce--
1900 Carriers Travel Daily $780,
900 MiIes-Annual Appropri-
alton Has Grown 20 Ss,-
100000

The Philadelphia Press of June ii,
III an account of the presentation of a
silver punch bowl by the rural free de-
LIVERY postmen to former Postmaster
General Smi III for his work in their
cause. gives information concerning
the workings of rural delivery which
viii prove interesting in Berkeley
county. which has the service.
When Postmaster General Smith en-
tered office there were 1870 rural routes
in operation. Now there are over -
600 routes and 250 600 miles of country
roads are being travelled by $500 car
riers. The annual appropriation has
grown from $50, 600 in 1898 to $4,000.
600 This sum will be doubled during
the ensuing fiscal year.
The Press says there wac deep pre-
JUDGE in many sections of the country
against the inauguration Of rural free
delivery The star route agents and
the fourth-class postmasters, whose oc-
equations would be abolished by the
delivery of mail by rural carriers,
could, as a rule. see nothing good in
the system. In 1893 the service was
still primitive in ch .racter and insult
fieient compensation. indifference and
opposition did not make the position
of rural carrier desirable. He received
only $500 year and had to.furnish his
own horse and wagon.
There was opposition from certain
rural persons who objected to having
their mail delivered at their gates.
They had been accustomed to visit the
cross roads postoffice for years on the
excuse of going for the mail Their
visits had taken tile form Of an even
ing's loaf on the grocery counter or
cracker box. The delivery of mail at
their gates removed this excuse to go
to the "corners. y and the old gossips
arraved themselves against this inno-
walton. Their opposition, like that
against railroads, telcgraphs, etc,
proved futile. Today the whole char
acter Of the service has undergone a
change The carriers have had their
pay loubled. The service now extends
all over the States, and even in Alaska
the rural carriers deliver the mail TO
the mining camps. The crudities of
the system are being remedied. Hun
dreds of thousands of letters have been
received from patrons eulogizing the
service TO the skies and enumera'ing
the benefits they enjoy.
The carriers, Of course, cannot en-
ter all bvways, lanes and cross roads,
but in order to serve the largest pos
sible territory must keep along the
main highway. Where houses are To-
Gated some distance from the main
road, the farmer. who believes in
rural delivery. takes pains to have his
letter box located on the route and in
many instances Ingenious devices have
been adopted for receiving the mail.
In Carroll county, Md, resident s
house is across a deep rayine traversed
BIZ the carrier He rugged mp a travel
er, OF trolley. like that used in stores
for CARRYING the cash boxes. The mail
is run across the ravine on one wire
and when the carrier deposits the mail
he lifts the box and places it on an up
[ per wire and its gravity carriers 1t
across the valley to the house. Anoth-
or patron has trained a Newfoundland
dog to meet the carrier and carry the
mail home, ahalf mile. Arrangements
are making for the carriers 70 display
the weather signals on their wagons,