Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1902-01-31
RURAL DELIVERY.
Advantages To Be Enjoyed By
Country People.
The system Proving A Perfect
Success In Every Way


The practical results of the rural
free delivery system recently inau-
gurated in this county are the
cause OF much comment. Of course
there are some who always see
things Through glass datkly,
and, though thsy may be 10th {" do
so, they are bound to admit nat
facts are facts. There are 50 riany
advantages aud convenience now
enjoyed ~ people ID tbs vvunti'y
that are almost incalculable,
We heard business man say
not long since that he believed that
the daily free delivery in the rural
districts kept people from coming
to town, as they could telephone in
and have the carrier on his route
bring out some trifling article,
which would do away with the ne
cessity of mis- coming in after it,;
while on the other hand, if be came
after it, he would probably pur-
chase many other articles while in
town. That is the merchants side
Of it. But suppose the farmer did
not have the advantage of having
the article carried out to HIM by
the carrier, isn't it probable that
he would do without it rather than
lose the time necessary to drive 10
after it? If so, then the merchant
would lose a sale, or it would be
DELAYED until the farmer came in TO
make other purchases. Then again.
If a man living in the country de-
sired the carrier to bring out some
thing from one of the stores, he
would expect to pay for it when de-
livered by the carrier, Every mer-
chant has a hankering after cash
sales. All will admit this. Sup
pose some one in a family may be
i'll, drugstore is rung up by the
family physician and a Prescrip-
ton is ordered to be filled and sent
out by the carrier. 1t reaches the
one for whom il is prepared in time
and trip to town is unnecessary.
Isn't this a great convenience to the
farmer?
Here is a suggestion from a farm
er, thoroughly unsel6sh. His farm
lies on one OF the rural routes but
he can t say it pleases him because
so many of the other farmers in his
are too far from the
route of the carrier for them to get
the advantages of the daily free
delivery. Well, there are not many
such men in this county.
A correspondent in one of our
contemporaries said few days ago
that After February LIST poor folks
and negroes cannot receive mail, as
the delivery regulations allow no
mail delivered save 10 those having,
approved metal U. S. signal boxes.
We have no desire to take issue
with any one on this point, and will
merely say that all tenants on farms
have the privilege Of mailing letters
and receiving their mail through
the boxes of the owners OF the
farms.
The purpose of the Postofice De-
partment is to have the most speedy
delivery of matter to the people in
the rural districts that is possible,
and hence the establishment of the
rural system. Before its establish
ment people in the country would
have to wait a week, or less time,
as suited their convenience to come
to town alter it. Now they get it
daily at their homes.
ga blind man can see the adj
vantages of this change. We know
of one carrier of Hopkinsville who
now delivers As copies of the Daily
Courier-Journal. Before his can
vass he delivered three copies.
This increase was secured in only
three days. People in the country
can now keep as well posted on
current events as those who live ia
the city. How any one can say ru'
raj delivery is not a success is be-
yond our ken. In short time all
the carriers will be supplied with
! up-to-date wagOns, most approved
boxes Will be furnished and every
thing possible done for the good o
the people-and all at the expense
of "UncIe Sam, and at a loss t
the Department. But since guicl
mail delivery has been one OF the
! Governments hobbies for so manl
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