Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-06
|HE MAIL Man 5 VALUE
Patrons Of Rural Delivery Routes
Appreciate the Service Very
Materially.
Refuse to Put Up Boxes at First
Then Patronize the
Carriers.
Hot Coffee. Fur Coats. New Suits
and Covered Wagons Civ.
en- Carriers.


after Uncle Sans carrier has been de-
livering mail on rural route for few
weeks. Men selling the mail boxes
meet with this opposition: Il don't need
to put up hox. go to town most ev-
cry day, anyway, and don't need box.
But as a rule the combined efforts of
the salesman and the obstinate ones
neighbors induces him to put up box.
Calling on this kind of man year
hence 1 have found him the most en-
thusiastic fellow on the route in his APP
probation of the daily mail service. He
has often told me he wouldn't do with
out of the service for $40 year.
Many are the instances of apprecia>
ton shown for the service. Mr.. w. G.
Dobson, of Garwin, was in the city to-
day, meeting here Mr.. Marion Bowen,
mail carrier on Garwin rural route No.
i. Mr.. Dobson represented the patrons
of the route and purchased for the car
rier good suit of clothes as an express
sion of appreciation of his services.
purse of SIS in cash was also raised and
presented to Mrs. Bowen. number of
Germans are patrons of Mr.. Bowen's
route, and on Christmas each German
left 81 in his box for the carrier.
That the pay of carrier is too small
is apparent. The fact that the salary
is surely to be raised soon is the only
thing that keeps most of the present
carriers at work. The patrons them
selves realizing this, are doing the
above thing to make it possible for the
carrier to exist. On another instance of
this kind the patrons of the rural chip
ped in and bought the carrier a nice
covered wagon so that he could be pro-
tected from the cold, fur overcoat,
and caps being presented to
carriers are every day occurrences on
the older mail routes.
Only few days ago during the cold
snap the writer was in country home
up by the fire when young
hopeful bounced into the room shouting
THE mail mans coming. The lady
seized shawl and took a cup of hot
coffee out to the driver. 1t wasn't much
for her to do, but was appreciated by
the carrier. 1t is an incident of this
kind that expresses the appreciation of
Uncle Sans rural route service when
once established
But the mail man has his troubles
the same as any one else. AT Radcliffe
they have five patrons whose names are
Ole Olson. and three of their respective
wives are Kathrine Olsons. 1t is sort
Of a lottery as to whom mail is adj
dressed. Letters are sometimes read
two or three times before reaching the
party for whom intended. and the CAR
rier is always held responsible.
In some towns with three to six
routes the carriers are compelled to
use the same roads for half mile or
so in and out of the town. II. Daven-
port, of Belmond, is located where
route runs on both sides of his farm
He has box in front of his house
where the carrier on one route leaves
his mail about $3.50 q. M. and he has
another box on the other route across
his farm where he puts his out going
mail. the carrier going by there on his
return to town at about 2: 80 p. m. SO
that he is able to get mail and answer
1t the same day using nothing but the
rural route service.
The recent SHOWS have shown the
good judgment of the department in
making 1t an obligation on the patrons
to keep the roads open and in passable
condition. In many instances the box
es are put on corners, and with drift
ing of snow it is almost impossible for
a carrier to get to them. A person
driving thru the country these days
will see farmers out in the snow keep
ing the roads open so the carrier can
get thru. The inspector in driving over
the Geneva routes. stopped at farm
house and said, you will have to
change your post SO that the carrier
can deliver mail without making an
extra stop" l. e. putting his box be-
side his neighbours. The farmer re-
piled, AN right, have moved it twice
but will move it every day e
necessary to get my mail.
1t is mystery to some people why
their routes don't start in a few days
after inspected and approved by the |
department. In nearly every commu-
nifty there are some kickers who cause
the delays and 1t requires time to in |
vestigate their complaints.
Out of four routes at Greene, two
run daily the other two having one
carrier who will drive one route one
day and the other the next, giving |
them mail only three times week. |
The patrons have asked congressman |
to hold up routes until they can file |
a petition for 1t daily, one of the 9TH
er routes. which will have daily ser
vice, runs thru an inland postoffice
which has a daily stage service. The
postmaster wants to retain his office |
80 he writes the congressman to hold |
up the routes so he can show cause |
why his office should not be discon- |
tinued. Then he puts in week or
two getting signatures from people |
who are not on the mail route and |
sends it in to Washington where all |
this is going on, routes all around |
them are being ordered to start and
the great majority can't understand |
why they are left out Each route
would take its turn according to ttmo
inspected If complaint were not made
Then the case is tasen ou. and pigeon
noled until such time as the difficulties
can be arranged. When there are on
ale over $500 applications for rural
free delivery routes those over which !