Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-28

routes in the fourth contract section, en-
bracing all the states and territories (three
excepted) west Of the Mississippi river,
expired June 30, 1902, and new contracts
were made for all the star service In those
states and territories for terms
OF four years beginning July !
last. These new contracts covered
6,os7 routes, aggregating 11O,5s3 miles
and 4s,6s6,346 Of annual travel, the
latter being an increase Of 1907, sSs miles,
or 40 per cent, over. the annual travel
under the old contracts. The average rate
per mile travelled under the old contracts
was 4.SS cents; under the new contracts
Il was SIS. At the average rate paid under
the new contract a contractor travelling
twenty-five miles each week day would
receive a fraction over $1.44 per day, or
S453.10 per annum. These contracts. we're
let only to those persons who agreed to
reside on or contiguous to their routes
and to give their personal supervision to
the performance Of the service, and nearly
all the contracts provide for delivering mail
into boxes along the routes wherever the
people desire such service.
Box Delivery ON star Routes.
The system Of box delivery service has
now been applied wherever practicable to
all Of the first contract section, including
the states from Maine to West Virginia,
having 5,57S routes and to the fourth con-
tract section, including the states and ter
%ritories three excepted) west of the Mis-
sissippi river, having 6,037 routes, to the
state Of South Carolina and to miscel-
laneous routes throughout the remainder
Of the country wherever new contracts have
been made. so that the people on consid-
erably more than half Of all the star routes
in the United States are now given the ad-
vantages Of this box delivery service. The
fiscal year Just closed was the first year
OF the contracts for this class of service
In the first contract section, Maine to West
Virginia, and in June last inquiries were
sent to each of the routes to ascertain the
extent to which the box delivery was being
utilized. The replies received from 4,s4O
routes show that 80, 79s boxes or cranes
have been erected along these routes and.
that 42,72S families are having their mail
delivered to them by the carriers through
such boxes or bass attached to cranes. Re-
ports indicate that such service is generally
satisfactory to the people who are avail
ing themselves of It..
TIL star service discontinued during the
year ended June 80, 1902, by reason of the
establishment of rural free delivery service,
amounteu 10 Szoo,Ol5.SS.
Tells of Alaskan Routes
The contracts for all transportation in
Alaska expired on June 80 last and new
contracts were executed for service for
the term beginning July 1. The first mail
transportation by railroad authorized IN
Alaska was that which was established last
May on the railroad between Skagway and
White Pass, near the Canadian boundary
line, a distance of twenty miles. Begin
ming July l. the Canadian department as
sumed the transportation of mails over its
territory between the boundary line near
White Pass and the boundary line near
Eagle, Alaska. Among the prinipal routes
included in the new contracts is one along
the Yukon river from Eagle to Tanana, 567
miles, and one from Tanana to St. Michael.
423 miles, on which the mails are carried
not less frequently than once a week, ex-
cept for four months of the year while the
Ice is either forming or breaking on the
Yukon river, when the, service is to be
twice a month.
As the mails on these routes in the win
ter time must be carried by dog teams and
sleds, the weight is limited during the
winter, but the contracts provide for carry
ing the mails by steamers during the sum-
mer season OF the Yukon without limit of
weight as often as the steamers may run,
which will be more frequently than the
mails are carried at other seasons. There
Is a connecting route from Nome to Una
laklik, 230 miles, also an overland route
from Eagle to the southern coast at Valdez,
413 miles, twice a month, in connection with
steamers to and from Seattle. Service has
been established from Fort Yukon to Bet
flaa Qk0 p1FIad "a ro,,n &-t- ----4L -
cept In May and October. All this route is
north Of the Arctic circle. Contracts have
also been renewed for carrying all classes
of mail without Limitation of weight dur
ing the season of navigation from both
Seattle and San Francisco to Nome and
st. Michael and for a connecting steamer
line from st. Michael to Golovin, Nome,
Teller, and York. During the summer
Just closed mail-steamer lines were ex-
tended farther north than heretofore, and
mails were carried from Nome, by Shish-
maref, Deering and Kotzebue Mission, to
the mouth Of the Kowak river, a distance of
3s1 miles.
Steamboat Service Discussed.
At the close of the year there were 80
steamboat routes, the total length of which
was 34.33S miles, with an. annual travel of
5,416,S97 miles, costing $5ss, 251.o5 per
annum Compared with the previous year
this was an increase of 367 miles in length
OF routes. 764. 1879 miles in annual travel
and $55, 1856. 73 in annual cost. The service
in the fourth contract section was relet
last year for the term of four years begin
ming July /, 1902, and the increase in cost
under the new contracts was $50. s67.41 per
annum.
On June 80 last there we're 7,542 mail
messenger routes, aggregating 5,25S miles
in length, 1O,495, 622 miles OF annual travel,
at a cost Of 81, O65. g74.O6 per annum. In
this service there was an increase Of 1S7
miles in length Of routes and $50, l62. 80 in
annual cost.
On June 80, 1902, there were 2,s44 railroad
routes, the total length Of which was 1s7,-
1923 miles, with an annual travel OF 312,521,-
AIS miles. costing ss5, O4s, 211.22. The in
crease in the length OF routes was 3,771
miles, in mt travel 9,sOs, 1853 miles and
in annual expenditure S1.1s7. $50. IS. A
weighing Of the mails was had on all of
the railroad lines In the fourth contract
section, including all the states and ter
~ritories (three excepted) west Of the Mis-
sissippi river. and the result of the regular
quadrennial readjustment OF pay for rail-
road transportation in those states and ter
ritbries for four years beginning July 1 last
was an increase In annual cost Of Il RIA