The Saint Paul globe., 1902-09-05
MAIL HANDLERS, OF MINNESOTA,
GATHER IN ANNUAL SESSION
AT INSTITUTE HALL
RURAL FREE DELIVERY IS
PRINCIPAL TOPIC DISCUSSED
Speeches on All Subjects Relating to
the Service Are Made by Members
and Old Officers Are EIected-coun-
try Postmasters More Interested in
Fair Than in Technical DeIiberation.

MiniOns of Uncle Sam in Minnesota
cuStodians of his branches of the pos
tai system in the state, gathered in an
nual session yesterday at Institute hall
on the fair grounds, to attend the an
nual session Of the Postmasters as
ISOLATION.
Rural free delivery was the principal
topic discussed and the old officers
were elected. They are:
President, William Kaiser, Faribault;
vice presidents, T.. e. Hughes, Mime
apolis; C.. E. Callaghan, Rochester; P
A. Peterson, Cannon Falls; o. e. Lind
quist, Dassell; secretary and treas
urer, c. A. Rasmussen, Red Wing.
Among the prominent persons pres
ent We're Congressman McCleary, Capt
HI. A. Castle, of the United States
treasury department, and Postmaster
A. r. McGiIl, of st. Paul.
j. T. Metcalf, superintendent of the
postal money order system, who was
to deliver the opening address on "The
Postal Money Order System" was un-
able to be present, and his place on the
programme was taken by A. w. Ma
chen, superintendent Of the free rural
delivery system.
Mr.. Machen summarized the address
he delivered the previous day before
the good roads convention and endeav-
OTeU 10 luleIGSL Tie pOSIIldS Stclo III Ihc
subject of good roads. Speaking of the
system of which he is superintendent
Mr.. Machen said in part:
Tells of Rural Delivery.
Rural free delivery began in this
country in 1891. That year the depart
ment conducted an experiment of free
delivery in small towns and villages.
The proposition to establish free de-
in icf
upon by officials as impracticable.
But congress at it's fifty second ses-
sion appropriated $4,000 to aid in this
service as an experiment. Neither this
sum nor the same amount appropriated
in each of the three succeeding years
was used.
"The first route was established in
1896. July 1, 1897, there were forty
three routes. At the close of the year
1899 there were 391 routes, and at the
end of the fiscal year 1902 there were
$500 routes"
Speaks for Free Boxes.
W. D. Joubert, Of Litchfield, spoke
upon "Box Rents" and among other
things said:
"The government should own all
postoffice property used by it and a
sufficient number Of boxes should be
provided at each Office where the car
rier system exists so that any citizen
may select q box for three months
free of charge, except lock boxes, In
which cases small charges might be
made"
The secretary read an address on
Rural Free Delivery From the Spe-
cial Agents Standpoint" prepared by
W. J. Munroe, special agent Of rural
free delivery service. Among other
things Mr.. Monroe said:
"Postmasters should actively inter-
est themselves in seeing that petitions
for rural delivery service within the
territory of their respective offices
meet in all respects the requirements
of the department.
"They are few but essential, and II
observed much subsequent trouble and
delay may be avoided No route should
exceed twenty-five miles in length, and
no petition for longer one should be
presented"
Mire, of St. Cloud, Speaks.
H. G. Mire, of st. Cloud, presented
an address on 1.-THE Best Method of
Keeping Records, of Forwarding Or
ders, Change of Addresses, and Refus-
ed Second, Third and Fourth Class
Matter"
In part he said:
Refused matter of the third and
fourth class should be kept separate
from other mail matter, and the sender
promptly notified of the fact. A rec
ord Of the date when notice was sent
as well as the names and addresses of
both the sender and addressee, a de-
scription of the class and the amount
of postage required for return, should
be kept in a book provided for that
purpose. A record of the final DISPOSE
ton of the article should be kept ALSO"
Discusses Federal Buildings.
The subject of Government Build
ings in the Smaller Towns" was dis
cussed by w. B. Strom, Of Hector.
''While 1t is a radical departure from
old customs and methods to advocate
the erecture of postoffice buildings in
the smaller villages by the govern
ment," the speaker said, "this Is a
progressive age and it does not seem
to offer as many obstacles as did the
establishing Of rural free delivery of
mail at it's inception. While 1t would
require a considerable sum at first to
build and equip the offices, the saving
in allowances for rent would more than
pay interest on the investment.
"Such buildings should and could be
made as to distinguish them in every
village as to the postofice. They