The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-07-25
PROMISED R. F. D. ROUTES,
But Went Back on 1T and Patrons
Meantime Have Bought Mail

In various directions in the VI
cinity of Corvallis, there are rural
delivery boxes that will probably
be for sale within few days. These
boxes were purchased sometime ago
by persons who expected to be
| patrons of Rural Free Delivery
routes, numbers two and three out
of Corvallis. which persons are now
likely to persuade themselves that
they have been buncoed out of the
| cost of the boxes by the postomce
department of the United States.
The reason for the condition is that
though it was authoritive1y given
out some time ago by the Rural
Free Delivery Division of the post
Office department, that the rutes
were to be put into operation Aug.
ust Ist, it is now announced from
the same authoritive source that
the routes have been turned down
| because there ore less than 100
houses on each. The information
came day or two ago in a telegram
to Postmaster Johnson in answer
to the 1atters telefraphic inquiry as
to why provision was not made for
inaugurating the service.
Unless there is a change in the
ruling. those who have purchased
boxes and put them up along the
routes will be reduced to the hu-
initiating necessity of taking them
down and disposing of them as
best they can.
Petitions for the two routes were
sent to the department nearly a
year ago. Last February, Spe-
cia1 Agent c. E. Clement of the
Rural Free Delivery division, in
spected the routes, and recommen-
ded that they be established. It
was generally expected atthe time
that both routes would be in oper-.
alton by the first of May or June
In due time, both routes were ap-
proved by the superintendent. of
the western division at San Fran
cisco, and later by the final author
ity in Rural Free Delivery matters
at Washington. At the latter Office
the routes were ordered established,
as is shown by the following letter
Office Gen. Superintendent
R. F. D. Washington D. G.
May 7, 1903.
Postmaster, Corvallis Oregon:
Replying to your. letter of recent
date, requesting to be advised when
rural service from Corvallis will be
put in operation / have to inform
you that this service has been. as
signed for establishment on Aug
ust I, 1903.
H. Conquest Clark,
Acting General Superintendent.
In the meantime, assured au-
thoriative1y by the department that
the routes were to be established,
many patrons along the two routes
made purchases of boxes, and wait
ed patiently for the carrier to ap-
pear. Not few of them subscrib- |
ed for daily papers, all with the>ex.
pectation Of having the latter de- +
Iivered at their doors. The new
step in civilization, of which they
1ad heard so much as existing in
he eastern rural communities,
seemed about to be realized in
Oregon.
But also in the meantime, the
Rural Free Delivery Division has
been transferred to the care and
keeping OF. Fourth Assistant POST
master General Bristow. That of
icial, turned down the two Cor {
7a1lis routes, assigning as reason
hat there were less than 100 houses [
along the line of each. As the Ist
If August approached, inquiries
~ patrons of the postmaster at I
Corvallis became frequent and
Many patrons were ]
already leaving orders with refer !
,nce to the forwarding of mail. Re |
ying on the May letter to the very {
asst, Postmaster Johnson kept as.
surfing the patrons that August Ist ,
vas the date, and that at that time
he routes would certainly go in {
o operation.
At last, however. suspicious {
Iawned on the mind of the post {
master He had received no in {
tructions usually incident to the !
of new routes. As /,
he inquiries continued to pour in, |
le determined at length to wire the !
The answer to his
inquiry was telegram from the
Rural Free Delivery Division, the r
anne that had in May so1emn1y as !
erted that the service would begin /
A11o11st1 stating that the routes had | !