The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-05-22
BENEFITS THE FARMER.
Rural Free Delivery Boon to
Country Districts.
HAD WONDERFUL GROWTH.
Judge Daboli Discusses the Advan-
tase of the Service With Reference
to the Eighth District.

II
merly judge of the circuit court, but
now devoting his attention to the
rapidly developing rural free mail de-
livery, for which he is special agent and
subject to call on duties connected with
the department to- any part of the
United States has spent the past few
days in Saginaw looking over the
routes and proposed routes centering
in this city and county. He left for his
home Friday A reporter found him
with an hours leisure Friday afternoon,
and the chat which ensued brought out
some points of interest.
Mr.. Daboll is enthusiastic over the adj
vantages of the rural free delivery SER
vice. He has no doubt of its value to
the rural districts, and referred to the
figures which show that rural free de-
livery increases the postoffice business
In districts where the natural increase
without it might be three per cent per
annum, the figures actually show that
the increase has been ten per cent.
People in rural free delivery districts
write more letters, receive more letters,
and take more newspapers than those
similarly situated who do not enjoy the
free mail delivery.
He said the eighth congressional dis
trict is particularly fortunate in the
mail facilities it enjoys, and the change
has been brought about since 1899, or
since the Hon. Joseph w. Fordney was
elected to congress. Mr.. Fordney has
been indefatigable in his efforts to adj
vance the rural mail service, is one of
the staunchest friends of the system,
and the attention he has given to the
matter gives his judgment much weight.
The first rural free delivery route in
this district was established in Owosso
in 1899, by F. M. Dice, special agent.
1t soon became the banner route of
Michigan. Mr.. Dice has been advanced
to the position of special agent for the
middle division, which includes the
states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Mime
sofa, Indiana and Illinois, and is the
banner division. In the Eighth district
from one route in 1899, the number has
grown to los. These are distributed as
follows: Saginaw county Al; Clinton
&c. Tuscola 80, and Shiawassee 81.
Clinton county has what is known as
a complete county organization. This
is also true of Ingham county. The one
could not well be organized without the
other, Shiawassee could not well be or
ganized without the other, Shiawassee
and Tuscola counties and Saginaw
county are approaching complete or
ganization.
1t is estimated that each route serves
500 persons. This means that in this
congressional district nearly $500 per-
sons have their mail delivered to them
every day by rural free delivery car
riers Each carrier delivers an average
of A, 500 pieces of mail month. This
is not the average for this district, but
the general average. One month the
banner route from Owosso delivered H.
900 pieces of mail The routes out of
Saginaw average about 5000 pieces.
Route No. 5, j. B. Teal, carrier, has 263
boxes placed by those receiving mail.
This is nearly or quite double the aver
age The general condition of all the
routes inspected was good, in fact there
were very few improvements to suggest
except in the way of improved roads,
and this is outside of the post Office de-
partment.
The R. F. D. service makes possible
the discontinuance of many fourth class
postoffices and some star routes. These
are only discontinued when the rural
free delivery affords the greater facility.
Several of the routes out of Saginaw are
longer than they should be- the carrier
having to cover 80 miles or more.
1--WE find," said Mr.. Daboll, "tnat
farmers who have rural free delivery
service begin to read daily papers. I
noticed on one route l went over that
161 daily papers were delivered. A
single illustration will give you some
idea Of the Importance in the way of
quick mail service. Suppose farmer
living ten miles from Saginaw wishes
to communicate with Chicago or Detroit
by letter and get quick answer. He
deposits his letter say Monday afternoon
at four o'clock or before the carrier
makes his collection. 1t reaches the
Saginaw Office in time for the outgoing
eastern or western mail. Before eight
o'clock Tuesday morning it is delivered
to the party addressed in Detroit or Chi
cago. If he posts an answer before ten
p. m. Tuesday, it arrives in Saginaw
before the rural free delivery carrier
starts out Wednesday morning and
probably before noon Wednesday the
farmer ten miles from Saginaw has his
answer This simply illustrates why it
is that rural free delivery service is pop
ular and why it is bound to grow The
increase in the postal business and the
saving effected by the discontinuance of
fourth class offices will make the SER
vice selfsustaining
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