Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-03
The County Rural Free Delivery Ser

A
As is generally known the county of
Kennebec is the first in Maine to be
accorded what is known as the county
system of rural free delivery. For
weeks past Special Agent E. p. Bou-
telle has been actively at work map
ping cut this service, his problem being
to make it at once practical, and still
enable it to care for practically all the
people of the county not otherwise pro-
vided for in the matter of mail facil-
tiles. The task has been an arduous
and at times a perpleXing one, but
Mr. Boutelle has carried it through
successfully with the result, that, as
he has mapped out the routes, the
county of Kennebec will have as fine a
mail service as is enjoyed by any county
in the country. In working out this
fine system Mr.. Boutelle has labored
early and late, visiting personally every
section of the county and comforting
with the people. AS finally mapped out
the system will consist of 81 distinct
routes, covering a total distance of
1293% miles. There are 5403 houses on
these routes, and the population to be
served numbers 22,672.
The various routes in this service
are distributed as follows:
Augusta, seven routes, two new;
Hallowen, one route; Gardiner, seven
routes, two new; Litchfield, three
routes;' Monmouth, two routes; Win
throp, four routes; Wayne, one route;
Kent's Hill, one route; Readfield Depot,
two routes; Belgrade, one route; Mt.
Vernon, three routes; Oakland, four
routes, two new; Waterville, five routes
three new; Clinton, three routes; Al
bion, three routes; No. Vassalboro,
two routes; Vassalboro, one route;
Weeks Mills, three routes; Windsor
vile, one route.
| 1t is impossible that in handling so
many routes, and bringing them into
one compact practical system, some
people should not have been disap-
pointed; but the number of them is
| comparatively small, and in solving
| the problems that have come up in his
| by a desire to serve what he believed
| to be the best interests of the whole
| county.
The pressure upon the post Office
department for the establishment of
| these county. systems has been some
| thing enormous, and Kennebec is fort
innate in securing the first one to come
to Maine.
Congressman Burleigh hopes even
| tualy to secure such systems for all
| the counties in his district. The start
was made with this county because
the conditions of population came the
nearest to the requirements of the de-
| partment, and it therefore presented
| the pest cndnCe IOF securing favorable
| action from the department
| Too much credit cannot be given
Special Agent Boutelle, in whose hands
the work was given by the department
for he able, thorough, and impartial
manner in which he has performed this
| laborious ana cNacting task,
An examination of all applicants
|. for the position of carrier will be held
in Augusta, January 13, 1903, at 10 A.
M in the City hall building. No one
over 55 years or under II years of age
| is eligible for the service. Exception
to the age limit, however, is made in
| case of Union veterans.
! People living along these new routes
should bear in mind that the Journal is
| furnishing free to new subscribers a
modern water proof box, in the list APP
proved by the postoffice department.