The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-04-13
Rural. ROUTES
DEPEND ON ROADS
Government to Enforce Regu-
lations Regarding Highways.
When Not In Good Condition Delivery
Service Will BE Ordered
Discontinued.


The rural free delivery branch of the
postoffice department is much in earn
est in its determination to enforce the
regulations regarding public highways.
Roads over which carriers of rural
routes must pass must be maintained in
such condition that the trip may be
made within the appointed time, so as
to permit connection with mail trains,
or routes will be discontinued until the
roads are made passable.
The department has been sending
out circulars to postmasters and town
ship road officials, informing them OF
the intentions of the department, and
urging them to give the matter prompt
attention. Thus far only one route
in the west has been discontinued.
This route was located in North OAK
and the roads we're in such condition
that the carrier could not possibly
make the trip. He notified the depart
ment aud the latter telegraphed
the carrier to discontinue trips until
the authorities made the roads passable
This action on the part of the depart
meut had the desired effect. The towr-
ship trustees got out and patched up
the road in various ways so as to make
it possible for the carrier, horseback,
to cover the route.
In one state the situation became so
desperate that the state legislature was
appealed to and passed e sort OF emer-
gency appropriation to enable the road
officers in certain section TO fix roads,
there being no avaibie appropriation in
the township for that purose.
had chat with MIR. Machem, the
chief of the bureau yesterday, and he
said that as rule, the people were
taking proper interest in the matter,
and turning in and fixing up the roads.
MIR, Machen spoke in the highestterms
of The carriers as class, and said they
were proving themselves, in many in
stances. to be heroes and martyrs in
order that the service might be main
tanned. He said his attention had been
called to one case where for more than
a week the carrier covered his route OF
twenty-five miles on foot each day. AS
soon as the department learned ct this
he was notified that such an effort or
his part was not necessary, and the de-
partment while approaching his faith
fullness, preferred that carriers would
not go to such limit to serve the peo
pie along the route: that the obligation
put upon the people was not heavy
one, and, that if they could not live w
to it, they could go without mail
Mr.. Macbem said he realized fully
shat at this season of the year the roads
in certain sections of Iowa were prac
ticaily bottomless, and that it was {
very difficult matter to repair them "a
such time, but pointed out that the
thing to do was to get the roads ii
shape during the summer and fall 81
that when spring was ushered in ane
the frost came out that roads wcul(
not become bottomless. Mr.. Machen
said that the government was spending
a great deal of money to enable farmer
to receive their mail promptly and fire
quently; and that the farmers should
cooperate to the extent of providing
roads enabling the carriers to perform
their work without unnecessary hard
ship. The policy of the department i
not to discontinue any route until abso
\ lutely driven to it, and then to RESUME
as soon as the roads have been mad
passable.
The above interview, taken from! tn
Register and Leader. should be heedet
by the farmers of thiscounty.