The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-11-26
Our Washington Letter.
Pr"sideniiai Postofftces IN 7punsrset Tnwns.
rural Free Delivery Kputes In third
Di.triet. More X. , u Route IN
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aiming on, D. &, S5sember .
The figures for postal operations n
ak2"hepan during tie past fiscal year,
now just made public, afe Of very
gratifying nature. Thy indicate a
steady growth, which IL also au indlca
ton that the business Of a town has IL
creased and have reached point where
the free delivery Of ma within the
town limits can not be far distant.
The gross receipts of the ekowhegan
Office for the twelve months OF the last
fiscal year were $l0 SIS . AZ against
1929 "a for the previous year OF the
gross receipts, which represent the az
gregate paid for stamps ard mail mater.
al, 40 per cent, or 81 330 % went for TIE
expenses. comprising -, 100 for post
masters salary, SI540 70 f3r clerk hire.
$3.50 for rent, light aud fuel. and $40 -
ion incidentals, leaving a net profit 10
the government Of 8 53s II The pre-
vious year the expenses Of the pOstofiice
at 7kowhegan were u ZsJ.64 or 43 per
cent Of the gross receipts and included
- 900 for pOstmasters salary, S 800
for clerk hire, $3.50 for rent etc. and
$35 81 for incidentals The net profit
that year was s. 643 70 81 hile these
sums seem large ones to be turned back
into the federal treasury it must be
remembered that they are absorbed IN
paying the bills for transportation of
mails, which are very large.
The figures for Madison postoffice
during the past fiscal year are; Gross
receipts, 81 603 % postmaster's salary,
81, 600; nothing for clerk hire; $Z43. So
for rent, light and fuel; s14 SO for in
cidentaIs, making the total expenses
81 1858 AZ or 40 per cent, and the net
revenue 81, 744 50 These figures com
pare faYorably with the figures for the
previous fiscal year, which were; Gross
receipts, 81, 507 81; postmaster's salary,
81 800; rent etc, $Z40 Is; incidentals,
$l3 p, making the tota expenses, ST.
1873 81, or 80 per cent. and the net rev
enue 81 I'D 20
The only other postoffise of the presi-
dental class in Somerset county except
Pittsfield is at Fairfield, where the gross
receipts for the last fiscal year were
81, 673. 40, the net revenue s. $50 g. and
the total expenses s. ,992 81, or 43 per
cent, comprising 81 ,eQQ for pos master 3
salary, 500 for clerk hire, S274 o. for
rent, light and fuel, and SIS so for in
cidentals. The gross receipts are fail
ing off for the previous fiscal year when
they amounted to 81 703 s., a per cent
of which, or 81, 975 A went for expenses,
including 81 900 for postmaster's salary,
500 for clerk hire, SOD for rent etc,
and $21 al The net revenue that year
at the Fairfield Office was 81, 726 IS
The gross receipts of the postofice at
Pittstield last year were IS 943 49, out of
which the postmaster was paid 81 700,
clerks were paid $3.50, rent, light and
fuel cost 1856, incidentals S24, making
the total expenses 81, 430, or Al per cent
and the net revenue s., 513 10 For the
previous fiscal year of 1902 the gross
receipts at Pittsfeld were So, 465 IA, the
total expenses So, 1850, or 40 per cent,
and the net revenue 50 2SS "a
Alongside of this showing of post.
office receipts in Somerset, it is interest
ing to note the constant establishment
of rural free delivery routes, which now
radiate from nearly every important
town in the county and place good mail
facilities for farmers in all the adjoining
districts This is very largely the
result of Congressman Burleighs IN
firing work in urging the establishment
of routes ever since he entered Con.
gress. At that time some five years
ago, there was not rural route in all
the third Congressional district. Now
SkoWhegan alone has seven routes as
many as any other town OF city in the
district, Augusta having only seven
routes, and Gardiner also having seven
The Skowhegan routes were established
gradually, the first two being put into
operation March /, 1902, the next three
July l, 1902, and the last two July /,
1908
Arson had one rural route as early as
February /, 1902, and two months. Later
a rnral route was put in operation out Of
North Arson. Last April route was
started out of Norridgewock and last
May and last July respectively the Gura
mail facilities were extended 10 farmer.
| living ON the roads out of SCION ano
/ stark Pttsfied had a rural rout,
December /, 1902, and two more vert
started the middle of last september
and still another in October.
Athens had its initial rural mail route
in operation July last and Fairfield 1T
first route March /, 1902 The favorabl,
report on the first route out of Canaan
was made July 6 last and October l,
last it was put in operation. On thu
same day new route went in at Hsr
mony. Detroit in somerset county ha
been provided for by one of he routes
out of Pttstield, which went into opera
ton October Is last. Hartland's frs
rural route was instituted April 1903
and the thriving little village of Madi
son was given two rural routes as earl,
as May Is, 1901 being among the earlies
which Gov Burleigh secured for SOmet
set.
Efforts have been made to get route
for other towns in Somerset, some e
which have been reported on adversel
by the inspectors and by the postotfie
department This was the case witt
one proposed route out of Athens, on
out of Skowhegan, one cut of Fairfield
two out of Madison and one out O
North New Portland There ar