Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-25
FAVOR GOOD ROADS.
IOWA RURAL MAIL CARRIERS GO
ON RECORD FOR BETTER
HIGHWAYS.

YIN RECOH0 FOR Be Elk
HIGHWAYS.
First Days Session Of Annual state
Convention At Des Moines Proves
Interesting and Vauable-Horse In
surance Not Favored.
Smooth macadam roads over which
they may drive and deliver mail to the
homes of the Iowa farmers Is the I'M
animous desire of the rural mail car.
riers of the state as expressed yes.
terday at their annual convention now
being held in Des Moines About forty
of the carriers of the state, members
of the association, were present at the
meeting which was presided over by
B. P. Woods. the president of the
state association.
| The addresses of welcome was de-
livered by Postmaster Mckay of Des
Moines. G. 2. Clark and D. B. Lyons,
secretary of the Iowa Good roads as
ISOLATION, spoke at the morning SEES
sion IN favor of good roads and their
speeches met most hearty response.
Mr.. Lyons made strong argument
in favor of national and state and
county aid in the building of the roads.
He held that it is as much the duty
OF the government to provide highways
for the farmers of Iowa. or at least to
give assistance in the construction of
such highways, as 1t ia to make an ap-
preparation of s36,0OO,0O0 for the i'm.
provement of the rivers and harbors,
beneating the people who live near
their shores. He also quoted figures
showing how much aid the government
has given to the construction Of rail-
roads, and made an eloquent plea for
assistance in pushing the matter of
good roads before the legislature. The
full rounds of applause that greeted
Mr.. Lyons's speech gave evidence of
the hearty support which the rural
mail carriers mean to give him in
working for the roads.
Association In Good Condition.
The secretary's report showed that
there are 1905 rural carriers in Iowa
and that 400 are members of the state
organization The association is in
good condition financially. there being
only small deficit, which will be rails
ed during the convention.
The matter of the horse Insurance
was not taken up. President Woods
thinks there is not as much of sentl-
ment in favor Of the proposed horse in
surance as there was in their meeting
last winter when the motion to in
troduce the plan of insuring carriers
horses against accident, lost only by
the deciding vote of the president of
the state association. 1t seems to be
the general impression of the dele
gates that the organization is too small
yet to undertake to insure the horses
of the carriers and they fear injustice
in the appraisme of the horses which
might die. Their present system of
life insurance they consider all that
can be successfully carried out so long
as the association has only 400 mem
bers.
New Officers Elected.
| At the evening session of the rural
!, carriers state convention G. M. Adams
of Davenport, was selected president to
succeed B. P. Woods, who has held the
office since. the carriers first organized
C. S. Gutenberg, of Indianola, was
chosen first vice president; Thomas
; Downs of Dubuque, second vice presi
/. dent; G. P. Clark of Wadena, secre'
, tary, and Joseph Bishop of Manchester
j. c. Mcclure of Malvern and o. w
: Bryant of Lorimor, directors.
Work for Larger Salary.
During the month of August the ru
raj mail carriers of Iowa earned Sill,
S53.40 for their service in the state
: The increase is more than $1,000 above
r the pay roll Of July and $4,000 larger
$ than the sum paid out in June.
. In June, 1902, there were 4S9 rura
mail carriers in Iowa. Today there are
1905 engaged in the delivery and col
:. lection of mail in the farming districts
I of the state, daily, and on Septembel
/ 1, this force will be increased by car
: riers for 20 new routes which have
s been ordered established on that date
: The salaries paid the carriers rang,
y from s46S to s720 yearly They ar,
0 divided as follows: 1884 at s720; "a
Il at $7o2; 1879 at 1854; 81 at $685.; 8!
g at $64S; % at S612; at $576; 3 a
e S54O; 1 at $504 and 2 at $468
! Work to Increase Salaries.
The Iowa delegates to the nationa
convention of rural mail carriers which
is to be held in st. Louis are instruct
S ed to vote for the reelection of Ma
J. tional President Cunningham of Ne
t braska. Mr.. Cunningham was at tn
d convention yesterday and addresses
n the delegates, pledging himself to worl
e for several reforms for the carriers, in
l. GLIDING the adoption of law providing
It a uniform salary of $3.50, vacation O
Is days each year, on full pay, beside
l. the regular national holidays and TO
n national legislation in favor of goo,
l. roads. The delegates from Iowa t
i the national convention are: A
r Woods, Dubuque; =. P Clark, Fayett
: county; c. S. Litzenberg, Warren coun
+ ty and S. S. Butler, OBrien county.
Charles Fitzgerald Matter, the Rev. {
f, E. D. Wright, T. D. Dorman and Abrs