The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-18

and he has more interest in outside af-
fairs than before.
The expense of rural delivery is
great but believe the people are very
willing to pay il. And do not believe
it will interfere with the country week
" as some people fear. The farmer will
want his home paper just the same, but
ne VIII take a daily paper in the place
of a big weekly for general news
Among the other changes to be made
in the rural delivery system on July 1
win be the reduction OF the number of
division from seven to six At present
there are seven divisions as follows:
Eastern division, with headquarters
at New York, comprising the New
England states and New York.
Atlantic division. with headquarters
in Washington, comprising Delaware.
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia,
and North Carolina
Southern division, with headquar-
terS at Nashville, comprising Ten
nessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Flor
ida. Alabama and Mississippi
Ohio division, with headquarters at
Cincinnati, comprising Ohio, Ken
lucky and Indiana.
Middle division, with headquarters
at Chicago, comprising Michigan, Illi-
nOis and Wisconsin.
Missouri division, with headquart-
ers at St Louis. comprising Missouri,
Kansas. Arkansas. Texas, Louisiana,
and Indian and Oklahoma territories.
Western division, with headquart-
ers at Omaha, comprising Iowa, Min
nesOta, Nebraska, and North and
South Dakota.
The Pacific division is still a division
in name, but it was practically discon-
unued some time ago, and the states
of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana and
coast states, were attached to the three
inspection divisions of which they are
a part, and a special agent of the rural
free delivery service assigned to each of
these three divisions.
With the reOrganizat atiOns of the di-
vision headquarters will come a reas-
signment of men who have heretofore
been known as special agents and route
inspectors These employees have been
performing practically the same kind
of serVice-investiga routes petit
toned for-and so congress at the re-
cent session directed that they shall
all be known as rural agents. After
the first of July, 163 of these rural
agents Will work under the direction of
the six division inspectors, investigat-
ing proposed new routes, or "A more
men than the department has ever be-
fore had engaged in this class of work,
While the appropriation for the rural
free delivery service for the coming
fiscal year is $50. 773. 700, or 64.e per cent
larger than for the current year, ii
will not enable the department to
establish as many new routes as II has
put in this year. Ninety-seven per cent
of the total amount appropriated for
the new nScal year VIII De ulllNtu II
paying salaries to carriers.
1t is announced at the department thai
the amount available for the extension OF
the service will be used as far as 1t vii
60 promptly after the beginning OF tnt
fiscal year. With the assistance Of addi
tional rural agents, it is anticipated thai
new routes will be established at the rat
of COO a month. It is not improbable thai
the entire amount available for new ser
vice will be expended by the time con.
gress reconvenes in December The reg
ular recommendation Tor Supplemental
appropriation will then be made