The Washington times., 1904-05-15
BRISTOW AT WORK
ON FREE DELIVERY
Putting System on New Adj
ministrative Basis.
WILL MAKE FORCE COMPACT
Six Divisions Instead of Eight-No
Special Agents or Route Inspectors,
But Rural Agents.

Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow, and the superintendent of rural
free delivery, William r. Spilman. are
busy with preliminary work incident to
the reorganization of the rural free de-
livery service which is TO take place on
July !. On that date the number of di-
visions in the United States will be re-
duced to six; additional route inspectors
will be employed and officially desig-
mated as rural agents. and the new
schedule OF pay for carriers and the new
regulations relating 70 carrying mer-
chardise win become operative
The present eight divisions are as fol-
lows:
Eastern division. with headquarters at
New York. comprising the New England
States and New York.
Atlantic division. with headquarters in
Philadelphia. comprising Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. and
Virginia.
Southern division. with headquarters
at Nashville. comprising Tennessee,
North Carolina, South Carolina. Geor-
gia. Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
Ohio division with headquarters at
Cincinnati comprising Ohio. West Vir-
Middle division. with headquarters at
Chicago, comprising Michigan. Illinois
and Wisconsin.
Missouri division. with headquarters
at St. Louis. comprising Missouri, Kan
sas. Arkansas, Texas. Louisiana, and
Indian and Oklahoma Territories.
Western division. with headquarters
at Omaha, comprising Iowa Minnesota.
Nebraska, and North and South Dakota:
and Pacific division, with headquarters
at San Francisco.
While the Pacific division is still
division in name. it was practically dis
Continued some time ago. and the States
of Colorado. Wyoming, and Montana.
and the Territory of New Mexico. with
the coast States, were attached 10 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.
Assigning the Men.
With the. reorganization OF the division
headquarters will come reassignment
of men who have heretofore been knokn
as special agents and route inspectors.
These employees have been performing
practically the same kind OF service
investigating routes petitioned for-and
so Congress at the recent session di-
rected that they shall all be known as
rural agents. After the 1st of July 165
Of these rural agents will work under
the direction Of the six division inspec-
tors, investigating proposed new routes,
or "a more men than the department has
ever before had engaged in this class of
work
Every carrier in the country who COW
ers what Is known as a full route will
receive $50 a month, or s72o year, be-
ginning with July. Carriers who cover
shorter routes Will not get the maxi
mum salary. The schedule, which may
be varied when circumstances warrant.
viii be as follows:
Routes of not less than 20 miles. 49,. $40
Routes less than 20 miles and not less
than ........-....-..-.-.-.... 10
Less than 16 and not less than Il
I. l.slssI than p and not less than
Less than s and not less than 4
miles --...'-..'--.-....--'.---- S-o
Cannot Act as Agents.
The official instructions TO carriers
in reference TO the new prohibition
against carrying merchandise for hire
and against acting as agents for any
body viii probably be sent out early in
June. so that carriers may become
familiar with them before the law goes
into effect. 1t is announced at the de-
partment that ii is proposed TO enforce
the law rigidly. Carriers will be per-
mitted TO do small favors for patrons
along their routes. when the patrons
request il. but that is all
Since the enactment OF the new law.
publishers OF newspapers and periodi-
Gals have asked the department If they
may after paying postage on their pub
lications. supply carriers with their lists
OF subscribers. the carriers to deliver
the papers with the list Of subscribers
as a guide but they have been Informed
that this could not be permitted. Su-
perintendent Splman says that after
July every newspaper and magazine
Intended for a patron OF a rural route
must bear the name OF the subscriber, |
though IL need not actually be wrapped.
While the appropriation for the Rural
Free Delivery Service for the coming
fiscal year is $50. 1l3 700. or GAG per cent
larger than Tor the current year, IL viii
not enable the department to establish I
as many new routes as It has put in
this year Ninety-seven per cent OF
the total amount appropriated for the
neW fiscal year VIII be utilized IN pay
ing salaries to carriers.
II Is announced at the department
that the amount available for the ex-
tension OF the service will be used as
far as II VIII go, promptly after the
beginning OF the fiscal year. With the
assistance Of additional rural agents
il is anticipated that new routes viii
be established at the rate Of 600 a
month
The entire amount available for new
service VIII probably be expended by
the time Congress recOnvenes In De-
cember. The regular recommendation
for a supplemental appropriation will
then be made.