Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-02-08
Papers Read at the Farmers Institute
Continued from page

must drive on bank or in ditch.
shovel away snow or dismount to de-
liver the mail. Not only so, but they
are forbidden to run the risk of having
their team injured to deliver mail.
1t is the patrons duty to see that the
snow is shoveled away from the mail
box after every storm, and he can help
matters along by getting out and help
ing to break the roads as 1t is no part
of carriers duty to break roads. and
If the patrons do not see fit to get out
and break them they should not find
fault If their mail fails to come some
times. Too much cannot be said on
the subject of good roads. The great
est tax the farmer pays is his road tax.
He not only pays in money but he
pays in wear and tear of horses, har-
ness and wagons. Viewed from this
stand point, everything that can be
done to make the roads better should
be done not only for the good of the
carrier but for the good of the whole
community as we'll
The penny nuisance is one of the
worst things the carrier has to contend
with. If any patron thinks am wrong
in.this, let him try fishing a couple of
pennies out of the little three cornered
receptacle, in the bond box on one of
these cold days. The pennies cannot
be raken out without removing the
gloves and the hands become chilled,
and by the time one has repeated this
process few times he is not in mood
which would make him think aud
speak well of all mankind. Not only
this, but the time wasted is squite an
itom. Suppose for instance, there are
Is boxes on route and there are letters
in half of them with pennies instead
of stamps it will take at least two min
utes extra time forlsach letter. Here is
over an hour lost to the carrier and
nothing gained to the patrons as they
could easier stamp their letters than
they could put the pennies in the box.
Another thing the patrons out not to
expect the carrier to lick stamps for
them when the mercury is around the
zero mark. The nuisance is bad enough
In warm weather but Is nearly unen-
durable in winter. lido not think pa.
irons as rule are neglectful and per-
hsps had not thought of this matter us
being hardahip to the carrier but it
costs no more to buy atamps by the
quantity than one at q time and saves
time and patience.
While the life of the rurai carrier is
upon the whole pleasant there are some
unpleasant features connected with the
work; but not more perhaps than in
other employments. One thing is GER
tain. You can always tell where to
find him at any given time of the day
Rain or shine, mud or snow, cold or
warm, he must make his trip over the
same old road until he knows every leaf
and stick and every mud hole.or snow
bank on the road.
The scenery becomes monotonous,
end unless the patrons appear once in a
while to cheer him he is liable to have
an attack of the blues. But there is
another and brighter side or was un-
til your Uncle Samuel found out that
the boys were carrying passengers for
pleasure instead of profit. 1t was
strange how many fiae young ladies
needed assistance in getting to their
schools, especially where the carriers
were young men. OF course the older
men in the service were not troubled in
this way except the boys had their sin,
cere sympathy. But it was quite a
privilege to take friend along occs-
sionally for company, or If he should
overtake neighbor on the rosd could
give him ride and thereby relieve the
monotony of on otherwise dull trip
The ruling of the Department which
took effect July LIST, 1904, forbIds car
riers to allow any one to ride with them
except substitute or other sworn en-
ployee of the Post Office Department
This in many instances is hardship to
the carriers and their families. In
stances where 1t has been convenient
for carriers to let their children ride to
or from school when going over the
same road and others where passengers
would not make any difference in the
time of delivering the mail and might
add to the income Of the carrier.
have emily heard of one instance in
which carrier was excused by Post
Master for taking passenger. a car
rier asked the Post Master what be
should do if he found an old lady In
the road with sprained ankle and I'M
able to walk. He was told to take her
to the nearest house and leave her
But suppose said he l should find q
pretty young lady who wants to ride
what should 1 do? The Post Master
who was of sympathetic nature
scratched his head and finally said:
'Te!l her to sprain her ankle and get
in" The boys and girls both will be
forgiven by most people If there have
been many sprained ankles since July
lat, 1904.
The carrying of passengers was q
convenience much appreciated by pat.
rons on Rural Routes. This too was
done away with to some extent by the
orders taking effect July LIST, last
Many patrons thinking that carriers
were forbidden to carry any packages
have ceased to send for them, any
package which is unavailable can be
taken the same as before the order
went into effect, but anything which il
nathalie must be mailed with postage
prepaid at regular rates. This at
present is nearly. prohibitive. But con
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