Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-12-13
is THE DEMAND or POST OFFICE
DEPARTMENT.
STATES LAWS ARE URGED
Carriers Number S5,666-Reeommen
cation for Reduced Rate on Mer-
ehandise-Fallins off in Demand
fer Service-Approprlation Of $2e,,
$4,000 Asked

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report to the head of the department.
p. V De Grau, fourth assistant post,
master general, urges the Importance
of good roads as one of the most as,
sental factors for the successful de
velopment of rural free delivery;
that, while the requirements of the
department that all roads over which
rural delivery is established and
maintained shall be in good condition
and kept in repair has resulted in
greatly improved roads and the OK.
Ipenditure in the aggregate by local
authorities of many thousands of dol.
lars, still there is in many localities
such lack of interest in keeping the
roads in a passabe condition during
all ordinary seasons that the rural
delivery is continued regularly with
difficulty and frequently a temporary
suspension of the service has been
necessary. When there is no dispo
sition to meet the requirements of
the department in this regard, 1t is
necessary to rearrange the route
and withdraw the service from the
impossible roads
efforts have been made by road OH,
Gals in various states TO secure the
cooperation of the postoflice depart.
ment in the Improvement OF public
service has been established. The
department Is now actively aiding the
road officials In the states OF Illinois,
Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa
New Jersey, and Maine TO attain this
object. The method of procedure is
for the road officials TO send out to
each rural carrier blank containing
questions to be answered by him In
regard to the condition of the roads;
the materials of which they are com
posed; how often worked and In
what manner; the condition of the
bridges and culverts and whether
suitable bodybuilding material is
available in the neighborhood. Post
masters at rural delivery Offices are
directed to cooperate with state and
local road officials and to instruct
the rural carriers attached to their
Offices to furnish all the information
called for. AS result of these Of.
forts complaints in regard to the bad
condition of roads in the states
named are becoming much less fire.
quent.
The state OF Indiana has enacted a
law making 1t the duty of the proper
officials to keep In repair and pass.
able condition all the year around
the highways in their respective dis.
tricts along which rural delivery
routes have been or may hereafter be
established Neglect to comply with
the provisions OF this law, after the
receipt OF five days notice Of the de
fectiye condition of such highways
Is punishable by fine of not less
than 81 nor more than s25 for each
day such highways are allowed to
remain in an impossible condition
after the receipt of such notice
Legislative action along similar lines
1t Is understood, has also been taken
in Pennsylvania
Rural Letter Carriers.
The number OF carriers removed
for cause during the year was 1877
or this number 25 were removed for
embezzlement, and 25 for other viola
tons. The number OF removals foI
cause shows a decrease OF AZ as com
pared with the preceding year.
The designations of 4441 carriers
were accepted, about IL per cent Of
the carriers in the service June 30
1906, and an increase Of 1859 over
the number accepted during the pre-
ceding fiscal year. This is the
greatest number resigning in AM
one year In the history Of the service
being 1875 more than In 1904.
Under the law the maximum com
pensation which may be paid a rura
carrier is 1920 per annum. Thel
are required to furnish and maintain
their own conyeyances, which mus
provide proper protection for the
mail, be a credit to the service, II
be kept in a good state OF repair. II
performing their duties rural car
riers are exposed TO all conditions o
weather at all seasons OF the year
which In some portions Of the coun
try calls for great physical endur
ance. OF the 1896 carriers EN-
ployed June 30, 1906, 1896 arr
serving routes 25 10 30 miles II
length, and 1910 routes OF "A miles
In length q. not quite three
fifths and considerably more thar
one half OF the carriers travel from
"a 20 30 miles six days each week
To do this requires the maintenance
OF at least two horses, and on q
large number Of routes three horses
are necessary 10 render regular serv
ice DUNG continued Indictment