Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-10-17
THE Rural. DELIVERY
4 Record of Splendid Service
10 the Public
REAL ESTATE VALUES INCREASE
Though Rural Free Delivery Has
Cost al Enormous slm the EE-
penditurs Iii Fuily Justified Facts
and Figures About the Service:


and Figures About the Service:
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Washington, Special.-At the an
nual convention of the National Ru-
ral Letter Carriers Association which
was held nj pcroria, ILL.,, letter was
submitted from p. Y. DeGraw, Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General regret.
ting His 'pabiliis tc attend the con. .
vention. The communication retitea
the status of rural delivery through
out the country and instances its
many advantages to farmers, not only
from the viewpoint Of the accomoda-
tlon. but FROM It's great educational
Hidiitlta, ths iiiiptyseinent Of roads,
aHd the palpable Increase in The talus
Sf lsnls; and b5litS, ont how by 60;
operation with the DspartlI!!tils! tsiral
barriers may aid in minimizing the
|: many vexatious problems which sur.
round the establishment and mainten-
anee OF tic service. The letter, Ill
patlI il DIS Follows. ,.,
!. Aft i iS:tokktjiIs titk so3eFiii''inesat bYtf
So a year for each of the 19,5dG,Jot
persons now receiving the service, but
there is no doubt that the expendi-
ture is fully justified By the results
obtained. 1t is generally conceded
/ that rural deliycrs Of 1bail has been
u 1eadlhg fastBt III tic Great irfGrease
in The value of farm lands and rural
real estate in all parts of the country.
Some remarkable reports of increased
land values huve been received aid Ill
nehrls every case the advance Is at.
ttihGttH tB tlie HsHeftial effect uf
rural delivery.
"The amount Of money appropriat-
ed by Congress for the rural delivery
service for the curreut fiscal year is
$2s,901.DOg, for the year ehded Junc
so; last; il was $25,S2s, 800, ati iti=
crease Of ili5te tiia,i $4;70d;OJ0 over
the previous. .Sesai',, WhSil It vas $i- $2l :
116,60O, which lii tutii Wis all i'll
crease Of $S,OOO,OOO over the fiscal
year 10000. In the twelve months
from July l, 1905. to July l, ,l9O6, g.
713 rural routes were established,
against 7,4a9 in the previous fiscal
year, aid I'll it)utts Vert discontinued:
"The iiuhiber Of routes III opera.
tibil September ], iJQ6; was 1866:
and ilp tB tiiat adto 5a,J6t Tstitiotis
for the service had been received.
upon which there were 1896 ad-
verse reports; and there were 2.773
pending:
As to$tkg patronage btf d route,
||23itS has been considered, that zan. caH=
erage route should handle three
thousand pieces Of mail per month.
"Prior to August 1901 the use of
approved boxes in the rural delivery
service was not required, and some
Of the receptacles erected such as
oil and powder cans, cracker and
cigar boxes, stove-pipes. and even
bootlegs were not only unsafe and un-
suitable fot The purpose but also d
reproach to Tie service; II vas be-
cause of numerous complaints I'd The
government against these Unfit fe-
ceptacles that the present regulations
were nroi1uloeted:
"Thc Subject Of good roads in con-
nection with rural mail service is an
important one: The Indifference Of
some communities to The condition Of
roads as disclosed by inspections Of
the rural routes, has caused renewed
efforts ON the part Of the Department
10 create such increased interest i'll
The improvement Of highways that the
work Of extending the. rural delivery
service throughout the country can be
Satisfactorily completed.
During the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1905. there we're 4,55S rural
carrier examinations held under The
direction Of tile Civil Service Commits
sion. iii which there were 30,333 com
petitors. Ten thousand. six hundred
and twenty-seven appointments were
made as result of these examina-
tions, 7,4S9 Of which were TO I'LL po-
sitions OH routes newly created
There were only 2l4 removals fol
cause in total fore, of 32,O55, and
only l9 arrests for violation of law u