Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-21
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.


In a recent debate in the House on the
postoffce appropriation bill. which car
ried Sla1 1913, 600 for the expenses Of the
mail service for the next year, Congress-
charge of the bill, made some Interesting
statements In regard to rural free dellv-
cry. Remaftins Upon tho fact that there
Is In some quarters n belief that rural FREQ
delivery has been entsnded more rapidly
Than is necessary, he said that any fnlr-
minded men who considers conditions In
our rural districts and secs tho good 70.
snlts thet have followed It's extension will
become convinced that the sooner tho
service ID extended over ali available ter
rltory the better 1t will he for the country
M IL whole. The appropriation for the
present fiscal year Is S25, 40, 900, the number
OF routes IN operation is 5000, extending
over an area Of more than ,Oo,O 600 sauar.
miles and serving a population of about
ls,Wo,"N. The benefits to the people who
have by this service been brought in daily
contact with the world are simply .nesti-
mable, and it is of especial value in check
ing to some extent the swarming of the
population OF rural districts into the CIT
les, where they can be in closer touch
Will men and things.
II appears in the discussion that the
rules of the postoflce department require
for the establishment of a rural delivery
route of twenty-four miles an average of
four families to the mile. the roads in
passahle condition, and the streams
bridged or fordable at all times of the
year; and the: the majority of the people
be able to read and write. 1t appeared
that the use of the facilities afforded bv
rural delivery is rapidly extending. a case
was cited of q carrier who when he first
started several years ago carried only 800
carries 5000 pieces a month. The people
Mr.. Finley declared, stand strongly by
free rural delivery and he objected TO hay
Ing the deficit of sli, 1000 in the postoflce
department charged to rural delivery. If
the rates paid to the railroads for trans
porting the mails could be reduced some
where near to the rates the roads carry
express matter for. Mr.. Finley believed
that a large part of the deficit would dis
appear. He said that it is estimated that
the railroads receive for hauling the mails
ZIG 2-3 per cent. more than for carrying
express matter per ton per mile. In addi-
ton to this the government pays for mail
This makes something like 10 to $50 per
cent. more that the government pays thar
the public pays TO express companies for
similar service.
One-half the weight of the mails is
equipment. mail bags. etc. For this the
pay to the railroads is the same per pound
as is paid for carrying flrst-class mail
Tha postoftice department. ships trucks by
mail; the treasury department ships iron
the war department ships billiard tables
and so on, as second-class mail matter
all contributing to the deficit.
A few rural delivery routes. mostly in
the southern States, have been ~discontin-
ued by the department ON account of the
scantiness of the population served by
them; but the service as a whole is thor
oughly approved by the farmers every
where, and fully ~justifies its cost. for the
country at large.