The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-24
Says Bad Roads Often Cut Off
Country Patrons.
An INSPECTION TOUR.
Urges Hedges Be Cut Down and
Sunlight Let In.
Highways Would Dry Quicker
and ALLOW Better Time.

Chanute. Jan. 24.-Postmaster Nc
Clelland, after a tour of inspection
over the country roads, gave out this
interview as to rural delivery:
There has been some complaint
from the patrons on route three on
account of not receiving their mail
When the change was made in route
three by Inspector Johnson last fan,
he said positively that if the road on
this route was not worked and put in
proper condition this route would be
suspended. Later on when the mail
carrier was asked why he was late
getting back to the ONCE, ne WOuiu
invariably say that the roads were so
bad he could not make the time. ON
the strength of this the department
asked me TO recommend a change in
the route, which I did. leaving out the
two miles west of Leanna and some
other parts of the route Feeling
that possibly some injustice had been
done to the patrons. / decided TO take
the assistant and go over the route
myself, and [ found the condition OF
the road even worse than the carrier
had represented. I am indeed very
anxious that the mail should reach
every man along route three but the
condition of the road makes it impos-
sible for the carrier to deliver the
mail I am aware that these roads
cannot be fixed now but when MI.
Johnson made the statement to the
people that the roads should be fixed,
they should have done so when the
weather was fit for this kind of work
The road between the Union school
house and the Russell corner is all
most impossible for a light rig, and
no team or no two teams can do this
work six days out of the week. Be
sides, the breakages cost the carrier
a great deal of money Some people
have the opinion that simply because
the route was laid out by the govern
ment inspector, that the mail man is
compelled to deliver mail along that
route.
This is not the case. On the con
trary. the carrier is not expected to de
liver mail or pass over roads where it
is dangerous, and the fact that heavy
loaded teams pass over the road is no
indication that a mail wagon can pass
over the same kind of roads. Mr.
Gilchrist. the mail carrier works under
orders from the department and he is
not the one responsible if the mail is
not delivered. I am inclined to rec
OWmend the delivery of mail as long
as it is possible to do so. and the fact
that the different townships have had
taxes imposed to improve their roads,
leads me to believe that next year, the
roads viii be in better condition. but
the facts are that the roads must be
nus i'm better condition than they have
been i'm the past year. or at least three
of the routes out of Chanute will be
suspended. The farmers have been re-
ouested to cut down their high hedges
so that the roads could dry. This
they have not done And many other
things that they could have done to
enable the carrier to deliver his mail
properly. have been left undone.
Tin the city. we are compelled to
build sidewalks. have electric lights.
and many other things that cost the
people who receive their mail much
more money than it would cost to put
the roads in the proper condition
sThe most of the farmers are more
than willing to comply with the requests
of the department and I believe if they
all understood the requests, there
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