The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-04-12
RURAL FREE MAIL DELIVERY.
Mr.. McGraw Reports Conditions in
This State Good.-Twelve Hun
dred and Eighty Petitions =.
for Routes Sent in from
South Carolina Since
Last July.

News and Courier.
Washington, April 10.-The report
on the operation of the rural free de-
livery service up to April I, 1907,
made public today by the Fourth As
sistant Postmaster General, indicates
that the service is in healthy con-
dition in South Carolina, no routes
having been cut off since the begin
ming of the present fiscal year, July
/, last.
For the entire state there have
been referred to the department. for
action since last July total Of |, ,2S0
petitions askin" that new routes be
established. divided among the var
ious Congressional districts as fol-
lows: First district. 81; I'd district,
1913; 3D. district, 249; 4th district,
244; 5th district, 236; 9th district,
131; 7th district, 20S. 1t will be seen
that The Sd and 4th districts, rep
resented by congressman Aiken. and
johnson respectively, have filed
practically the same number of petit
tions. while the 5th district comes
next and the 1st district comes last.
Of the total number Of applica-
tons filed asking that new routes be
established there have been made 500
adverse reports. There are now in the
state in operation total of 637
routes, and 40 petitions for new
routes are still pending besides those
that have been mentioned.
South Carolina is one Of the few
states in the south which has not suf-
fered more or less in the matter Of
having these routes cut off, and to
her representatives in Congress should
be given the credit for the large
number of routes in operation at this
time.
Fer the United States rs 4 whole
5,103 petitions for the service had
been received up to April l., upon
which 1927 adverse reports were
made, and there were on April /, 81
461 routes in operation, upon which
$1,000 regular carriers were employ
ell. There were 1907 petitions pend
in~. upon 2TI71 rf which favorable ac-
tion has been taken and routes ord
cred established. The sum Of 81, ,337,-
97G.32 was available for new service
during the remainder Of the current
fiscal year.
The fact that there seems TO be a
general impression that the rural
carriers Of the mail arc badly under
paid as well as prohibited from earn
ing something on the side has led
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
DeGraw to make the following state
ment:
"Realizing that it would be just
to increase the pay Of the rural car
ricrs, aud at the same time protect
the mails from being padded with
matter upon which no postage was
paid, the postoflice department in
creased the salaries Of the men from
5000. which they were then receiving,
to 1920. In my recent report [ rec
commended that there should be fur
thcr increase of salary to 5000, and
this increase will go into effect at
the beginning Of the fiscal year, July
1.
~ "This should enable the carriers to
be fairly paid and to have the means
necessary to pay for the maintenance
of their horses and vehicles, but the
question of carrying packages and Of
soliciting orders required careful
thought and discrimination ncces-
sary to mako it agreeable to the gem
.eral public as well as to have such