Evening star., 1908-01-26
Fifteen Principal States.


"On nearly all of the routes scattered
all over the broad expanse of our coun-
try the service is daily. it being contrary
to the policy of the department to estab-
lish rural service with more frequent
service than once day. there being only
about 1G0 routes where the service is
performed tri-weekly. The steady growth
of the service at present is shown in the
net increase last year OF 1-362 new routes,
and these figures may be taken as rea-
Sonable basis of probable future yearly
expansion, though the number of petit
tions for new routes fell off several thou
sand during the year as compared with
the preceding year. The country IS m
creasing in population. however. so rap
idly that new service is destined to keep
pace Herewith. The cost of new service
for last year was approximately SS73.C00.
and these figures, as against the total
cost of the old service, will give the pub
lie and the student of postal affairs an
idea of the probable future yearly eX-
penditures for this item
There are fifteen states in the Union
In which there are in operation over one
thousand rural free delivery postal routes.
The three states containing the largest
number of routes are: Illinois. the ban
ner rural free state with 2,711 routes;
Ohio being a close second with 2.493 and
Iowa third with 2,31i. The other princi-
pal states with their respective number
of routes are as follows: Indiana, >, ,113,
Pennsylvania, 2.O5s. Missouri, 1913;
sas. 1.62s; Texas, 1,G0o; Tennessee, 1,544;
Wisconsin. 1,541: Minnesota. 1.o12;
Georgia. 1869, and North Carolina, 1.179.
Expanse of the System.
There are four rural free delivery
routes within the District of Columbia.
while the Island of Guam and the state
-
each. Next to Nevada the state having
the smallest number of routes is Wy
oming, which has only six within its
wide borders. There. are but four in
the territory of New Mexico, while
diminutive Delaware has no less than
103, and little Rhode Island Is proud
of having thirty.one. Oklahoma be-
gins statehood with 746 routes. The
adjacent states of Virginia and Mary
land have 500 and 800 routes. respec-
lively. None of the New England
States has over 500 routes within its
boundaries the largest number being
in Maine with 436, Vermont coming
second with 301 routes
The fact that oyer 5000 post offices
have been discontinued and their pa
irons are being served by rural car
riers tells a story in itself of the rami
fications of the system and what it
means to the millions of rural resi-
dents from Maine to California who are
daily placed in touch with the outside
world. it has been found practicable
by the Encouragement and cnnsolida-
ton .of existing routes and by discon-
tinuance Of routes not sufficiently pat
ronized to effect a saving of several
hundred thousand dollars annually.
1.-The former low pay and the hard
ships encountered in serving the mails
caused great many designations from
the service, from 1000 to 5000 carriers
in year throwing up their positions
The increased compensation granted by
the last Congress. which. went INTO eff
feet on the 1st of last July has had
most beneficial effect upon the soiidity
of the system and the effectiveness of
its general performance. The resigna-
tionS used to approximate 800 4 month.
but since the new schedules of pay
went into effect last summer they
have dropped to about 100 month, the
work in the general Offices in Wash
ington being greatly lessened and fa-
cilitated. and decided betterment to the
service all around accruing. The max
imum compensation for carriers on
routes Of twenty-four miles and over
is now 5000 a year. and is graded down
according to the length of the loute to
| 1896 IA year, most of the routes being
in the longer distances with resultant
higher pay. Only 1856 carriers were re-
moved from the service for cause dur
| showing considering the temptations
| open to the men and the large number
employed.
General improvement in the condition
| of the roads throughout the country may
| be noted. yet much remains to be done
/ toward bringing these highways to such
a state of improvement as to insure the
| most satisfactory and efficient rural de-
livery The difficulty which the depart
ment has experienced in securing the i'm
provement of highways lies in the apathy
of patrons. in the absence of highway
laws and of highway commissions in some
states, and in lack of concerted action
| and intelligent and proper methods In
| other states where highway laws exist.
And no great or general improvement in
| highways can be expected until the peo-
pie take an active interest in the matter
ami secure the enactment and enforcement
| of adequate highway laws.
Importance of Good Roads.
1T is not difficult in those communi-
ties that desire it to secure an improved
condition of the roads through demon
strations and Instructions in road build
! ing and the use of the road drag which