The Democratic advocate., 1908-12-18
RURAL FREE DELIVERY
The SERVICE CALLS FOR A Big AP-
PRECIPITATION NEXT YEAR
Officials Strongly Favor Establishment
of a Parcels Post

Of a Parcels Post
Washington, November 30.-Touch-
ing the heart of the agricultural COM
munities in every state of the Union,
the annual report of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General P. v. DeGraw,
made public tonight, announces in
creased usefulness of the rural free
delivery service and the unprecedent-
ed bringing of the work of the bureau
up to date, and recommends rural de-
livery of packages of IL pounds maxi
mum at special postage and the uni
forming of rural carriers. The pack
age provision suggested requires con-
gressional legislation and is designed
to be effective between the distribut-
ing postoffice and the patrons of any
rural route emanating from such post
Office.
Such service, according to the re-
port, would benefit alike the rural de-
livery patrons and local merchants
without injuring or competing with
any other service. 1T can be given" "
adds Mr.. De Graw, with the facilities
now employed and would materially
increase the revenues of the depart
ment."
Should Meet Demand.
Rural carriers at present are not
permitted to carry for hire any mat
ter or package that is mailable, but
Congress increased the salaries Of the
carriers. The demand for package
service by them, fostered in the first
years of rural free delivery, still ex-
lists. 1t should be met, according to
Mr. De Graw, not in the old way,
which permitted the use of the gov
ernment's agency for private gain,
but by the establishment of system
| for the carriage of merchandise by
rural carriers at such rate as will
be fair compensation for the service
performed, the revenues to be credit
ed to the postal receipts.
| The rural carriers in the service,
of which Mr.. De Graw is the head,
daily pass 100000 homes, and he
recommends once more the adoption
OF uniform suitable to the conditions
under which they must work, as un-
doubtedly adding to the dignity and
efficiency of the rural service. Their
high standard of efficiency is attested
by the fact that only 165 carriers out
of total number of 39,143 were dis
missed for cause during the past year.
Rural delivery is now in operation
on 945,0S7 miles of road, over which
carriers are required to travel daily.
Of these roads $4,000 miles are ma
cadam. Since the service was first
established $70,632,162 has been ex-
pended on roads traversed by rural
carriers. Road officials and patrons
are notified whenever repairs are
necessary on rural routes.
Money to Operate Service.
The estimate of appropriations
necessary for this service for the
next fiscal year, as submitted by As
sitant Postmaster General De Graw,
| is $36,246,000, an increase of $673,000
over the current appropriation. Of
this estimate $34,053,159 is for con-
tinuing the service on 39,277 routes
in operation on June 80 last, $626,S41
for continuing the service on 723
routes which it is estimated will be
established during the current fiscal
year at an estimated average salary
for carriers of 1857 per annum; $179,-
600 to inaugurate new service during
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1910;
81 100000 to pay substitutes for 1858
CARRIERS Ou fdCdLlUu, dJ oil eSlluldlcu
average rate of 1857 per annum, less
six per cent. deducted on account of
carriers not in service II months !;
$4,000 to pay clerks in charge of
stations of rural delivery service, and
900 to pay tolls and ferryage
charged for carriers who traverse
toll roads or turnipkes or cross
streams over toll bridges or ferries.
During the past year there were
1872 new routes established; II
routes discontinued prior thereto were
re-established and 140 routes discon-
tinued, leaving net increase in num-
Der 1,549. During the year 1858 post
offices were discontinued and the pa
irons rendered service by rural car
riers. On only a little more than 10
per cent. of the rural routes the guam
tity of mail handled was less than
5000 pieces per quarter, which here
tofore has been considered a fair av-
erage for a standard route. Included
in this number are $50 triweek1y
routes and a number of short-length
routes serving restricted territories