The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-08-24
AMAZING GROW TIL
IN THIRTEEN YEARS OF RURAL
MAIL DELIVERY.
Over Forty Thousand Routes Now
in Operation, Serving Over Twenty
Millions of People.

MllllOuS VI SoplOs
On October 1, 1909, the thirteenth
anniversary of the installation Of ru-
raj delivery in the United States will
be reached. In commemoration Of
the event some suitable recognition
is suggested, as no branch Of the
postal service has had so recent 4
beginning with equally remarkable
results.
The honor of the first attempt %
test the practicability of such a rad
ical broadening of the operations of
individual delivery rests with five
routes from three postoffices in West
Virginia.
The innovation was so great that
it took some time for the people
to be benefited to realize the Ad-
vantage in store for them. By the
end of the third fiscal yearsafter this
service began, but 391 rutes were
established, at an annual expend'
ture of $150,012. The convenience.
as we'll as ethical economical, COM
mercial and educational benefits in
cident to this particular public utili-
ty were now so forcefully demon
strated that expansion went On rap
idly, the cost aggregating up to the
present. time no less than s170,0OO,-
600.
The 4O,S04 carriers in covering
their 4O,919 routes traverse more
than one million miles every secular
day of the year, excepting New
Years, Washington's Birthday,
Memorial or Decoration, Indepen-
dence and Labor and Thanksgiving
DAYS, or the Monday following
should these days fall on the Sab
bath. In making their daily round,
more than 2O,OOO,OOO rural resi-
dents are served.
In looking back over what has
been accomplished during the brief
period of it's existance, it is appar-
ent that the rural delivery service is
great public convenience. Results
are the best commentator and these
are sustained by unanimous express
sions of approval of patrons.
From an ethical point Of view,
the utility of the service is evident in
many ways. 1t brings the rural pop
ulation into neighborly relationship
and promotes intercourse with near
by communities, and through them
with cities great and small, and with
the world at large.
AS a commercial proposition facili-
ties are afforded to keep tab on the
markets as to prices Of products and
commodities for sale or purchase.
In this respect farmers especially
find themselves greatly benefited by
constant knowledge of the conditions
Of trade.
In an economical sense the public
has derived advantage from the i'm
provement and maintenance OF roads,
over which rural delivery routes are
laid, this being a condition prece-
dent to the establishment of mail
facilities. In addition, good roads
insure greater frequency and regu-
larity of mail delivery.
With respect to roads since the
Inauguration of this service it is
estimated that more than $75,OOO,-
600 has been expended in rebuild
ing, repairs and maintenance.
AS a means of education, the wild
ening of the utilization of the mails
by rural free delivery has largely
extended the circulation OF local and
metropolitan newspapers, magazines
and general literature, besides hav-
ing proved a stimulous to more ex-
tended personal correspondence.
It is further mentioned as one of
the incident of the service that since
the introduction of the rural mail
carrier, that humble representative
Of the administration has become
popular among residents in the ru-
raj districts. developing their ap-
precation of the beneficence of the
government at Washington.
The popularity Of rural delivery
among farmers and others living
from communities having city mail
facilities is shown in summary of
this service that Postmaster Gener-
al HITCHCOCK ordered prepared in
the office of the fourth assistant post
master general, up to August, 1900.
This exhibit gives 40,919 routes
in operation served by 40,S04 car
riers. Of the total number Of routes
G22 are tri-weekly. In bringing the
service up to it's present high state
of organization and efficiency, 6O,1SO
petitions were received and inyes-
tigated. OF this number II, 1863 were
reported upon adversely. At the close
of this report, 1882 petitions were
pending, of which 2O2 have been
assigned for establishment between
August 16 and October l, 1903. leav-
ing 1920 unacted upon.
The seeming discrepancy between
the number or rural routes and car
riers is accounted for by instances
where there exists tri-weekly service
on more than one rural route out Of
an office, one carrier serving two
routes alternating each day.