The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-08-25
AMAZING GROWTH
IN THIRTEEN YEARS OF RURAL
MAIL DELIVERY.

MAIL DELIVERY.
Over Forty Thousand Routes Now
in Operation, Serving Over Twenty
Millions Of People.
On October l. 1909. the thirteenth
anniversary OF the installation OF ~
raj delivery in the United States vii.
be reached. In con1emo!at.oa OF
the even, some suitable recognition
Is suggested. as no branch OF the
postal service has had so recent
beginning with equally remarkable
results.
The hoao. OF the srst attempt %
test the p.ac,ieab!!!ty Of such sad-
!eal broadening OF the operations O.
individual delivery rests with ave
routes from three posrot1ces IN " es,
Virginia.
The innovation va, so great .hs:
Il took some tiGe for the peoo'e
70 Be benefited 10 realize the Nd
vantage n store for them. By the
end Of the third fiscal year after this
service began. but 39I rutes were
es;a bl!shed. at an annual e1pena'
ture OF S150.0l2. The convenience.
! as we'll as ethical economical. COM
me.c!al and educational benefits in
cident TO this particular public utilt-
" were now 80 forcefully demon
s.rated tina, expansion wen. On rap
idly. the cost agg.egating up TO the
prsent time no less than 10.00O.-
900.
The 40.so4 carriers IN covering :
thei. 4o.eIs routes traverse more
than one million miles every secular
day et the year. excepting New
! Years. Washingtoo's Birthday.
Memorial or decoration. Iadepen-
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.000.000 rural resi-
dents are served.
In looking back over what las
been accom- pi!shed during the orie'
period Of !ts e1!s,ance. It Is appaT
ent that the rural delivery service Is
a great public convenience. Result:
a.e the best conuenda;!on and these
are sustained By unanimous express
stons o: approval Of patrons.
From al ethical poin: Of view
the utility OF the service is evident Il
many ways. Il brings the rural pop
ula:iou iato ne!ghboTly Relationship
and promotes intercourse with near
BY communities. and through then
with cities great aad small. and Will
the world At large.
AS a commercial proposition iacili
ties are afforded TO keep tab on :h'
markets as to prices OF products ant
commodities for sale or purchase
IN this respect farmers especial!.
and themselves greatly benefited ,.
constant knowledge OF the condition
OF trade.
In an economical sense the publ
has derived advantage from the in
provement and maintenance OF roads
over which rura! delivery routes ar
laid. this being condition DTece
dent to the establishment OF mai
facilities. Il addition. good road
insure greater frequency and regu
!a.ity o. mall delivery.
With respect to roads since th
Inauguration Of this service It /
estimated tia: moro than SIS, 900.
600 has been expended IN rebuild
lag. repairs and maintenance.
As q means OF education. the w!6
en.ns Of the utilization Of the mail
By rural free delivery has !argel:
extended the circulation OF local an
metropolitan newspapers. magazine
and general literature. besides hav
ing proved a stimulous 70 more e1
tended personal correspondence.
II is further mentioned as one o
the incident Of the service that sine
the introduction OF the rural mai
carrier. that humble representative
OF the administration has becom
popular among residents in the ru
raj districts. developing their ap
precat!on OF the benefcence OF th'
government a, Washington.
The popularity Of rural deliver.
among farmers and others l!v!n!
from communities having city mai
facilities Is shown In summary o
this service that Postmaster Geaer
al Hitchcock ordered prepared 1.
the Office OF the fourth assistant post
master general. up 70 August. 1900
This exhibit gives 40.9l9 route:
in operation served BY 40.sO4 ca,
riers. OF the total nunbe! Of route:
S22 are tri-weekly. IN bringing ta'
service up 10 its present high state
Of organization and efficiency. s0.1S(
petitions were received and !nves
,igated. OF this number 1853 were
reported upon adversely. AT the close
OF this report. 1882 petitions were
pending. OF which 232 have beer
assigned for establishment between
August l6 aod October !. 1909. Ieav'
Ing 1880 u1acted upon.
The seeming discrepancy between
the number OF rural -oItes and car
!iers is accounted for by instances
where there exists tri-weekly service
on more than one rural route out o!
an Office. one carrier serving two
routes alternating each day.
The State having the largest num-
Der Of rural delivery routes at this
date is Illinois. 2.2S4. There are
seven States with more than New
York G.S41 first IN population. and
four with more than Pennsylvania
(oisS) second in number OF inhab-