The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-12
Cobey Route Zn Less Than Three Hours

' SG A<E OO A EkGRsR s..a..sss............... ing about S70 will last IS months with some additional cost for repairs It is estimated that a small automobile may be operated for less than $15 a month. Some estimates are even much less than this. The auto will cover 30 miles a day where the horse can barely cover 25 miles,
 Must Have Good Roads.
 Of course, good roads is the first con- sideration. But the good roads are com- ing. They must come. The people are thoroughly awake to their necessity and will have them. The roads on Route No. include all the degrees of efficiency in the county. Some of the best and some of the worst were encountered. The road between Birmingham college and Ensley, built under the direction of a govern ment expert, was covered and is in fairly good condition. A stretch of road at East Thomas is being graded and was covered with the rough stone not yet crushed and rolled into place. This will be good piece of road when completed.
 Between Germania park, on the South Bessemer car line, and Central park, on the North Bessemer car line, a force of men grading the road was encoun- tered. A mile and half stretch here was in bad condition owing to the work of grading. The road from Palmer Terrace, Ensley, west, known as the old Bessemer pike, Is in fairly good condi- tion except from some erosion caused by the recent heavy rains. One mile and half west of Palmer Terrace on this road the route turns south over the mountain by Vineville and the Miles Memorial college to Powderly This Is a dirt road, but with the exception of few places damaged by recent rains is in fairly good condition. The road | from Fairview into Birmingham has | been greatly improved but the same | cannot be said of the Eighth avenue road leading out to Birmingham col lege. This is perhaps the most diffl- cult stretch to cover on the entire {, route.
 Deliver at Powdery.
 On account of the weight of the ma | chine used yesterday morning Carrier Bailey delivered mail to his patrons al Powderly and Germania park on foot A lighter machine could have been used In this delivery. At these two places the mail is delivered just as mail in the city from door to door. Thirty-nin minutes were lost in this delivery. lighter machine would have covered the territory in less than half the time, reducing the total time of the delivery on the route consider ably
 The total distance covered by the machine was 23 miles. MT. Bailey cov- cred about two miles afoot at Pow derly and Germania park.
 In Jefferson county there are 29 rural mall delivery routes covering approx inately 725 miles. These routes serve | anout 4700 families.
 With f1rSt-clasS roads and automo- l. piles 15 carriers could cover the mile age and serve the same number of fam flies by 10 o'clock every morning. The same number of carriers could double the mileage and number of families served and do the work by 9 o'clock, two hours earlier than under the pres- ent system.
 A more rapid and earlier delivery would greatly increase the patronage as well as add to the efficiency of the serr ice. The automobile on the rural route Is not an idle dream. It Is a fact, and that, too, for the very near future.
 Notes of the Trip. Carrier Charles c. Bailey was &C., companied on the experimental trip yes terday morning by Superintendent of Carriers M. L. Davidson, representa- tive of The Age-Herald and the chauf- feur. Superintendent Davidson is more than pleased with the result of the demonstration Indeed he has already foreseen the efficiency and practica- bllity of the automobile on the rural mail route. He is progressive in his ideas and is constantly on the alert for anything that will improve the ser vice, especially for the patrons on the rural routes.
 Rural Route No. passes through one of the most rapidly developing sec tions of the county, both rural and urban. It touches after leaving Gray mont the towns Of East Thomas, Shady Side, Ensley, Pow derly, almost touch es Cleveland passes through Central park, Fairview and again through Graymont into Birmingham on Third avenue. The rural sections between the towns and villages mentioned are being developed rapidly by progressive farmers and truck growers Some of the finest truck farms in the valley are located along this route.
 Degraw's Objections.
 Assistant Postmaster General Degraw, in an interview with The Age-Herald' s Washington correspondent raises every objection possible to the use of the au- tomobile on rural delivery routes. He is heartily in favor of their use, and is doing everything to encourage their adop- ton. He merely points out the difficult ties
 am glad he does this. There are al- ways difficulties in the way of every big and worthy undertaking. Overcoming diff faculties has made America great.
 Only a few years ago the automobile
 
 was considered only a luxury for the very rich Now they are used by doctors