The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-04-14
RURAL DELIVERY.
It's Growth and Development as Told
in R. F. D. News.

IN X. 4. ~ News
A review Of the history Of the fedora
government and the many benefcent acts
Tor the improvement Of internal condi
tions, whether BY creation or stimula'
ton, fails to disclose any act Of govern
ment which has proved SO spontaneously
popular, Of such apparent individual util
lily, so arreaehng in It's benefits, both
direct and incidental, and which has beer
so much appreciated. as the institution
Of the rural delivery mail System
First introduced in the fall Of 1896
under the most adverse conditions, and
with an appropriation Of but $4,000
the rural delivery branch Of the postal
service has grown in the short space OF
twelve and a half years 10 the prodigious
proportions of nearly forty thousand
routes and an appropriation Of S3l 800.
600 for the extension and maintenance Of
the service during the next fiscal year.
The astounding acceleration in the de-
mand for and growth OF rural delivery,
which became manifest in 1909, has con-
tinued during the past four years with
but little abatement until recently From
june 30, 1904, to July |, 1908, the number
Of rural carriers increased from "A 500
to 39,l43, a total Of l4.577 carriers or
yearly average Of 1894 carriers. The
number Of miles Of roads covered in
creased from 552725 TO nearly 100000,
or about 100 per cent. The annual ap-
preparation increased from Sl202B,905
to S34,000,000, and the total amount ex-
pended during the four years for the
/ ~ - -
service was sl07, l23.500, and the number
Of persons served increased from III
so2,275 to is,00O,00O, or nearly 80 per
cent.
Prior to 1904 the work Of laying out
and establishing routes was given partic-
ular attention there being but little time
or effort which could be directed to the
adjustment and close supervision Of the
service. During the past four years,
however, close attention has been given
to the Supervision and readjustment OF
the service. Complete negotiations for
the information Of patrons, and for the
guidance Of postmasters and carriers in
the conduct Of the rural delivery SER
vice, have been formulated, and their
strict enforcement has served to place the
operation Of the service upon a system
attic basis The older routes which had
been established without regard to the
future extension Of the service with the
view TO serve the best interests Of the
people and the postal srvice, have been
rearranged so as to give the best service
TO the greatest number Of people, and
uncovered territory filed in BY the es.
Enlistment Of new or the extension Of
old routes
The establishment and readiustment
Of county service has progressed until
there are now about 900 counties IN
which the rural delivery service has been
reorganized and adjusted on county
basis
During the period from 1904 to 1908
the maximum salary paid rural carriers
has been twice increased, first, from 5000
10 500 per annum in 1904 and, last.
from $40 to 5000 per annum in 1907,
These increases in salary, and the en-.
forcemcnt Of the regulations requiring
roads TO be kept in good condition, and
other requirements of the service which
have operated to the best interests Of
the carriers, have resulted in the per-
Torrance Of more satisfactory service
by the carriers and decrease in the
number Of designations due te made
quate compensation.
The policy which was determined npon
to give recognition for the performance
Of faithful service by substitutes by
asking that they be given preference.
after they had been in the service CON
tinuously for six months and were on the
eligible register, in filling vacancies TO
the position Of rural carrier, has re-
suited most satisfactorily.
During the past four years the post
office department has been particularly
active In the enforcement Of its require
ment that all roads covered bv rural
routes shall be maintained in condition
to be travelled with facility and safety
at all seasons Of the year. In pursuance
of its policy with respect to roads, the |
department has lent its cooperation to |
state highway commissions, to local road |
officials. an to good roads associations.
with the most satisfactory results. A /
number Of states have enacted up.to- |
date road laws, created highway commits
sions, and provided large sums Of money
for hte Improvement Of highways under
the state aid plan, A great many com
ties, acting Independently, have voted |
bond issues to provide the means to i'm
prove their highways, and a number of /
counties have similar action IN contem.
platoon It is believed that, upon the
whole, more money has been appropriat-
ID and spent upon the upblic highways
within the last four years. and more
miles Of good roads have been built, than
during any other period Of the eountfy's
history
Available territory in which to estah-
ish rural delivery il now practically all
covered Here and there are sections in
which it win Be necessary to establish
routes, but the future work of the post
,fiice department win be the reafrange
nent and adjustment of existing service.
ind the reorganization OF service in the
farious counties upon d full county basis.
--R. +. D. News.