Arizona republican., 1909-03-01
VALUE OF THE FREE
 DELIVERY SERVICE
Some Remarkable, Though Conserva- tive, Estimates Made in Washington, D. C.

Some time ago The Republican pub lished an estimate of the value to the farmers of this valley, in dollars and cents, through the mere saving of time, of the rural free delivery service. Post master McClintock forwarded a copy of the article to Fourth Assistant Post master General DeGraw and received from him a letter of acknowledgment and appreciation for his interest in the service. Later, MT. DeGraw gave an interview to Robert McWade, spe- cial Washington correspondent of the Woman's National Daily. on this sub jecct showing astounding figures, as follows:
 It is now unanimously agreed by both senators and representatives that the rural free delivery service Is one of the greatest blessings conferred by those in authority upon families in iso- lated places. While, however, much has been said and written of the bene- fits-material, social and otherwise that have accrued to farmers by the introduction of the rural delivery mail system, only casual mention has been made of the money values of the ma terial benefits, and, indeed, the depart ment has never made any computation of such values.
 The inconceivably enormous sum represented by but one of the elements comprising the material benefits con ferred by rural delivery may be con- jectured from the computation con tained in a statement submitted to the postoffice department by MT. J. H. Me cfa at phnpniV ArlZ.
 There are four rural routes out of Phoenix, which traverse the rich Salt River valley of Arizona, and Mir. Mo Clintock says that, at a valuation or s4 per day for a farmers time and team, the time consumed by farmer coming to town once week for his mail. and using half a day for that purpose, and spending each trip 70 cents for cigars and other trifles, rep resents a loss of $225 each trip, or an annual loss of $117. Upon this basis Postmaster McClintock considers that there is an annual saving of S1O1,1sO to the S7O farmers who are served by rural delivery from his office.
 Assistant Postmaster General De- Graw says he believes that Postmaster McClintock's estimate represents conservative average saving to each head of family served by rural dellv- cry. and that if applied to the 4,OOO,OUO heads of families now being served Tn the United States, it would represent an annual saving to them of S466,OOO. |. There are other savings and material benefits resulting from the establish ment of rural delivery, to which brief reference may be made.
 It is shown by reports which have been received at the postoffice depart ment that since the introduction of rural delivery the value of farms on rural routes has increased in some in stances as much as 45 per cent, ana that the average increase in such farm values has been 25 per cent.
 A good portion of this increased value is directly attributable to rural delivery and represents another enor- nous sum of money. Furthermore, by reason of the fact that patrons of rural delivery now receive daily market re ports, and newspapers advertising bar gains in commodities, they are enabled to get the highest market prices Tor their farm products, and pay the low est prices for the necessities Whlch they require. The gain and saving thus effected must be very large, and the total amount of the money value of the material benefits conferred on patrons of rural delivery embraces an amount of such vast proportions as to be wholly beyond comprehension. A member of the national house of representatives who has made study se .ho ha,afitS derived hV farmers | through the agency of rural delivery has submitted figures which show that in his opinion, the increase in realty values due to that service aggregate at least $75O, 100000.