Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-08-10

central switchboard in town. 20 that
Toll call will get any one in the coun-
ty or In the state. Market and wealth
er reports are sent out over the rural
lines at certain hours each day. II the
market Is especially good the farmer
can call up the local buyer and con-
tract his hogs at once. or II he prefers
he can call up the railway freight Of
fee and arrange to have stock car
ready for him the next morning. In
most communities the practice of
changing work" at thrashing time Is
still followed This used to necessitate
a days work notifying the neighbors,
and then frequently 1t all had to be
DINE over again on account Of break
down to the machine or bad weather.
Now the notifying Is all done In few
moments by phone.
On many occasions a prompt tele-
phone call has brought the nearest
doctor to the bedside Of sick child
who would not have lived until trip
could be made to town for the doctor.
This is one of the reasons that tele-
phone is seldom taken out after 1t has
once been put in. In hundred minor
ways the telephone has become neces-
sary to the farm folk. Often after the
farmer has left for town his wife will
think of something she wants him to
get All she has to do is to call up the
store where be does his trading and
leave message for him. When the
young folks want to give party the
telephone will quickly bring in every
one In the neighborhood A stray
horse is soon located and brought back
home. In weather too bad for the mail
carrier to get through important let
tiers can be received over the tele-
phone.
One other step is necessary to enable
the farmer to make the greatest use OF
the rural free delivery and the tele-
phone. II is the parcels post Local
merchants have objected to a parcels
post on the ground that 1t would favor
the mail order houses at their expense.
This can be overcome by giving low
er rate to packages that go over rural
route only. A parcels post of this kind
has been recommended by the post
master general He figures that it
would prove profitable for the govern
ment, turning the postal deficit into a
surplus. With cheap parcels post In
operation on the free rural delivery
routes the connection Of the farmer
with the town win be complete He
can order parcels from town and have
them delivered at his door a few hours
later Things which he cannot get in
his local town he can procure from
mail order house in two or three days.
The farmers are united in demanding
this convenience. and 1t Is bound to
come before long.
The final step in the emancipation
of the farmer was taken when the troll
ley line and the automobile came into
general use The trolley has meant
better schooling for his children. 1t
has brought theaters. lectures and bet
ter churches within reach OF the farm
er's family. Best of all. the competi-
ton with the cities has brought about
a much needed awakening of the coun-
try schools and the country churches.
The trolley is great convenience In
taking produce to market Most OF
the cars will stop at any farmhouse
or crossroads to pick up a can Of
cream. a crate OF chickens or pas
senger. Trolley lines are great fac
tor In Fastening the back to the
land" movement The farmer who
lives near a trolley line has no desire
to go to town because be has all the
conveniences of both town and coun-
try
Wherever trolley line puncturcs a
city the crowded population spreads out
into the country. At first the city peo-
pie move into the country only to have
a pleasanter place to live while still
carrying on their business In the city.
Once in the country few Of them ever
regret the change Most Of them say
that they would not go back to the
city TO live under any consideration.
What the trolley lines are doing for
the more thickly settled districts. good
roads. automobiles and driving horses
are doing for those communities which
are not yet densely enough populated
to support a trolley line. The good
roads movement started with the ad-
a