Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-12-15
Robert M. McMade.
(Bureau of The Devils Lake Inter-
Ocean, 1926 New York Axenue.)

~
Washington, Dec. 15.-There are
very few progressive communities in
North Dakota or elsewhere, which
compare with Devils Lake i'm its con-
tinuous efforts to keep in eternal
touch with its nearby suburban neigh
bors and settlements. Its citizens
recognize that one of the prime fac
tors in that work of prosperous ad
vancement is the rural free delivery
service, intendependent with which
are good, substantially paved and
properly cared public highways, with
out which the extension of rural de-
livery would be practically impossf-
BILE. The foremost and most potential
advocate of this forward movement
is the Hon. P. v. DeGraw, Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General, with
whom discussed it this week. Among
other things, he said:
THAT che Post Office department
should be interested in the building
and improvement of the highways
throughout the country is but natur-
al when consideration is given to the
fact that many millions of dollars are
spent annually in the maintenance of
rural mail service, and that during
the course of year rural and star
carriers travel the enormous total
distance of nearly 400,0OO,0OO miles OF
roads,
The Department expects of the ben
eficiaries of this service that they
shall maintain the highways in sucn
condition as to insure the delivery of
mail at all seasons of the year with
celebrity, certainty and regularity, and
unless this is done, the service is cur
tailed or withdrawn entirely. AS a
result of the Departments insistence
on the maintenance of good roads,
and OF its cooperation. through post
masters and rural carriers, with state
highway officials and good roads as
sociations, it is believed that during
the past five or six years greater in
terest has been engendered in the
good roads question, more money ap-
propriated, and more work accom-
plished than during any other like
period in the country's history.
In the result achieved the post
masters and rural carriers of the
country have played large part, and
much is due to their zeal and untir-
Ing efforts. In large number of
states the highway officials have re-
quested the Department to permit
rural carriers to cooperate with them
in securing information and data per-
tanning to highways, their condition,
and the lack or availability of suita-
BILE bodybuilding materials. In many
instances postmasters and rural car
riers have taken the initiative in
forming good roads Ass'ns, whereby
vast sums have been provided for the
improvement of the entire system OF
highways in certain counties. In
numerous other instances they have
arranged for and held through the
counties in which they reside series
OF good roads meetings and secured
the attendance of officials from the
National Bureau of Good Roads, or
others skilled in road building, to ad
dress and inform those inattendanc e
on proper road building methods and
materials to be used
1t is conceded by those intel ested in
the good roads question that lu al de.
livery and the attitude and co-opera a.
ton of the Post Office Department in
the matter have giveu greater stimn.
1us TO the question and nave been pro
ductive of greater results than all 9th
er causes combined, and it is desired
that every postmaster and every rur.
al carrier shall continue this cooper
alton as far as he can, consistent with
his duties.
While it is perhaps generally IN
derstood that all roads on which rural
delivery is established shall be main.
tanned in condition to be travelled
with facility and safety at all sea-
sons of the year, very much fear
that the reasons for this requirement
are not well understood or appreciat-
ed. Then again, people of various
communities have different standards,
and what would be considered a good
: or fair road in one section of the coun-
try would be considered very poor
or bad one in another.
When service is suspended on a
rural route, complaint is sometimes
made by those who are thus depriv-
cd of the delivery of mail by rural
carrier that the road is being travel
ed and if others can get over it, why
not the rural carrier. But such COM
plants lose sight of the fact that a
rural carrier is required daily to tray
ell his route, varying from fifteen to