Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-12-09
POSTAL hEf 1Rf INTERESTED
CONTINUED from page ~

100000 miles of roads. 1t is there;
fore essential that the roads be main.
tanned in good condition for travel in
order to insure uninterrupted and
expeditions delivery and collection OF
mall on rural routes on an even and
dependable schedule. In the mainte-
nance of the service many millions of
dollars are spent each year, and the
postofhce department expects it's bene'
ficiaries to see that the highways are
maintained in proper condition. Some
five or six years ago the department
adopted the policy or insisting that
the roads on which rural delivery Is
in operation shall be kept in good
repair, or else to withdraw service
therefrom; and also to CO. operate
with state highway commissions and
others interested in securing the i'm
provement Of highways, and to en-
courage postmasters and rural car
rlers to do likewise. The department
desires that every postmaster, rural
carrier and substitute carrier shall
not only constitute himself an apostle
of good roads and spread the propa-
ganda, but that they shall by their
works arouse interest and emulation
in others.
While these Improvements have re-
bounded to the greatest benefits to
the rural delivery service, the direct
and indirect material benefit to the
farmers and other rural residents
have been incalculable. Strange as
it may seem, farmers do not fully ap-
preciate the value Of good roads to
themselves in that it enables them to
time of the year with ease and facility
and with minimum of wear and
tear on their animals and. wagons.
When the roads are poor, farmers are
unable to take advantage of the best
market prices, but can only do their
hauling during the dry season or when
the roads are dried out. The saving
in the cost of horses where the roads
are improved is enormous, for there
can be no doubt that good roads pro-
long the usefulness of horses at least
one-third. Then again, good roads
are not only an indication of thrift,
but they certainly enhance farm val
ues and encourage and promote rural
social intercourse and interests.
The fact that but comparatively
few of the counties throughout the
country are financially able to under
take the building of the highest class
of macadam roads is appreciated,
but this should neither discourage nor
deter them in their efforts to procure
good roads. It has been fully demon
strated that the best of earth and clay
roads may be had through the use of
the split-log-drag and other imple-
ments for grading and ditching roads.
Instructions and advice on road build.
ing or materials are to be had upon
application to the department Of az
riculture, bureau Of public roads.
Washington, D. c., and skilled high
way engineers are detailed by the de-
partment of agriculture under certain
conditions to furnish practical demon.
strations in road building. Besides,
the various state highway commits
sions and boards are all ready and
willing to lend their aid. To my mind
there is little if any excuse in the
majority of cases for the existence Of
bad roads.
Prior to the introduction of rural
delivery those who resided in the ru-
raj sections of the country were re-
quired to go or send to the postoffice
to receive and dispatch their mail,
in many instances travelling many
miles. This NEGOTIATED the abandon
ment of their work and the withdraw.
al of a team of horses from service
on an average of at least three times
a week. The rural mails, whereby
practically all the facilities of the pos.
tai service are brought close to the
homes of majority Of the rural pop
u!ation, has changed all this. TO give
to the rural residents these facilities
Is costing the enormous sum OF ap-
proximately $46,000,000 a year. 1t is
not therefore unreasonable to expect
ard to require that the roads on which
the. mails are carried and delivered
shall be maintained in good condition.
Good roads are Of vital importance
to the rural mail service in order to
facilitate easy transit, certainty and
regularity in delivery and dispatch of
the mails. Rural residents have come
to expect the call>of the mail carrier
each day at an appointed hour with
out regard to climatic and seasonable
conditions, and, in great many in
stances, they fail to show their full
OF this valuable service
to them by neglecting to see to it
that the passage Of the carrier over
the roads is made a. easy as possible