The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-30

routes were provided for last year.
During the coming year the new sala-
ries will come into effect, and from
now on the carriers who have to COW
er distances of twenty-four, miles OF
moro Will receive $1,000 per annum,
ranging down from there to $500 or
5000, which is the pay for those who
cover from six to ten miles.
In my talk with the fourth assistant
postmaster-general L asked him II he
did not think $1,000 = rather high
wage for man whose work was alto
gether outside the city, where board is
cheap and wages are generally much
lower He replied:
1t is not high rate to pay for the
service required. and a man could not
well do 1T for less. 1t is a lower rate
comparatively than that of the post
men OF the cities. who get from $500
10 $1,000 year, according to the size
of the town and the length of their
service They receive this without
having to make any investment, or to
incur any extra expense for their, work.
The rural free delivery man, who
makes twenty-four miles a day for
six days of the week. needs at least
two horses. and on some of the routes
three horses are necessary to render
regular service during bad weather.
Ihese have to be furnished out of the
pocket OF the man himself, and he
must in addition pay for his vehicles
The estimated average cost of main
tanning such an outfit Is $3.50 per an
mum, and the original cost of the
horses and vehicles is $275 or more
The average annual cost OF the car
riers outfit. In fact, is from 5000 to
$3.50. and even It the best he has only
5000 or 500 left for his wages.
Moreover" continued Mr.. De Graw,
1t is found that with the daily wear
and tear to which a carriers equipment
Is subjected that the life of both horses
and vehicles ranges from three to five
years, so you see he has not such a
sof- snap after all. In cases where he
travels less than twenty-four miles he
gets less money. I am not in favor
OF too low wages In the Post-Ofic De-
partment. My idea Is the same as that
held by former President Roosevelt
This is that the national government
should be a model employer; that 1t
should demand the highest quality of
service from its employees and should
care for them properly in return"
The Parcels Post and the Rural De-
livery.
What do you think of the parcels
post in connection with the rural do
livery? Will it Gomez"
Yes, in time, although Congress has
not given us an appropriation TO ex-
pertinent with as yet. The Post Of
flee Department would like to see 1t
tested. 1t would certainly increase the
usefulness of the postal service and
system might be established for the
carriage of merchandise at such rates
as would be fair compensation for
the service performed, and would
materially increase our revenues The
people want to send small packages of
merchandise by mall through the rural
delivery, but they will not pay the
fourth class rate. Such a service could
be organized for the local merchants
and the rural delivery to customers OF
any one section without iniurina or
competing with any other service. We
have the machinery for 1t in opera ton.
and 1t would materially increase the
income of the department.. BY this
means special educed rate of posta ee
could be made upon merchandise car
ried only by rural carriers / have no
doubt of Its praetica bility. II ever one
OF our rural delivery carriers would
take on an average of three packages
would he a return of $4,000. 900 from
that business alone. We are now
running the department without n de-
felt, but that sixteen millions would
be added to the surplus. for it would
not cost us any more than the amour;
we are now spending"
I "A few years ago recommended
that the delivery by rural carriers to
communities remote, from post-offices
be supplemented by a parcels post
delivery at special rate OF postage
OF 5 cents for the first pound and of
cents for each additional pound or
traction thereof up to eleven pounds;
provided that, the goods were mailed
at the distributing post-office OF the
rural route upon which the customers
live have no doubt some kind OF
satisfactory arrangement could be
mazda which ftnuld he n& nrraaA 49,.