Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-24
PosToFFlcE<pEPARrMENr TO Es.
TAsLlsH NUMEROUS DELlv.
ERIEs ~ MACHINES.
COVER DOUBLE DISTANCE
MADE BY HORSE VEHICLES
Prediction Made That Auto Soon Will
Be Common Adjunct Of Postal Dsliv-
cry in Country Distriets-service to
Be Established July I. - Some Of
Present Routes Being Extended.
Especial Correspondence

loRNSASSA OSAA
Washington, June 24.-Wonderful as
is the spread of rural mail service in
recent years, an announcement just
put out by the postoffice department
makes it plain that the service is to
see still greater improvement. The
department has announced that rural
mail service by automobile will begin
on a large scale in many parts of the
United States Aug. 2. Orders have al
ready been signed by Postmaster Cen
eral Burleson under which, after Aug.
2, 105 machines carrying United States
mail will traverse over $500 miles Of
rural postroads daily except Sunday.
July l will mark the beginning Of
carriage of mails by auto. Two pioneer
routes from Quarryville, Pa, one Of
55.1 miles and the other 56S miles, will
go into operation at that time.
Additional orders are pending for
numerous other routes and it is prob
able large number more will be ap-
proved in time to go into effect in
August. It is proposed to establish it
wherever advantageous to the public,
surveys Of special needs and condi-
tions are being made in Iowa and
every other state, and rapid increase of
r. F. D. automobile mileage is certain
the coming fiscal year.
Auto to Be Common.
It Is predicted the rural mail auto
will soon be as common in the rural
districts as the rural carriers wagon;
also that where roads are good, large
economies and improved service will
result.
Routes to be tried by machine are
fifty to sixty miles long, the time be-
ing to 8 hours. In some cases. the
new auto routes are extensions Of old
routes but for the most part they are
combinations of two or more routes
served by separate carriers each with
horse vehicles. In the same or less
time, the postoffice department asserts
in statement on use Of the auto,
mobile in rural mail delivery, needed
to do a twenty five mile route by
wagon. the auto will serve a fifty or
sixty mile route. The machine will
have from four to five times the carry
my capacity Of the wagon.
The auto routes thus far authorized
by the postmaster general are appor-,
toned as follows: Oklahoma, 44:1
Florida, 8: Pennsylvania, 2: Louisiana.
I. BY law the minimum length Of
such routes is fixed at so miles. Thus
wolves nearly 63 miles Of daily travel.
More Patrons Served.
Up to date the number Of families to
varies from a minimum Of 1870 to
maximum Of 40. The average thru
out the service, it is expected, will be
auto mail carrier must make a stop
for each family on his line. frequently
rural mail boxes are located in groups
or nests" so that one stop suffices for
several. It is seldom that the carrier
has mail for every patron and few
farmers mail letter or parcel every
day. Uncle Sans auto service Is to
be strictly an express service. If
there is no mail to deliver and if the
flag upon box is not up signifying
mail for collection. the new rural mail
express will whiz by.
The maximum compensation of car
Nriers in the present rural mail service
is $1,000 a year. The law fixes the
maximum for motor service at $1,000
year. AS now being put in effect. the
auto carriers are being allowed from
$500 to $1,000 depending upon condi-
tons of travel. When regular carriers
can not be selected before the time set
for the operation Of auto service. the
postmasters of cities where the new
routes originate are authorized to
secure temporary carriers. These first
routes all radiate from populous COM
munities; hence it is believed that the