Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-01
CHANGES IN RURAL MAIL SER.
VICE At NEW PROVIDENCE
ARousEs RESIDENTS.
PETITION OF PROTEST
BEING FREELY SIGNED
Elimination and Constellation to
Cause Great Inconvenience to Num-
srous Patrons, Says Petition to
Washington - Administration Get.
ting in Bad With General Public.

Special TO Times-Republican.
New Providence, Oct. IA recent
| order from the postoffice department
relative to the rural delivery from this
office is raising storm of protest from
patrons of the routes. The new order
three to two, transfers part of the
territory to other offices. lengthens the
routes. and requires many patrons to
travel considerable distance to get
their mail.
When the service was first in
augurated eighteen years ago the re-
ceipts of the postal department did
not defray the expense by consider
able sum. But in spite of this fact it
has been the policy of the department,
until recently. to extend and perfect
, the rural service. At present the
postal department is more than self
sustaining. 1t s.fherefore difficult for
: the rural patrons TO understand why
the present administration is commit
ting itself to policy of retrenchment
in this branch of the service under
these circumstances. The present ad-
get in bad with large part of the
rural population If this policy is per-
sisted in. What is being done at this
office is being done at many other
places. Union loses one route and Ell
dora loses two.
An informal meeting was held at
this place a few days ago at which a
committee was appointed TO prepare
,~nyo Inc
against the new order.
Petition Outlines Position.
The committee prepared the follow
al the present time.
TO the Fourth Assistant Postlna ster
General. Washington. D. C.-Hav!ng
learned that the postoffice department
has ordered the discontinuance OF
route number three, the re-routing of
numbers one and two from the post
office at New Providence. Iowa, the
same to become effective about Oct.
Is. 1915. we the undersigned heads OF
families residing on the routes af-
fected by this chenge do hereby petit
ton that the department reconsider
this order and allow the routes TO re-
main as at present. We submit the
following reasons for so petitioning:
y. It has been the policy of yoad
supervisors TO maintain in good con-
dition the roads travelled by rural car
riers. Under the new order carriers
will be required to travel on roads not
heretofore used as rural routes. Many
of these roads being used but little are
poorly kept in summer and are fire.
quently blocked with snow in winter.
80 Under the new order a greater
number OF patrons viii be required to
place their mail boxes at consider
able distance from their homes. This
will be a great inconvenience for the
following reasons: @
"{a) The inconvenience involved in
receiving and dispatching registered
and insured mail
= OBJ Patrons can not safely use
parcel post because packages viii be
exposed 10 weather and to. the danger
of moiestation.
"(c.) Under the present arrange
ment of routes there are thirty FIVE
patrons whose mail boxes are situated
at some distances from their homes.
These patrons travel daily an aggre-
/ gate distance of twenty seven miles in
going 10 and from their boxes.
Under the new order th!rty-flve
more patrons are required to go some
distance TO their boxes. The aggregate
amount these travel in going to and