Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1901 — RURAL MAIL ROUTES. [ARTICLE]

RURAL MAIL ROUTES.

Their Continnance May Depend on Patronage. Localities which have recently had rural mail routes established in them will be interested in a new order just issued by the government, which may indicate that rural service is not to be permanent if the delivery routes are not self-sustaining in point of revenue. Though Uncle Sam is always obliging and ever ready to cater to the wants of rural residents, yet he expects the rural mail system to be patronized to such an extent as not to detract from other de-, partments of the postoflice service. Contrary to the usual idea, postoflice business is computed on the basis of the amount of stamps canceled and not on the number of letters, postals and packages delivered from the otllee. Hence it will be seen that if on a certain rural route 2,000 pieces of mail were delivered in a month and the carrier on that route received no letters and cancelled no stamps, the route would lie considered from the point of view of the business end of the postal department, as a complete failure. The purpose of the new order requiring a report of the uiuouut of business originating on each rural route is to ascertain which of the routes are paying and which*are operated nt a loss. The carriers are required to report the number of letters, postal enrds, papers, packages and circulars they receive from farmers along their routes, the number of registered letters, special delivery letters, money orders and all the business which originates along their routes.