536 ANNUAL REPORT OF 11 IE Oft. Doc 



For Govei'uiiie*ir piiblicatious aud full iut'ormatiou ou road build- 

 ing apply to Director, Ollice of Public Road Inquiries, Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

 Respectfully, 



General Superintendent." 



Every one of the postmasters of the (UiG post-offices referred to re- 

 ceived the following instructions bearing upon the question of roads: 



"Dear Sir: Reports recently received from y^jur office show that 

 the roads traveled by rural carrier are in bad condition. 



You will please notify the patrons of route that the present 



lack of attention to these roads will, if continued, be likely to endan- 

 ger the permanency of the rural free deliver}^ service there. 



A rural carrier can not possibly make regular time or perform effi- 

 cient service over poor roads, particularly during the winter and 

 spring months. The summer is the time for mending these high- 

 ways, which are really serving as post-roads, and which should al- 

 ways be passable for the transport of the mail. It is the hope of the 

 Department that the patrons who are receiving the benefit of the 

 service appreciate it, and that they will promptly co-operate in an 

 effort to repair all deficient portions before winter sets in, so that 

 the permanency of rural free delivery service may be insured. 



For Government publications and full information on road build 

 ing apply to Director, Office of Public Road luciuiries. Department of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

 Respectfully, 



General Superintendent." 



Ill a large number of localities this letter has had the effect of di- 

 rectly enlisting in the cause of better roads those who are particu- 

 larly interested in an efficient rural free delivery, namel}', the patrons 

 of the service, and they have not been slow to second the efforts of 

 the Department to arouse the road supervisors to a full appreciation 

 of the necessity of promptly complying with the Department's re- 

 quest for an improvement of the highways. While replies to the 

 foregoing letters were not requested, a large number of them have 

 been received from postmasters and road supervisors, indicating that 

 the communications have had the desired effect. The following let- 

 ters may be quoted as samples: 



"Newark, 111., October 1, 1901. 

 General Superintendent Free Delivery System, Washington, D. C: 



Sir: I am pleased to inform you on rural delivery routes Nos. 1 and 

 3 there has been and is now being done more work on the roads (han 



