Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-08-22
PARCELS POST.
Brsekiya and New York To nave saeh
an Institution.


Brooklyn. Aug. 2f.-on the LIST of
next October thera will be established
IN thrs city and New York a parcels
post system. as complete in all respects
and as rule more speedy than the
present mail system. Ii Is private
enterprise and will be known as The
Parcels Express aud Messenger Com
pany-' This company was ineorpor-
ated last January. and has capital
stock OF sloo.OoO. of which all but
$4,000 has been subscribed. 80 that
it's establishment may be looked upon
as "A certainty. At present il is the
design of the company TO cover only
the cities of New York and BROOKLYN,
Staten Island. Westehester county, Jer-
sey City and the Oranges, n. j. In
time they vii. extend their system 10
Philadelphia. Boston. Washington and
Chicago. and ultimately all over the
United States.
The plans of working may he out
lined as follows:
Large boxes will be placed in con
venient spots all over the territory
coyered-in the cities as near together
AZ five blocks. These will be arranged
on the same plan as the ietter-boxes
although, of course, much larger. The
sample on exhibition at the office OF
the company. i3i Broomc-st. New
York, is large steel box about five
feet high, painted gray. Ii will re-
ceive "A package 2xl 12 feet in size.
II is opened by stepping on "A small
platform ut the bottom. The press
urc rolls back the top. and the parcel
Is placed in. just as soon ms the press
urc Is removed the top slides back and
the parcel is dropped into the box.
The box is water tight and cannot be
robbed except by breaking il open
The collecting wagon comes around
every hour and empties the box and
takes the parcels found therein TO the
distributing center. The company
guarantees to deliver a parcel any
where within the city within tar-e
hours after il is taken from the box.
A dial on each box announces when
the next collection will be made Fifty
collection wagons will be employed
in New York. and nearly as many in
Brooklyn. The delivery wagons will
be distinct, and there will be nearly
as many OF these. The last collec-
tion will be made at O'Clock, and
then the box will b. locked. so that
nothing moro can he placed into il
to remain over night
The price for any parcel that will
go in the box. and which does not
weigh more than fifteen pounds. is
fifteen cents. Honble this price is
charged for sending the parcel tn an
other city. Large parcels, trunk c.,
are to he carried for twenty-five cents
hundred pounds, or fraction there
OF. Patrons can have the coliec ing
wagon mot the regular one for the
boxes. however, clli at their houses by
notifying one of the officers OF the
company.
The mode of paying the delivery
charges is the same as with the Uni
ted States mail by stamps. These
stamps costing 15 cents each. will he
purchased OF the driver OF n wagon,
mt the Office OF the company, or from
some store near tho boxes. They will
be sold in books. for conyaniencc. and
will be of an attractive design, about
one inch by three in size. coupon
receipt Is att achci to each one, which
the sender retains.
Tie company expects to mako con-
tracts with several of the large retail
stores TO take charge of their delivery
business. They have already com
plcted one contract with one OF the
large dry guols houses OF New York
and with onf of the New York news
papers to make all their deliveries.
They expect to make several such con-
tracts with Brooklyn houses to deliver
all their goods. affirming that they
can do it twice as cheap as the dealer
himself.