Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-12-28
NO SPECIAL WINDOW
FOR PARCELS POST
AT POSTOFFICE
Not Expecting Great Business
At Beginning.
GENERAL WINDOW
WILL BE USED

~
WILL BE USED
Government Completes Sending Sup
plies to the ofaees-Aske Lenicn-
cy For a Few Dsys-spainess
Houses and individuals Are Already
Manifestine Lively Interest IN
System.
When the parcels post becomes ef-
fective on January 1 many postofiees
IN the country Will have a special
window. where packages will be re-
ceiyed and a regular man will be sta
toned there TO look after the bust
ness This win not be done at the
local Office, and the packages viii be
received at the general window.
or course, at first the business VIII
be small, and while in It's embryonic
state It Is believed that no special ar
rangements need be made to take
care of it, but az the business increas-
es plans will be perfected whereby
it a be handled with dispatch and
satisfaction.
Details Worked Out.
General Frank II. Hitch
cock has announced that practically
all the details for the establishment
Of the parcels post system January /
next have been worked out and the
postal service Is ready all along the
line to assume the burden OF the
new additional service. He said the
Inauguration of the service is await
ed with keen interest among business
men
The postofHce department has fin
ished its task OF shipping to $4,000
postmasters and $4,000 rural mail
carriers the sary printed matter
supplies and equipment for handling
packages under the parcels post law.
These shipments contained in all TO-,
wv DAUlN0f lAtsNNV iAnUEl HIhliDNs
100000 900 insurance tags, 1913. 292. f55
parcels post stamps and 12,D5s, 435
postage due stamps. within the next
day or so the entire postal service,
from the mail carriers to the heads OF
the postofices will be equipped with
the machinery to set in motion Uncle
Sans baby express"
To prepare the postal machinery
for the parcels post transportation
business has a gigantic task. Hereto
fore postal extensions have been
made gradually. The rural mail car
riers service was added by degrees;
likewise the city delivery. The pos
tai banks are being established, a few
at a time. In case Of the parcels post,
however. Mr.. Hitchcock faced a more
%stupendous proposition. He is com
PEELED TO, add to the postal machinery
a package-eXpress system and set the
latter in motion in one day. This
achievement viii be unprecedented in
the history of the establishment Of
all government aud privately owned
utilities. The postotHce department
has been compelled to anticipate diff
fculties of actual operations so that
every p|recaution may be taken to
have the mails move with the usual
dispatch.
Asks L%enieney From Public.
The postomce department officials,
IN geiaN. az thfg t.4Iy ,gl-. I..e,savYr
from tho public during the first few
weeks OF the operation of the parcels
post system, II a package does not
arrive on time, they request patience.
1t viii take the postal machinery
some days to run smoothly with it's
new burden.
Ia the statement given out by the
postofice department is the follow
ing;
no service ever introduced by the
Government has created so much in
terest among the general public,
Since the enactment of the law last
August thousands Of letters have been
received requesting information of all
kinds about parcels post and Offering
inventions designed TO facilitate the
handling OF the new mail. Every day
hundreds OF orders Tor the o mar
and guide are sent in by business
houses and individuals who intend to
ship their commodities by parcels
post. Chambers OF commerce. boards
of trade and mercantile organizations
have applied for the maps by guam
titles amounting IN some instances
for 10000 copies
BUSINESS houses desiring parcels
post maps and guides may obtain
thcm from the postomce department
az Washington by sending a money
order for Is cents. Don't send
stamps, as the department has ruled
it viii not receive them for payments
for the maps. Martin sburg merchants
and business mon, who may want