The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-12-27

er single package to be carried and
should charge in proportion just what
1t does now for one package of II
pounds weight. '.-.s
Every postmaster in the United
States will have a parcel post map
like the one which is here reproduced
except that the zone lines will be
shown with the unit of his postoffice
as center. All that a postmaster
will have to do when parcel is pre-
scented for transportation is to find
out in what zone the destination of
the package lies. His table will show
him instantly the rate per pound from
the unit in which his postoffice lies
to the zone of the packages destina-
tons, the price as has been explained
before, to every postoffice in any one
zone being the same. The parcel post
will take nothing but fourth-class mat.
ter. Printed matter Is still In the
third-class designation. Therefore
books cannot be sent by the parcel
post system. This the postofice au.
thorities seem to think Is in a way
unjust and may work a hardship. It
may be that in the future the law will
be changed so as to include all print.
ed matter, It seems to be certain that
an attempt will be made to bring
about this change as speedily az pos
sible. -. - ~ Z, -.
49,, Must Bea. Stamp.
Postmaster General Hitchcock has
ordered that postmasters be advised
that parcel post packages cannot be
accepted for mailing unless they bear
distinctive parcel post stamp and
have. attached to them the return card
OF the sender. A series of distinctive
stamps is now In course OF prepare
ton for this class of mail as required
by the law creating the parcel post
system. Consignments Of these
stamps will be ready for shipment to
all postoffices in ample time for the
establishment of the new system on
New Years day. r. L.. FRA ..... :.
The postoffice department has given
instruction to every postmaster in the
country TO enlighten his patrons as
luuCu d6 QO0oIOiC vi Tic 6CuC1 al ouD-
ject of the parcel post and especially
on the use of the special stamps and
the necessary attachment of the re-
turn card. The law requires that all
fourth-class matter mailed a.ter Jam
uary 1, 1913, without parcel post
stamps attached shall be treated as
"Held for postage" matter. Parcel
post packages will be mailable only
at postofices, branch postoffices, let.
tered and local named stations, and
such numbered stations az may be
designated by the postmasters.
It has been announced by Postmas.
ter General Hitchcock that nearly TO-
600 scales will be required for use in
the parcel post system which is to go
into effect January LIST. He has &C.
cordingly authorized the issuance Of
bids for that number. Two hundred
OF the largest postoffices and their
branches will be supplied with auto
matte springless scales. The next
class Of Offices. numbering about 10.-
900, will be given high grade beam
scale, while the four class Offices,
numbering about $4,000, will be fur
nished with the best spring balances
obtainable, each having capacity for
twenty pounds. These scales will be
used by postmasters to determine the
amount of postage required on parcel
post packages. The fact that many
Of the postofhces of the country are