The pioneer express., 1912-12-27
How PARCEL POST
RATES ARE FIXED
Charges Are Regulated Under
the Zone System.
BIG ENTERPRISE LAUNCHED
Eleven Pounds 10 the Limit In
Weight for a Single Package
Anything That Will Not In.
jure Other Mail Can
BE Sent.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

SSS~4~&AE9
the United States government will en-
ter into a new field of enterprise
the transmittal Of merchandise by
what is known as the parcel post.
For years there has been a demand
for such a system of inexpensive
transmittal of packages. The camps
OF favor and disfavor Of the parcel
post scheme have been about equally
divided. Finally at the last session
OF congress bill was passed which
will put the plan into operation, but
only 1t must be said in little more
than an experimental way. h.
1t is the intention OF Uncle Sam to
move rather slowly in the parcel post
matter. He wants to find how popu-
lar it will be, how much it will cost
the government, and whether there is
to be a profit or loss at the end Of
each year. II it is found that the
plan is successful from the point of
view Of the people. which means the
government also, the parcel post will
be extended until finally 1t reaches
the proportions which its proponents
say they believe 1t is destined to as
sumo.
Zone System Explained.
It is no exaggeration to say that
thousands upon thousands Of inquir-
les have been made Of the postmaster
general as to Just what the parcel
post will mean to the people. It twas
the law of congress establishing the
system which made provision for q
division Of the country into zones
and into $4,000 units which are to be
used as centers in describing the cir
cles which mark the boundaries of
the zones. There has been no clear
understanding, apparently. Of this
zone system. but really 1t is a very
simple matter.
The accompanying map shows the
country divided into zones from the
unit in which Washington is sit.
uated. as the center. Accompanying
the map is table showing the rate
Of postage per pound for parcels from
Washington to places within all the
zones. * M.,s.s.ss.s..s..
Each unit contains an area thirty
miles square. Now each unit is a
center from which the zones are
drawn and so every unit in the coun.
try no matter where 1t is situated will
have zones drawn from It Just exactly
as Washington has them drawn from
It. For instance. take Keokuk. Ia,
which is in unit in the fifth zone.
From that will be drawn circles ex.
actly as they are drawn from Wash.
ington and they will be, numbered from
Keokuk as number one, just as they
are numbered from Washington IA
number one. OF course, however.
Zone Six will have q different geo.
graphical position as. related to Keo.
kuk than It has as related to Wash.
tngton. but az the radius Of the circles
drawn from Keokuk is the same
length 40 the radius; Of the circles
drawn from Washington, Keokuk's
Zone six viii be just as far from its
center AZ Washington's Zone Six Il.
How Ratss Are Fixed.
It can 5be seen from this readily
enough that the postal rates from
Washington 70 its particular zone win
be the same as the postal rates from
Keokuk TO Sits particular zones. Each
unit being shout thirty miles square
will sof course contain n most cas a !. q
number q postonces., but each once
IN the same unit 10 considered a "a.
Ing the center Or the circles from
which the zones are drawn. The A
rates OF postage arc nxed from the 4
anit ins which tho sending postomce is:|