Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-17
THE PARCELS POST.

THE PARCELS POST.
What Can Be Sent and at What Price
Eight Postal Zones.
The postofice appropriation bill
passed by the last session Of congress
provides: THAT hereafter fourth class
mail matter shall embrace adj other
matter, including farm and factory
products. not now embraced by law In
either the first, second or third class.
not exceeding eleven pounds in weight,
nor greater size than 70 inches I'm
length and girth combined, nor I'm
form or kind likely to injure the per-
son of any postal employe or damage
the mail equipment or other mail mat
ter and not Of a character perishable
within period reasonably required
for transportation and delivery"
That, in nutshell, is the new postal
express or parcels post law.
A person can post anything from
hen egg to half grown pig II there Is
no danger Of 1t injuring the postal en-
ployes who handle It and 1t does not
weigh more than eleven pounds and
is not greater in size than 70 inches In
length and girth combined.
The farmer can send eggs, chickens,
ducks. kittens, hound dog puppies,
butter. honey. bees, o'possums. young
foxes or anything else just 80 It is not
too heavy or too large and IL not dam
gerous.
The fisherman can post his fish.
frogs, tadpoles. oysters, crabs, terra
pins, cooters. fishing worms, or what
not IL he observes the regulations as to
weight and size and character Of the
animal.
The manufacturer can send suits of
clothes. pajamas, hats, cloth, and every
other sort of product provided It Is
not too long. too large or dangerous.
To carry out the provisions of the
parcels post law, eight postal zones
will be established. The first is to ex-
tend fifty miles from the center Of a
given unit Of area: second, $50 miles:
third, 300; fourth, 600; NTH. 1000;
sixth, 1,4o0; seventh, 1900; eighth.
all units Of area outside Of the seventh
zone.
The rates will be, on fourth-class
matter weighing no more than four
ounces one cent for each ounce or frac-
ton Of an ounce. On all matter mail
ed at the postoffice. to be delivered by
rural or city carrier. or to be called for,
FIVE cents for the first pound or frac-
tion of pound and one cent for each
additional pound. In the first zone, five
cents for the first pound and three cent
for each additional pound; second. six
and four; third, seven and five cents;
fourth, eight and six; fifth, nine and
seven; sixth, ten and nine; seventh,
eleven and ten; eighth. twelve and
twelve.
Postmaster General Hitchcock and
his expert assistants are busy now for
rlulating plans to carry out the par
cells post law. They must find way
to extend the express business. as It is
now conducted, over more than mil
lion miles Of rural delivery and star
routes. Everything must be ready by
the first Of the new year. Ways and
means Of handling the deluge Of small
parcels are to be provided.
Many congressman were curious to
know, during the debate on the parcels
post bill, why eleven pounds were fixed
as the maximum instead Of ten or
twelve or some other even nGynber. In
foreign countries where the parceiS post
is in vogue Ave Kilograms, which is
equivalent to about eleven pounds, are
the maximum. That fact had something
to do with making the limit eleven.
There are great possibilities in the
parcels post law. The postmaster gen.
eral Is given latitude in which to en-
ploy his active brain. II he IL as sue
cessful with the parcels post as he
has been with the postal savings bank
It will not be long before the farmers
eggs will be going direct to the con-
sumer. A family In St Louis, for in
stance, can make an arrangement with
farmer on rural route to send In
dozen fresh eggs twice week and
the mail man will hurry them along.
One of the most enthusiastic advo-
Gates Of the parcels post, or postal ex-
press as he chooses to call II, is Repre-
sentative David d. Lewis, Of Maryland
who has worked in and out Of season
for the passage Of just such law as the
one that Is now on the statute books.
This country" said Mr.. Lewis, "is
in q serious condition with the regard
to the high cost of living. The condi-
ton becomes more aggravated daily.
The cost Of getting last years'farm
products from the producers to the
consumers amounted to the enormous
sum Of $1,000, 100000. Our real prob
lem is not one Of the high cost Of liv-
ing but the high cost of selling.
'The report Of the secretary OF agri-
culture for 1910 gives the follow ing as
the percentages Of the prices paid by
the consumer, for which the farmer re-
ceived for the foodstuffs named:
Poultry, 55.1 per cent.
"Eggs, by the dozen, $50.
Celery, by the bunch, 600.
Strawberries, by the quart. 4S.s.
Oranges, by the dozen, 20.3.
Melons, by the pound. 500.
Potatoes, by bushel, bs.s.
Turkeys, 63.4.
Cabbage, by head, 4S.1.
Apples, by bushel. 65.6.
Onions, by peck, 27.S.
Green peas, by quart, 600.
"Parsnips, by bunch, 600.
"The problem before the country Is
the way to get this stun. these vital