The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-09-05
Postoffice Department is at
Work Perfecting Plans
for Same.
TO CLASSIFY EVERYTHING
Viii Make a Great Slice Into the
Business of the Express Com
panies--The Installation of the
System Means That the De-
partment Will Do Without
Vacations.

| Vacations.
! Washington, Sept. 2.-Announce-
rlent was made by Postmaster Gen.
eral Hitchcock that the post office de-
partment would be in readiness on
January ]. 1913, TO put into general
operation the recently authorized par
GELS post system.
The postal express business, which
must be organized within the next
iour months, will extend over more
than a million miles of rural delivery
and star routes and will cover in its
various ramiffcations, all systems OF
Of transporiatioNso parcels now Ut
ilized by private express companies.
In order to take up personality and
Immediately the work of organization
or the new service, Mr.. Hitchcock has
cancelled engagements he had made
for his vacation and will remain in
Washington to direct the organization
the details of the parcels ipost system
will be worked out by series of COM
mittees composed of officers aud ex-
perts of the departments. The gem.
eral executive committee appointed to
dav consists of Chief Inspector Rob-
ert $. Sharp, Superintendent John ca
koons of the division of salaries. and
allowances; Chief Clerk A. A. Fisher
OF the second assistant postmaster
generals bureau, and Superintendent
George l.. Wood.
"First of ALL" said Mr.. Hitchcock
tonight, "must be prepared ciassifi-
cation of the articles that can be &C,
cepted for transportation by parcels
! post: The law to be admits TO the
mails practically all kinds OF mer-,
chandise that can be transported safe
! ly, including products ofthe farm and
garden as well as factory products,
provided such articles do not weigh !,
more than elevenapounds nor exceed
seventy-two inchesin combined length
and girth. The mode of packing will
be percrlbed carefully, The present
equipment of the mail service is not
adapted TO the carriage of such mer.'
chandise, and therefore new equip
ment must be provided. It's likely
we shall employ, extensively, ham
pers, similar tothose used in foreign
countries, in handling parcels post
mail. The style, size and material Of
: such hampers must be determined and
advertisement issued for their pur-
chase.
"The law provides that postage on,
all parcels shall be prepaid by sffixing
: distinctive stamps. This will neces-
state the designing and printing of at
; least dozen denominations OF special
) stamps, ::ranging In value from one
: cent to one dollar. Provision for the;
collection on delivery Of the price,of a
parcel must De made. Regulations
governing this phase of the system ali
ready are being prepared.
"The law provides decentralization
for lost or damaged articles and since
many of the articles to he carried will
l be fragile or perishable, the question
! of indemnity is one for careful. regula-
tion.
"The system of distance zones re-
quires the employmentb by postmusters
OF distinctive postal map on which
the zones are represented. Such map
already has been prepared by the de-
partmeht and arrangements are being
, made for the printing of about l50, 900
, in order that each postoffce and postal
station in the United States may be
supplied with two copies. A directory
of all offices being complied for use
in applying the prescribed rates of
postage TO the distances shown on the
zone map.
"The question of adequate trans
portation and terminal facilities forthe
parcels post mail on railway and
steamship lines and in the city wagon
srrvsce will haveto be worked outwith
such care as to insure the prompt
movement of such mail and to preven.
a congestion OF mail.n
ltisrealized by Mr.. Hitchcock that
1t is important at the outset to provide
lContinued on Page IA -------