Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-12-06
BENEFITS EXPECTED
FROM PARCELS POST
BrattIeboro Merchants Have Ad.
vantage in This Territory
Can Deliver to Home Trade at Less COST
Than City stores-some viii Make No
Account Of Postage Expense.

There are reasons for believing that
prattleboro merchants will be benefited
nv the parcels post system Whlch VIII
go into effect Jan. l. On the one manu-
they will meet with stronger competl-
ton from the city mail order houses
but on the other hand they VIII receive
more business from towns and villages
in the suburban districts. NO one can
foretell with exactness how the matter
will work out, but it Is expected that
the new business will more than offset
the losses. In any event the system Is
likely to result in a tremendous increase
in the mail order business
AS previously stated, the rate of
postage on parcels will vary according
to the weight of the parcels and the
distance they are to go, and packages
Weighing up to IL pounds will be can
ried special stamps being required. y
package weighing a pound will be car
ried 50 miles for cents. The express
rate for the same distance is % cents.
A package of the same weight WIN be
carried $50 miles for cents, 800 miles
for cents, 600 miles for cents and 1000
miles for cents. Eleven pounds Will
be carried so miles for 35 cents and 1000
miles for 70 cents The express rate
also increases according to weight and
distance but not so rapidly as the par
cells post rate consequently the advan-
tage of sending packages by mail will
be more pronounced with packages
weighing only a few pounds.
Under this system it Is expected that
the large city department stores will
undertake to deliver goods cheaper than
heretofore but the Brattleboro mer-
chants will have the advantage of be-
ing able to deliver to patrons in this
section of the state at a lower rate OF
postage, and it is the present intention
of some of them to cut out the postage
charges altogether in order to protect
the home trade.
Probably every merchant in town will
be affected in one way or another, but
the dealers in dry goods and small
wares doubtless will note the results
quickest. Persons who are unable to
obtain what they want in their own
towns will be able to send to some
Brattleboro merchant and have the
articles forwarded by mail, and the mer-
chant will be able to send them al
trifling expense The merchant also will
be able to order from the cities various
articles which he is in a hurry to re-
ceive without having to pay expires:
rates on them, thereby reducing the
cost of doing business.
Farmers will have an opportunity tC
sell produce in small quantities direc
to consumers, mailing it fresh from the
farm daily sending everything from
corn on the cob to fresh plucked broil
ers. The need of the best sort of road!
to make possible the delivery of parcels
has been seen by the government, will
the result that 100000 has been appro
priated for experimental road improve
ment, under the direction of the depart
ment of agriculture, with the co-opera
ton of the postmaster general.
The competition with the express com
panes will not cut into the express
business as much as might be imagined
at first, as the great bulk of the express
business consists of articles too heav.
to be carried by mail. The business pro
vided for by the parcels post law doe
not touch a great part of the bushes
done by the express companies. Heav.
consignments of goods will continue t.
be handled by them and it is hard t.
see how the government could contrac
to handle the variety of bundles tina
an express company will take. TIL
official express classifcations are inter
esting in the diversity of shipment
provided for. Alligators elephants, mer
ry-go-rounds, feathers, pianos, type
writers. or x-ray machines all are sci
entif1cally rated by the express lists an,
will be carried by the companies TIL
possibilities of the government servic
are limited from the first