The Washington herald., 1912-08-30
POSTAL OFFICIALS
TALK PARCEL POST
Department to Be Ready to Put on
Additional Service
January l.
PRELIMINARY WORK DISCUSSED

After several days spent in conference
with the officers in charge OF the several
branches of the postal service. Postmas-
ter General Hitchcock announced last
night that the department will be in
readiness on January next. the date pre-
scribed by Congress. to put into general
operation the parcel post system. au-
tnorized in the postal appropriation bill
that became law last Saturday.
The postal express business that must
be organized in so short period wiz
not only cover in its ramihcations ali
systems of transportation now utilized
by private express companies, but Will
be extended also to more than a million
miles Of rural delivery and star route
service
A series OF committees made up of
department officers and postal experts
will work out the details OF the new
system. One of these committees is al
ready at work, having been appointed
by the Postmaster General the day Con-
gress adjourned It consists OF Chief
Inspector Robert S. Sharp, Supt. John
c. Koons. of the Division OF Salaries
and Allowances Chies Clerk A. Al
Fisher. of the Bureau OF the second AS
- sistant Postmaster General; Chief Clerk
Clarence B. Hurrey, OF the Bureau OF
and Supt. George l. Wood. Of the Divi-
sion of Rural Mails. To assist this COM
mittee various other postal experts are
being selected from the departments
executive stan and from the postal serv-
ice-at-large. By the emo OF the week
Mr.. Hitchcock expects to have the pre-
liminary organization work well under
way.
Special Stamps Ordered.
First OF all, classification of the ar
ticles that can be accepted for trans
rortation is to be prepared The law ad-
mits to the mails practically all farm
and garden as well as factory products,
provided such articles do not weigh over
eleven pounds nor exceed seventy-two
inches In combined length and girth. The
mode Of packing must be carefully pre-
scribed. The present equipment of the
mail service is not adapted to the car
riage of such merchandise, and there
fore new equipment is to be provided.
Special means are to be arranged for
the carriage of fragile articles. 1t is
probable that hampers similar to those
used abroad will be employed extensive
ly in handling parcel-post mail
The law provides that postage on all
parcels shall be prepaid by afixing dis
tinctive stamps. This will necessitate
the manufacture of at least a dozen de-
nominations of special stamps, ranging
from ! cent TO 81. The designing of these
stamps is now under way, and the plates
for their printing will be promptly en-
graved.
c. o. ID. Feature Discussed.
Provision for the collection on delivery |
of the price Of the parcel. as well as the |
postage thereon, must be made, and T,
regulations governing this phase of the |
question are. therefore. being prepared.
The law provides indemnifcation for
lost or damaged articles. and since many |
of the articles 10 be carried will be os
a fragile nature or readily perishable |
the question of indemnity is one for
careful regulation. |
The system of distance zones that is |
provided for in the law requires the |
employment by postmasters of a dis |
'tlnctive postal map, on which the zones |
are represented Such a map has been
already prepared by the department. and |
arrangements are being made for the |
printing Of about 10000. in order to sup |
ply two copies to each post-office ano |
postal station in the United States. |
The question OF adequate transporta-
tion and terminal facilities for the par
Gel post on railway and steamboat lines |
and likewise in the city wagon service I
is one that is to be worked out in |
order to insure the prompt movement
Of such mail and to prevent possible !
clogging Of the ordinary mail.
Provisions of Law.
Senator Bourne. chairman of the Sem |
ate Committee on Post-offices and Post |
Roads, has prepared the following sum- !
mary Of the provisions of the new par
Gel post law.
ANY article is mailable If not over
eleven pounds in weight, nor more than |
seventy-two inches in length and girth |
comNned, nor likely to injure the mails |
or postal equipment or employees
Flat rate of l cent per ounce up to |
four ounces, regardless of distance
Above four ounces, rates are by the |
pound or fraction therefor, and varying |
with distance as follows:
First Each addi- Eleven
pound tional pound pounds |
Rural route and city