Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-12-05
A RUGE UNDERTAKING.
Clerks Working Hard 10 Have Parcels Post
Operative By January First peXs.

Employees of the Postoffice Depart
mint II Washington drafted for the
task are working douoie time to install,
'he parcels post servics by January
L Ia an enormous Undertaking.
Presses of the Geological SURVEY are
turning out special mans at the rate If
5.O'O dtv, and manufacturers of seal. =
are struggling to fill contracts for SIS. 600
sets of special scales.
As fast as maps are printed they are
delivered 70 the division OF topography
OF the PNstoffice Department where the
righ5 postal ,nes-;n,o which the mr.
GELS post section of the postofice ap
preparation bill divided the country
are stamped upon them.
Then, in tubes, they are mailed to
postmasters. Each Of the 60, 600 post
fnssters-fir first, second, third and fourth
clsss-will get two of these maps, with
an accompanying rate book.
After look at the map and a glance
at the rate-book the postmaster can
tell the charge for shipping any pack
age accepted. Little confusion is ex-
pected as to rates.
The weight limit of packages under
the parcels post system will be eleven
pounds. However, anticipating an in
crease of the limit as the service be-
comes popular, the new scales are to
weigh accurately up to twenty pounds.
Only 30, 900 sets of new scales have
been contracted for, because many Of
the smaller pos,offices are in stoi es.
For the present those postmasters h, "
ing their own scales will not be equip
ped at Uncle Sans expense.
The parcels post law rigidly requires
special stamps. Parcels will not be ac-
cepted unless stamped with stickers of
the oblong design prepared specially
for the new service.
| The parcels post stamps somewhat
resemble the stamps used during the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St.
Louis. They are being printed in de-
nominations of 1, 2, 3, 4. 5, 10, Is. %.
rs, so and rs cents and 81.
! Postmaster General Hitchcock saws
he expects to issue the final regulations
governing the service within the next
two weeks. The law says:
That hereafter fourth class mail
matter shall embrace ali other matter.
including farm and factory products.
but now embraced below in either the
hrst, second or third class; not exceed
ing eleven pounds in weight nor greater
in size than seventy-two inches in eirtb
and length combined, nor in form or
kind likely to injure any postal employee
or damage the mail equipment or other
mail matter and not of character per
lshable within a period reasonable re-
CURED for transportation and delivery"
1t is in the detailed Interpretation of
the statute that the Postmaster General
Is engaged. Apparently the farmer can
send eggs, chickens, ducks. Kittens
butter, honey. bees or puppies, rossunns
or foxes, or anything not too heavy.
too large or too dangerous.
Distinctive parcels post stamps will
be Issued to esch postmaster. On and
after January /, 1918. ordinary rostae.
stamps will not be valid for postnee o.
fourth class mntter.
The distinctive parcels post stamps
must be used on all fourth class matter
beginning January l. 1918 and such
matter bearing ordinssy postage stamr-
will be treated as held for postage.
That parcels will he mailed ONLY +
postotfices, branch pns'ofIices, lettered
and cal named stations. and such nun.
oered stations as may Se designated l.,
the postmaster.
That all parcels must bear the return
card Of the sender, otherwise they will
not he accepted for mailing.