The Elk Mountain pilot., 1912-09-12
NEW PARCELS POST
SYSTEM EXPLAINED
UNCLE SAM WILL TRY IT
OUT JANUARY l, 1913.

Announcement was made by Post
master General Hitchcock that the
postoifice department would be in
readiness on January l, 1913, to
put into general operation the rec
cntly authorized parcels post system.
The postal express business,
which must be organized within the
next four months, will extend over
more than a million miles of rural
delivery and star routes, and viii
cover, in its various ramifications,
all systems of transportation Of
parcels post now used by express
companies.
The details of the parcels post sys-
te,p will be worked out by series
of committees composed of officers
and experts of the department,
under the personal direction of Mr..
, Hitchcock.
First of all, 4" said Mr.. Hitch
cock, "must be prepared a cl;issifi
cation of the articles that can be ac-
ceptcd for transportation by parcels
post. The law admits to- the mails
practically all kinds Of merchandise
that can be transported safely, in
Guiding products of the farm and
garden, as well as factory products,
providing surh articles do not weigh
more than eleven pounds nor exceed
3 - inches in combined length and
girth. The present equipment OF
the mail service is not adapted to
the carriage of such merchandise,
and, therefore, new equipment must
--l,e-provitle1.- - 1t is likely-we shall
, employ extensively hampers similar
to those used in foreign countries in
handling parcels post mail. "
Other problems include the print
ing of new stamps and plan of
identification for lost or damaged
parcels.
The parcels post system will op-
crate under the same sort of zone
arrangement, but while its rates pro-
badly will be cheaper than express
rates for short distances, the max
imum rates probably will be as high
as the proposed new express rates
for maximum weights and distances.
The particular effort in the franz
ing of the parcels post law was to
benefit the farmer and at the same
time protect the country merchants
against the big mail order houses
by giving him preferential rates.
! That is the reason for the zone sys-
tenn, by which the rate on parcels
post mail increases with distance.
i There is also an insurance and Il
! collect-on-delivery provision in the
bill, which applies both to- the
amount of the pos tagc aid the price
OF the article shipped.
The rate on fourth class matter
weighing more than four ounces is
to be one cent for each ounce or
fraction, and on matter i'll excess OF
four ounces weight the rate is to be
by the pound, the postage i'll all
cases to be prepaid by distinctive
postage stamps. Rates are fixed rs
follows for rural route or city deliv-
cry:
On all parcels post matter mailed
at the postoffice from which q rural
route starts, for delivery on such
route, or mailed at any point on
such route for delivery at any other
point thereon or at the office from
which the route starts, or any rural
! route starting .herefrom, and on all
matter mailed at city carrier office
or at any point within its delivery
limits for delivery by carriers from
that office, or at any office for local
delivery. 3 cents for the first pound
or fraction OF pound, and ! cent
Z for each additional pound or fraction
of pound.
| Rates for greater distances are:
For delivery within the first zone,