Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-12-27
NO SPECIAL WINDOW
FOR PARCELS POST
At POSTOFF|CE
Not Expecting Great Business
At Beginning.
GENERAL WINDOW
WILL BE USED

WILL BE USED
Government Completes Sending Sup
plies to the offices-Asks Lenien-
cy For a Few Days-5usiness
Houses and individuals Are Already
Manifesting Lively Interest In
System.
When the parcels post becomes eff
fective on January / many postofIices
in the country will have special
window, where packages viii be re-
cefyed and a regular man will be sta
toned there to look after the bust
ness. This will not be done at the
local office, and the packages will be
received at the general window.
OF course, at first the business will
be small, and while in its embryonic
state It is believed that no special ar
rangements need be made to take
care of it, but as the business inoreas-
es plans will be perfected whereby
it can be handled with dispatch and
satisfaction
Details Worked Out.
Postmaster-General Frank II. Hitch
cock has announced that practically
all the details for the establishment
of the parcels post system January l
next have been worked out and the
line to assume the burden of the
new additional service He said the
Inauguration Of the service is await
ed with keen interest among business
men.
The postofIice department has fin
ished its task Of shipping to $4,000
postmasters and $1,000 rural mail
carriers the necessary printed matter
supplies and equipment for handling
packages under the parcels post law
These shipments contained in all TO-
900 scales, 10000 rubber stamps.
100000 insurance tags, 1922, ASS
parcels post stamps and 12,05S,4
postage due stamps. Within the next
day or SO the entire postal service
from the mail carriers to the heads oil
the postotliees will be equipped with
the machinery to set in motion Uncle
Sans baby express"
To prepare the postal machinery
for the parcels post transportation
business has a gigantic task. Hereto
fore postal extensions have been
made gradually The rural mail car
riers service was added by degrees:
likewise the city delivery The pos
tai banks are being established, few
at time. In case of the parcels post,
however, Mr. Hitchcock faced a more
stupendous proposition, lie is com
PEELED to add to the postal machinery
photographers system and set the
latter in motion in one day This
achievement will be unprecedented in
the history of the establishment of
all government and privately owned
utilities. The postOtfice department
has been compelled to anticipate diff
ticulties OF actual operations so that
every precaution may be taken to
have the mails move with the usual
dispatch.
Asks Leniency From Public.
The postollicc department officials,
in view OF this task, asks leniency
from the public during the first few
weeks of the operation of the parcels
post system. If a package does not
arrive on time, they request patience.
It will take the postal machinery
some days to run smoothly with its
new burden.
In the statement given out by the
postohice department is the follow
ing:
NO service ever introduced by the
Government has created so much in
terest among the general public.
Since the enactment Of the law last
August thousands OF letters have been
received requesting information of all
kinds about parcels post and offering
AH ltAoiio hNoiHANu 10 ldOliltdlt TIE
handling OF the new mail Every day
hundreds of orders for the zone map
and guide are sent in by business
houses and individuals who intend to
ship their commodities by parcels
post Chambers OF commerce. boards
OF trade and mercantile organizations
have applied for the maps by guam
titles amounting in some instances
for 10000 Copies
business houses desiring parcels
post maps and guides may obtain
them from the posto1ice department
at Washington by sending a money
order tor Is cents Don't send
stamps, as the department has ruled
Il will bot receive them for payments
for the maps Martinsburs merchants
and business men, who may want