The Washington times., 1912-09-12
PARCELS PROVISION
HELPS WASHINGTON
After First of Year. When New Laws Become Operative
Smaller transportation Charges Will Be in Effect
At The Postofhce

When, on January !, the parcels post
ri ovison of the postoffiee appropriation
bill becomes effective, Washington,
from the smallest ultimate consumer to
the largest wholesaler dealing In small
packages, will find itself paying smaller
transportation charges on all packages
up to nine pounds to practically every
point in the country reached by express
lines at the present time.
On some of the shorter distances ex-
press rates are a trifie lower than the
parcels post rate will be on ten-pound
or eleven-pound packages! However,
below the ten-pound mark the parcels
post will have an undisputed field, ex-
cept in those cases where the shipment
is of such a nature that the owner
would prefer to pay the higher rate in
order to obtain the insurance against
risk which common carriers must as
sumo and to which the Government Is
not liable. However the Postmaster
General Is empowered under this pro-
vision to fix regulations covering insur-
ance and indemnity and these regula-
tiors, when published, may be of a ma
ture to meet the competition of express
companies even on this point.
Acts As Stimulant.
A great stimulation of business is exc
pected in Washington. This will prob
ably cut both ways, as the householder
here will be able, II he wishes to go to
the trouble. to purchase articles from
other centers which he is now practi-
cally forced to buy from home stores.
Except In rare instances, this Will
probably not affect the green grocer of
other men handling eatables. because
any kind of express or parcels rate may
prove prohibitfve.
One now pays. for instance. 20 cents a
dozen for apples. However much he
may kick, IL he were to buy these direct
from a farmer under parcels post rates,
the transportation charge would amount
to a large part of this sum. leaving the
farmer a very small price for his apples
Following are examples Of the sched-
ule Of rates, both by parcels post and
express. which will be in force between
representative points at various dis
tances from Washington:
In Fifty-Mile Zone.
The first zone under the parcels post
act includes the area within a mean
radial distance of fifty miles from any
given center. The rate Is 5 cents for
the first pound and cents for each
additional pound or fraction thereof.
Baltimore comes within this radius
from Washington. The rate on one
pound package would be cents, while
| the minimum express rate would be 25
cents. The parcels post rate on five
pounds would be II cents, while the ex-
press rate would be 25 cents. Parcels
post rate on ten pounds would be 80
cents, the express rate 30 cents; SINH
larly the existing express rate Is lower
than the proposed parcels post rate on
eleven pounds. AS this is the limit Of
parcels post weight, competition does
not exist beyond that point. although
the express company will carry twenty
pounds between here and Baltimore as
cheaply as eight pounds.
The second zone includes points within
| $50 miles This. from Washington.
would include Philadelphia. The parcels
post rate within this zone Is cents for
the first pound and cents for each
additional pound. The parcels post Is
cheaper than existing express on all
packages up to eleven pounds. An