Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1912-12-13
Zone rate

II Will De observed CndC Cne IdCeS
Of postage are largely reduced and
that the limit Of weight is increased
from four to eleven pounds. Parcels
will be delivered at all free delivery
offices and to patrons residing on ru-
raj and star routes; they may be reg
istered and may be accorded special
delivery service on payment Of the
usual fees, and they may insured
against loss in an amount equivalent
to their actual value but not to ex-
ceed $25, upon payment of fee Of
five cents. Distinctive stamps must
be used on all parcels, but they may
be mailed in quantities Of not. lbs
than-22; 66660 0~~identical pieces 'Ts9fthcde
stamps affixed, the postage being
paid in money.
1t should be borne in mind that the
local rate is applicable to parcels in.
tended for delivery at the office Of
mailing or on any Of the rural routes
starting therefrom.
There has been no end Of specula-
tion as to what effect the new law
will have on local business. The
postoffice department and the Of
ficials who have made a study Of the
parcel post business contend that the
local business man will be benefited,
inasmuch as he will be enabled to de-
liver goods within his territory at a
lower rate than is given to houses in
distant cities. NJ. G. Fosnes, at present
assistant postmaster at Minneapolis,
formerly chief potoffice inspector and
connected with the postoffice depart
ment in various capacities for many
years, says:
"The parcel post works to the ad-
vantage of the local merchants be-
cause the law provides rates some
what similar to tariff which pro-
tects each merchant in his own 10.
cality from outside competition. To
illustrate: A parcel placed in a post
office from which there is either
carrier or rural delivery will be de-
livered for S cents for the first pound
and l cent for each additional pound
or fraction. If, however, the parcel
is to go further than the delivery
from the postoffice extends, it will be
charged for at the rate of cents for
each additional pound, provided it's
destination is not more than SO miles
from the postoffice. From this it is
evident that the minimum difference
in postage on an 11-pound parcel in
tended for local delivery and parcel
Of equal weight to be delivered at a
point not reached by local delivery
would be 20 cents. For this reason it
would appear that the local mer'
chant will be benefited rather than
Thurt by the new law.' In the territory
between the 5O-mile zone and 150-
mile zone the cost will be six cents
for the first pound, and four cents for
! each additional pound, an 11-pound
parcel costing 46 cents. The rate in.
, creases for each zone up to and over
1900 miles, where it will be IL cents
for each pound, or $1.32 for an IL
pound parcel.
By computing the rates which the
parcels post law provides for the diff
ferent zones and comparing them with
the rates to be charged for parcels
placed in postoffice for delivery, by
; foot carrier, a number Of interesting
results may be obtained. It is found,
for example, that merchant in Chi
F.; cago sending a parcel weighing IL
! pounds to a party in Willmar or to
people on any of the rural routes out
of this city would have to pay So cents
more postage than Willmar mer
chant would to send parcel Of equal
weight to the same customer. In the
same way a New York merchant
would have to pay 81 cents more in
postage to deliver an 11-pound parcel
to customer in Willmar than Will
mar merchant would be required to
paw to deliver the same package.
It would appear, however, that one
, purpose of the postoffice department
in the handling of the parcel posts is