Evening journal., 1912-09-03

WASHINGTON, sept. o.--AlteI sSF-
eral days spent in conference with the
officers in charge Of the several bran |
ches of the postal service, Postmas- !
ter General Hitchcock has announced |
that the department will be in readi- /
ness on January 1. the date prescrib- /
ed by Congress to put into general
operation the parcels post system au-
thorized in the postal appropriation
bill that became a law last Saturday.
The postal express business that
must be organized in so short a period
will not only cover in it's ramifcations
all systems of transportation now util-
lied by private express companies,
but will be extended to more than a
million miles of rural delivery and
star route service.
This means that the work of organ
izing must be pushed forward with
great speed. A series of committees,
made up of department officers and
postal experts. will work out the de-
tails of the new system. One Of these
committees is already at work. hav-
ing been appointed by the Postmaster
General the day Congess adjourned.
1t consists of Chief Inspector Rob
ert S. Sharp, Superintendent John G.
Rooms of the division OF salaries and
allowances; Chief Clerk A. A. Fisher,
of the Bureau of the Second Assistant
Postmaster General; Chief Clerk Clar-
ence b. Hurry, Of the Bureau Of Third
Assistant Postmaster General. and Su-
perinterdent George l. Wood, or the
rural mails.
To assist this committee various
t.f hafnu CnIpn-
ted from the departments executive
staff. and from the postal service at
large. BY the end of the week Mr.
Hitchcock expects to have the prelimi-
nary organization work we'll under
way
First of all. a classification OF the
articles that can be accepted for trans
portation must be prepared The law
admits to the mails practically all
kinds of merchandise thatcan be safe
ly transported, including products Of
the farm and garden, as well as fac
tory products, provided such articles
do not weigh more than IL pounds
nor exceed 70 inches in combined
length and girth.
The mode Of packing. must be care
fully prescribed. The present equip
ment of the mail service is not adapted
to the carriage of such merchandise
and. therefore. new equipment must
be provided. Special means must be
arranged for the carriage OF fragile
articles.
It is probable that hampers similar
90 those used abroad will be employed
extensively in handling parcel post
mail The style, size and material OF
such hampers and Of other necessary
& equipment must be determined and
advertisements issuel for their pur-
chase. To all these matters the Off
GERS of the department are giving i'm
mediate attention.
The law provides that postage OF
all parcels shall be,prepaid by aftixine
distinctive stamps. This will necessi
tate the manufacture of at least a doz
y en- denominations of special stamps
& ranging from cent 10 81. The de-
signing of these stamps is now undel
way, and the plates for their printing
& will be promptly engraved.
Provision for the collection on de
livery of the price of the parcel, al
well as the postage thereon, must bl
f made and regulations governing thi'
Il phrase Of the question are stherefor'
n being prepared.
The law provides indemnifcatton 70
lost or damaged articles. and sine
many of the articles to,be-carried vii
be of a fragile nature or, ,perishable
the question of indemnitytiss one 70
q careful regulation.
u The system OF distance zones tha
81 IS provided for IN the law require
z the employment by postmasters Of
d distinctive postal map, on which tn
zones are represented. Such a ma
has already been prepared by the de
81 partment, and arrangements are be
Il ing made for the printing of abou
81 100000 in order to supply two copie
a to each postofice and postal station Il
the United States.
Every postoffic' has been numbere
and a directory of all the offices is no,
being compiled for use in applying tn
prescribed rates of postage to the dis
tance shown on the zone maps. Man
thousands Of copies of this director
will have to be printed and distrit
lted.
The question of adequate transpor
alton and terminal facilities for I'll
parcels post on railway and steam
ship lines. and likewise In tie cit
Easnn service, Is one that must