The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1912-09-13
PARCELS POST IN THE
UNITED STATES JAN. |
Farmer May Send Eleven Pounds of Any.
thing BY Mail After That
Date

department would De IN readiness jan
uary l to put into general operation
the recently authorized parcels post
system.
The postal express business, which
must be organized within the next
four months, will extend over more
than 100000 miles of rural delivery
and star routes, and will cover in its
various ramifcations all systems Of par
GELS now utilized by private express
companies.
In order to take up personally and
Immediately the work Of organization
of the new service, Hitchcock has can
celled engagements he had made for
his vacation and will remain in Wash
ington to direct the organization.
First Of ALL" said Mr.. Hitchcock,
must be prepared a classification Of the
articles that can be accepted for trans
portation by parcels post. The law
admits to the mails practically all kinds
Of merchandise that can be transported
safely, including products of the farm
and garden as well as factory, provided
such articles do not weigh more than
eleven pounds nor exceed seventy-two
inches in combined length and girth.
The mode Of packing will be care fully
prescribed. The present equipment
of the mail service is not adapted to
the carriage of such merchandise and
therefore new equipment must be pro-
vided. It is likely we shall extern
sively employ hampers, similar to those
used in foreign countries, in handling
parcels post mail. The style, size and
material Of such hampers must be de-
termined and advertisements issued for
their purchase.
The law provides that postage on
all parcels shall be prepaid by afixing
distinctive stamps. This will necessi-
tate the designing and printing of at
least dozen denominations of special
stamps, ranging in value from l cent
to 81. Provision for the collection on
delivery Of the price of parcel must
be made. Regulations governing this
phase of the system already are being
prepared.
The law provides indemni6cation
for lost or damaged articles, and since
many of the articles to be carried will
be fragile or perishable, the question
of indemnity is one for careful regula-
ton.
"a directory of all Offices is being
compiled for use in applying the pre-
scribed rates Of postage to the dis
tances shown on the zone maps.
THE question OF adequate transpor-
tation and terminal facilities for the
parcels post mail on railway and steam
ship lines and in the city wagon ser
vice will have to be worked out with
such care as to insure the prompt
movements of such mail and to pre-
vent possible congestion of the ordi-
nary mail.
"Any article is mailable if not over
eleven pounds in weight nor more
than 70 inches in length and girth
combined, nor likely to injure the
mails or postal equipment Of employees.
Flat rate of one cent per ounce up
to four ounces, regardless of distance.
Above four ounces, for first pound,
each additional pound and II pounds
upward, respectively, rural route and
city delivery, s, and IS cents, re-
spectively; so mile zone, S, 3 and IS
cents; $50 mile zone, 6, 4 and 46
cents; 800 mile zone, 7, 5 and 50
cents; 500 mile zone, 8, 6 and 6S
cents; 1000 mile zone, 9, and 70
cents; 1,400 mile zone, 10, 9 and 81;
1900 mile zone, II, 10 and Sill;
over 81, 300 miles, II cents and 1872.
The postmaster general may make
provision for indemnity insurance and
collection on delivery, with additional
charges for such service, and may,
with the consent of the interstat COM
merce commission, after investigation,
modify rates, weights and zone dis
tances, when experience has demon
strated the need therefor"
II you are housewife you cannot reason
ably hope to be healthy or beautiful by wash
ing dishes, sweeping and doing homework
all day, and crawling into bed dead tired at
Il