The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-12-28
*For full explanation Of the rates Of postage the First
Zone see the Parcel Post Guide.


er single package to be carried and
should charge in proportion just what
1t does now for one package of IL
pounds weight
Every postmaster in the United
States will have a parcel post map
like the one which is here reproduced
except that the zone lines will be
shown with the unit of his postofiice
as 4 center. All that a postmaster
will have to do when a parcel is pre-
sented for transportation is to find
out in what zone the destination of
the package lies. His table will show
him instantly the rate per pound from
the unit in which his postofflce lies
to the zone OF the packages destina-
tions, the price as has been explained
before, to every postoffice in any one
zone being the same. The parcel post
will take nothing but fourth-class mat.
ter. Printed matter Is still in the
third-class designation. Therefore
books cannot be sent by the parcel
post system. This the postoffice au-
thorities seem to think is in way
unjust and may work a hardship 1t
| may be that in the future the law will
be changed SO as to include all print
| ed matter 1t seems to be certain that
an attempt will be made to bring
about this change as speedily as pos
| sible.
Must Bee: Stamp.
Postmaster General Hitchcock has
| ordered that postmasters be advised
hot ho
accepted for mailing unless they bear
| a distinctive parcel post stamp and
have attached to them the return card
OF the sender. A series OF distinctive
stamps is now in course OF prepara-
ton for this class Of mail as required
! by the law creating the parcel post
| system. Consignments Of these
stamps will be ready for shipment to
| all postof1ces in ample time for the
establishment OF the new system on
New Years day
The postoffice department has given
instruction to every postmaster in the
| country to enlighten his patrons as
J huch as possible on the general sub
| ject OF the parcel post and especially
on the use OF the special stamps and
| the necessary attachment Of the re-
turn card The law requires that all
fourth-class matter mailed Ter JAN
uary l, 1913. without parcel post
stamps attached shall be treated as
Held for postage" matter. Parcel
post packages will be mailable only
at postofiices. branch postofices, let
tered and local named stations, and
such numbered stations as may be
designated by the postmasters
It has been announced by Postmas-
ter General Hitchcock that nearly TO-
900 scales will be required for use in
the parcel post system which is to go
into effect January LIST. He has ac-
cordingly authorized the issuance OF
bids for that number. Two hundred
of the largest postoffices and their
branches will be supplied with auto
| matte springless scales. The next
| class OF offices. numbering about TO-
I. GOO. will be given high grade beam
| scale. while the four class Offices,
| numbering about 55.000 will be fur
| nished with the best spring balances
obtainable, each having a capacity for
| twenty pounds. These scales will be
used by postmasters to determine the
| amount OF postage required on parcel
post packages. The fact that many
Of the postoflces OF the country are