The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-21
AN EXPLANATION
OF PARCELS POST LAW
Postmaster Bisbee Of the Barre Office
Makes Statement Of General In
formation Which Will Be Val
liable to the Public.

In response To request from TIL
Times. Postmaster Bisbee OF the Barr
postoflice has prepared statement o
general information concerning the new
parcels post law, which goes into effect
ON January /, next. The statement
follows;
"Tn view OF inquiries received in re
gard to the new parcel post law, re
Gently enacted by Congress, which Is
TO be put in operation on and after
January /, next, il is thought a few
words concerning il may be useful to
patrons of this office. 1t must be re.
membered the law applies only to do
nestle matter. or mail sent for delivery
within the United States.
"The law does not change the regula-
tons concerning mail dispatched for de-
livery in foreign countries; and all such
mail will be treated as heretofore. Be-
fore the enactment of the new law, the
fourth.class rate or that charged for
sending merchandise. through the mails
was one cent an ounce, irrespective of
the distance il was TO be sent; and the
limit of weight of each parcel was four
pounds. According to the new law, the
| limit of weight is eleven pounds; but
the combined length and girth OF the
package cannot exceed six feet, and the
postage or rate charged for its trans
portation is to be controlled by the dis
lance it is to be sent.
"The law divides the country into
eight postal zones; and the unit of each
zone is the postoiiice from which the
mail is dispatched The way of fixing the
first zone from this Office is to describe
a circle on a map of the United States,
the center of which is Barre, and the
radius fifty miles. All the postoffices
within such circle will take the first
zone rate from Barre. The other zones
to be ascertained by describing such
circles with radius Of $50 300, 600,
100, 400 and 800 miles, respectively,
and each zone will take its rate pre-
scribed for postoffices located within
such zone. All mail sent over 1880
miles to take the eighth zone rate from
the place of dispatch.
"The postoffice department is prepar-
ing for use at postotfices, and by rura
carriers, such maps with circles indicat-
ing the zones from each postofiice there !
on. IL is estimated more than 100000 |
OF such maps will be required in the
service; and the department. is also pre-.
pairing an official guide to be supplied I
with the maps, containing all the regula-
tons that have been adopted for the
conduct of the service according TO the
law. 1t is expected the maps and guides
will reach the postmasters about DE.
,ember 10. When the postal savings i
law was enacted, the postoffiee depart
nent was given some discretion and one
Dostofiice in each state was designated
Is a depository to ascertain it's praeti.
al operation before the service was ex-
ended and other branches OF the postal
eryice have been established in like
manner. But no discretion was given as
o the parcel post law, and it goes into
fleet all over the country on January /,
iext. / do not know how much addi-
ional equipment, If any, will be re-
uired to properly conduct the work at
his office. when the law goes into ef-
ect; and | do not know OF anyone who II
oes know.
1--WE must find out BY doing the best
re can until the effect of the law is
scertained. There are some provisions
the law. however | wish to empha- II
ize: Nothing but the new parcel post
lamps can be used on all merchandise
r fourth-class matter after the new II
Nv goes into effect.
This is so provided by the new law,
nd from which there is no escape. In
Their words, il a patron comes to the
ARE postofiice with package or par
i to be sent to postoffice, say within
he second zone; il is rated up at Doc;
ne Of the new issue of stamps attached, b
nd the package sent. On the follow
g or some subsequent day the patron d
ishes to send to the same place pack
re of like kind and weight but at NJ
ches ten two.cent. or any of the ordi- OF
Try stamps, that will total 20c, and
nds il to the postofiice. The package d.
mot be sent; and there is no provi- fc
on in the law whereby stamps spoiled
such manner can be redeemed Il
"The new parcel post stamps can be ca
'tained like any other postage stamps
the postoffce; but they are not good re
r use on any other kind of mail mat st
r. Our supply of the new stamps has A
t yet arrived. but no doubt they will
me before the law goes into effect. O
,ry likely the purpose OF Congress in hs
DIVIDING the service be conducted by 81
G Of special stamps was so it might
known how much the service cost the nc
vernment; and the rates be readiusted yo
fit the actual expense of maintain ha
, it.
'All parcels will be mailable only at n,
2 postofiice. N,
All parcels must bear the return co
d of the sender; otherwise they can
be accepted for mailing. 1t may be NJ
, provisions of the law are not all FIR
feet and it may be it will have to del
amended from time to time after pr,
actual operation has been tried, and cir
at we want ascertained. As we stat
the official manual has not been pr,
eived from the department, but the the
lowing schedule of rates appeared in col
newspaper published in Washington, dan
'oted exclusively to postal matters, Gro
very likely they are correct: Jea
Each diff
addi- act
First ton IL
Distances. ID. al ID. lbs. Def
raj and city delivery s .05 s .0l s Is 'Tl
thin 50 miles ... .05 .03 IS I
thin $50 miles ~ .06 .04 .46 VIII