The Springfield herald., 1912-12-27
APPROVES RULES
[ FOR PARCEL POST
Postmaster General Issues Reg
uIations Governing System.
WHAT MAY BE SENT BY MAIL
Gives American People Opportunity to
Send Farm and Factory Products
by Mail From and to Any
Point In United States.

| Postmaster General Hitchcock has
just approved the regulations which
cover in detail the articles which may
or may not be sent by parcel post
| These regulations are now being
turned off at the government printing
office on rush order" and they will
be distributed as rapidly as possible.
The rules as to what can be sent
| and what cannot be sent and the In
structions for the preparation OF mail
able articles with other official ad-
vice" are given here as they have just
been prepared by the postoffice de-
partment in Washington.
The minimum rate will be five cents
for the first pound and three cents for
each additional pound to any point not
! exceeding fifty miles from the office of
mailing; the local rate, which is five
! cents for the first pound and one cent
for additional pound. applies to all
| parcels the delivery OF which does not
involve their transportation on rail-
| way lines. The rates increase for
each successive one of the eight zones,
the maximum rate being twelve cents
a pound. which will carry parcel
across the continent or to any of our
possessions. Parcels will be limited
to eleven pounds In weight and six
feet in length and girth combined.
MaiIabie PerishabIe Articles.
Butter, lard and perishable articles
such as fish. fresh meats, dressed
fowls. vegetables, fruits, berries and
articles of similar nature that decay
quickly, when SO packed or wrapped
as to prevent damage to other mall
matter, will be accepted for local de
livery either at the office of mailing or
on any rural route starting therefrom
When inclosed in an inner cover and
strong outer cover of wood, met
al, heavy corrugated pasteboard or
other suitable material and wrapped
so that nothing can escape
from the package, they will be &C
cepted for mailing to any offices with
in the first zone or within a radius Of
so miles. Butter lard, or any greasy
or oily substance intended for deliv-
cry at offices beyond the first zone
must be suitably packed. Vegetables
and fruit that do not decay quickly
will be accepted for mailing to any
zone if packed so as to prevent dam
age to other mail matter. Eggs will be
accepted for local delivery when Sc
curely packed in a basket or other
container. Eggs will be accepted for
mailing regardless of distance when
each egg is wrapped separately and
packed in a container
There is no restriction on sailed.
dried, smoked or cured meats and
other meat products. but fresh meat
in any form will be transported only
within the first zone.
Parcels containing perishable artI-
Giles must be marked "PERISHABLE,"'
and articles likely to spoil within the
time reasonably required for trans
portation and delivery will not be &C
cepted for mailing.
Manufactured Articles.
Manufacturers or dealers intending
to transmit articles in considerable
quantities are asked to submit to the
postmaster for approval a specimen
parcel showing the manner of pack
ing
When sharp pointed instruments are
offered for mailing. the points must be
capped or encased. Blades must be
bound so that they will remain at
tached to each other or within their
handles or sockets.
In Powders, pepper snuff, or other
similar powders not explosive, or any
similar pulverlzed dry substance. not
poisonous, may be sent when incloscd
in cases made of metal, wood or other
material to render impossible the es-
cape of any of the contents. Flour
of all kinds must be put up In such
manner as to prevent the package
breaking or the flour being scattered
in the mails.
Queen Bees and Nursery Stock.
Queen bees, live isects, and dried
reptiles may be mailed in accordance
with the regulations that now apply to
other classes of mail.
Seeds of fruit, nursery stock, and all
other plant products for preparation
may be mailed under the same CON
ditions.
Confectionery and Soap.
Candies, confectionery. yeast cakes,
soap in hard cakes. etc, must be in
closed in boxes and so wrapped as to
prevent injury to other mall mat
ter
Sealed original packages Of proprI-
etory articles, such as soaps, tobacco.
p'' T, tablets, etc, put up in fixed
ntities by the manufacturer, and
in themselves unavailable will
be accepted for mailing when properly
wrapped.
Millinery.
Fragile articles, such as millinery,
toys, musical instruments. etc. and ar
ticles consisting wholly or in part Of
glass, or contained in glass, must be
securely packed and the parcel stamp
ed or labeled FRAGILE"
Unavailable Matter
The following matter is declared I'M
mailable by law:
Matter manifestly obscene, lewd, or
lascivious; articles intended for pre-.
venting conception; articles intended
for indecent or immoral purposes; all
matter otherwise mailable by law, the
outside cover or wrapper of which
bears and delineation or language of
libelous, scurrlous, defamatory, or
| threatening character. All such mat
| ter, when deposited in a post office or