The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-12-30
PARCEL POST MAY
REDUCE LIVING COST
Will Bring the factory and the Farm
Into Closer Touch With the Con-
sumer-Some Facts About the
New system.

Washington, ID. c. Dec. 80. A New
Years gift by the American government
to the American people will be thor
oughly equipped domestic parcel post
Following consideration OF the subject
in general way for third OF cen
tury; Congress, last August, authorized
the postmaster general to establish tie
new system on January lst, 1913.
In actual operation, il is expected that
the parcel post viii bring the factory
and the farm into closer touch with the
consumer, and that it may reduce the
cost of living. The largest city and
the most obscure hamlet alike will ENJOY
the advantages OF the parcel post. II
viii be open TO all on precisely equa,
terms.
The new system will be a direct COM
retitor of the express companies, par
ticularly on small package business by
it, shippers practically may send from
their own doors, parcels to any one OF
the 10000 postofiices in the United States.
The rate Of postage for parcel post
matter differs radically from those OF
other classes OF mail. First, second and
third class mail matter now is trans
ported at fiat rate for any distance.
Parcel post rates are based upon a series
of zones and they increase as the dis
tance increases The first zone includes
all territory within radius OF approx
imately 30 miles from the postoilice at
which the parcel may be mailed the
second, $50 miles; the third, 800 miles:
the fourth, 600 miles; the fifth, 900
miles; the sixth, l400 miles; the
seventh, 800 miles, and the eighth, all
territory beyond l,S00 miles.
BY the terms of the law, al matter not
now embraced in the first, second and
third, classes of mail matter may be for
warded by parcel post, provided single
package does not exceed II pounds IN
weight or is not greater in dimensions
than ~ inches in combined length and
sirth and is not of such character as
to injure postal employees or damage |
equipment or other mail matter. In a |
word, it will include all kinds OF mer-
The rates are computed on the dis
ance and on the weight of the package /
n pounds. Provision is made however, |
or small packages weighing from one
o four ounces, which may be sent at
fiat rate of one cent for each ounce;
Int for packages weighing more than
our ounces the pound rate Of postage
pplies.
Within the postal district OF any post
ffice local rate of five cents for the
rst pound and one cent for each addi
ional pound is prescribed Within the
Q miles representing the first zone, the
ate is five cents for the first pound and
hree cents for each additional pound
his rate increases with the distance un-
il it reaches a maximum of twelve cents
pound for delivery within the eight
one, 500 miles from the point of
railing. Fl
Under the regulations promulgated
Y Postmaster General Hitchcock, the
iaximum rate of twelve cents pound
pplies on all parcels, except those
eighing four ounces or less addressed /
, any point in Canada. Mexico, Cuba |
nd the Republic of Panama. The /
omestic rate also applies to any point
! the Hawaiian islands, the Unitedi
tates postal agency at Shanghai, to any |
ont in Alaska and between any two |
Dnts in Alaska. 1t applies. likewise, !
parcels mailed in the United States
II delivery in the Canal Zone and to
arcels going to or coming from the
hilippine Islands
In the opinion of the postal experts
e new service will be the most gigantic
proposition ever under
ken by the government, The services
i'll extend over more than l,435,000
lies of transportation lines. including
3 800 miles of railways. I64,3o9 miles
star routes. 29.2S3 miles of steamboat
les, and 1907 ,772 miles Of rural mail
utes.
For parcel post matter. distinctive
t OF postage stamps has been provided "
lese distinctive stamps must be used f,
7 all parcel post matter. If the pack i,
es bear ordinary postage stamps they D
II be held for postage. lii