Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-01-14
PARCEL POST
Map FOUND
INCORRECT
Engraver Discovers Error Which
Costs Patrons Of System
Big Sum.
AFFECTS ALL POST OFFICES.
Mistake Brought to Light When
Wisconsin Firm Refuses
Order.
AFFECTS ALL POST OFFICES.

Des Moines, Jan. 11.-Patrons of
the parcel post all over the United
States have been overcharged to an
extent that probably will aggregate
million dollars in the ten days the
system has been in operation, If a
discovery made in Des Moines yes
terday may be relied upon as accur-
ate, and, apparently, there is no .rea-
son to question it. The discovery
was made yesterday afternoon that
in the official maps furnished by the
postoffice department the first zone
has radius only OF about thirty
five miles instead of the fifty miles
stipulated by the law.
The refusal of a Evansville, Wis,
firm to accept $3.50 worth Of parcel
post maps of Wisconsin designed for
commercial purposes by Des
Moines printing company was re-
sponsible for the discovery. The
company said the maps did not tally
with the official maps furnished by
the government and approved by
Frank H. Hitchcock, postmaster
general. The company reexamined
its maps. On each of them it was
found the first zone was exactly fif-
ty miles, the second $50, and SO on,
as intended by the wording of the
postoffice regulations.
So an official map was unfolded.
When the zones as marked by red
circles were measured according to-
the scale of miles, the diameter of
the first zone was found to be not
100 miles, but nearer seventy. There
is no error in the other zones.
The map of the United States is
divided into thousands of units, and
the postoffices of the different units
have different zones. 1t is said,
however, that the same plates were
used In putting the circles on each
map, and il this is true the error
affects every one of the $4,000 post
offices in the United States. The,
maps bear the imprint of a firm of
photographers in Baltimore, and
carry facsimile OF the signature of
Postmaster General Hitchcock,
showing they have been passed up
on officially.
The discovery of the error was
made by Oliver H. Crib, manager
If the engraving department of the
Kenyon Printing & Manufacturing
company. Mr.. Crib reported his
discovery to John A. Ryan, assist
mt postmaster, showing him a map
with a circle having fifty mile ra-
illus drawn around the zone in
which the Des Moines postoffice is
coated. The circle is much larger
than that of the government maps.
Mr.. Ryan told Mr.. Crib the error
would be reported to the department.
1t once.
1T means that patrons of every
,ostoffice in the United States have
,een paying for the $50 mile zone
n many cases where they were ship
,ing to towns not fifty miles away"
aid Mr.. Crib, commenting on the
discovery. 1.-THE scale on the gov
,rnment map shows in itself that
he first circle is wrong. All the
,ther circles correspond to the
cale."
L. G. Kurtz, postmaster, had not
leard Of the discovery Of Mr.. Crib
,efore he was told about it last ev-
,ning.
eve have discovered few other
title errors in the system" said MI.
Iurtz. "and reported them to the
department.. In each instance they
nave been corrected"