The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-05-14
BUSINESS INCREASES
IN PARCELS POST
A gain of Twelve Million Packages In
Single Month

N Single Month
Washington.-Balt dropped a
notch in the parcel post bust
ness record in March. In jan
uary and February she ranked elev-
enth among the American cities in
the number of parcel-post packages
handled through her postofIice. In
March she fell to twelfth place, yield
ing the eleventh position to Buffalo,
N. Y, which handled $500 more
packages than the Monumental City.
During March 613,552' packages
were handled by parcel post through
the Baltimore office. OF these 254,-
664, were received and 358,S88 were
dispatched. The difference between
the number OF packages dispatched
and receivedin Baltimore is about
100000. In Chicago the difference is
100000; in New York, 100000;
and In Boston more than 100000.
The volume Of business in other cities,
which rank ahead of Baltimore is
made up largely in outgoing pack
ages, indicating that the merchants
are utilizing the parcel post to reach
customers in their trade territory.
The fiTures given out by Postmaster
General Burleson today show that
1Ba0Q0,0OO packages have been
handled through the parcel post dur
ing the three months 1t has been es-
tablished. During March62, ,000,0 900
packages were hauled, an INCREASE of
l2,0o0.OO0 over February. During
January, the firt month, 100000
packages were handled. The increase
Of March over January is So per
cent, or 22,OO0,00O packages.
AT the present rate of increase 1t
is believed that 750,O0O,OOO packages
will be handled by parcel post during
the first year of it's operation. The
!'oss..c:a!cc Department parcel post ex-
perts have made no estimate of the
amount of revenue this business will
bring into the Golfers Of the depart
Sment, but offhanded gusses place it
aFound $5O,OOO00O This money will
not only wipe out the deficit in the
A'ostoiiice Department, but 1t is be-
lived 1t will place $15,O0O,0O on the
l'roht side of the ledger. Postmaster
General Burleson, through the leg
islative work of Congressman David
j. Lewis, OF Maryland, the father of
parcel post, will therefore have the
honor of administering the affairs If
the department at big profit during
the hrst year of his tenure Not since
me Postoilice Department has deyelop-
cd into a big business institution has
it been operated with a profit.
Chicago leads all American cities in
the amount of parce-post business.
That city handled 6,S95,744 packages.
New York came next with 5,973,O75.
N5oston third with 1,657,03S. Detroit
Sumped from ninth to fourth place,
1ahdldng over 1,420l00O. Cleveland
dropped back from fourth to sixth
place with 100000. PHILADELPHIA is
fifth with 1.294,954.
Chicagos big volume OF business
is produced by mail-order houses and
"etah mercantile houses who are 90
'nB after country trade. Tons of
packages 1t is said, pass through the
chicago office every day to rural Gus
toners, Boston's big showing is also
due to retail mercantile establish
ments going after trade in the near
by towns and suburbs.
The reports so far show that the
'rucker and rural egg dealer are not
nulzing the parcel post for the de-
ir"ery OF table necessities to city
customers. This character of bust
ness however, may pick up during
The late spring.