The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-07-25
PARCEL POSTAGE
GREATLY REDUCED.
Weight Limit to be Raised to Twenty
Pounds, August 10.

" elSnt W u0 ndlSCu ~ 1"Chty
Pounds, August 10.
Washington.-Post General
Burleson has announced a series of
changes in the operation of the Par
eel Post System, including an in
crease in the maXimum-weight limit
of packages; a reduction in the rates
of postage within the first and sec
ond zones and the substitution of a
convenient rate chart for the parcel
post map in determining postage
rates.
The following changes are to be
effective on August Is:
The first zone shall include the
territory within the local delivery of
any office, and the first-zone rate of
postage will apply to all parcel post
mail deposited at any Office for local
delivery or for delivery by city car
rier or on rural routes emanating
from that postoffice.
The second zone shall include the
remainder of what is now the first
zone together with the present sec
nod zone, and shall include all the
units of area located in whole or in
part within a radius of approximately
$50 miles from any given postoffice.
The rate of postage on parcels
weighing in excess of four ounces in
the proposed first zone, that is, for
local delivery, will be reduced from
cents for the first pound and 1 cent
for each additional pound or fraction
thereof to 3 cents for the first pound
and 1 cent for each additional two
pounds or fraction thereof. The
rate for the proposed second zone,
that is, the territory embraced within
a radius of $50 miles from any given
postoffice, will be reduced from
cents for the first pound and 2 cents
for each additional pound (the pres
ent first zone rate) or cents for the
| first pound and cents for each ad-
ditional pound or fraction thereof
| (the present second zone rate), to 5
cents for the first pound and l cent
for each additional pound or fraction
thereof
The maximum weight of parcel
post packages will be increased from
eleven pounds to twenty pounds, the
increase of weight to apply only to
the first and second zones. No
change has been made in the re-
strictions as to the size and form of
the package.
The changes decided upon by the
Postmaster General are somewhat in
the nature of an experiment, and it
is expected that the experience gain
ed in their operation will afford a
valuable basis upon which to pre-
dicate future changes in reducing
rates of postage and increasing the
limit of weight 1t is the belief of
the Postmaster General that the in
crease in the weight limit and the
reduction of the rates of postage in
the first and second zones, as an
nounced, will greatly benefit more
! than one-third of the public, and
that the producer, the consumer and
the local merchant will profit there
by.
The rate chart, which is to be used
as substitute for the parcel post
map, will be prepared as soon as
practicable, and when prepared, at
| tached to the parcel-post guide.
From it the rates of postage to and
| from postoffices throughout the
United States may be the more
easily ascertained.
The insurance fee, which original
| ly was 10 cents, was found to be ex-
cessive, and Postmaster General
Burleson has, by order effective July
| 1, 1913, reduced to 5 cents the fee
on parcels insurd to actual value up
to $25, and a 10-cent fee is exacted
only on parcels insured to actual
value of more than $25 and not ex-
ceeding $50. Under this arrange
ment the business of insuring pack
ages has more than doubled, particu-
larly in the sending of valuable mer-
| chandise.