Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-02
PARCELS POST A !.
new YEARS GIFT
THE NEW SYSTEM OF PACKAGES
BY MAIL is TO BE GIVEN
TRIAL WEDNESDAY

I Washington, D. c., Dec. 31.--A New
Years gift by the American govern
ment to the American people will be
a thoroughly equipped domestic par.
Gel post. Congress, last August, author.
lied the postmaster general to estab'
fish the new system on January i,
| 1913.
| In actual operation it is expected
that the parcel post will bring the
factory and the farm into closer touch
with the consumer, and that it may
reduce the cost of living.
The new system will be direct
! competitor of the express companies,
particularly on small package business.
BY it shippers practically may send
from their own doors parcels to any
one of the $4,000 postoffices in the
United States.
The rates of postage for parcel post
matter differ from those of other
classes of mail. First. second and third
class mail matter now Is transported
at flat rate for any distance. Parcel
post rates are based upon series OF
zones, and they increase as the dis
lance increases. The first zone in
cludes all territory within a radius Of
approximately fifty miles from the
postoffice at which the parcel may be
mailed; the second $50 miles, the
third 900 miles; the fourth 600 miles;
the fifth 1000 miles; the sixth 1,400
miles; the seventh. 1900 miles, and
the eighth all territory beyond 1900
miles.
Weight Limit Eleven Pounds.
BY the terms of the law all matter
not now embraced in the first. second
and third classes of mail matter may
be forwarded by parcel post, provided
single package does not exceed
eleven pounds in weight or is not
greater in dimensions than seventy
two inches in combined length and
girth, and is not of such a character
as to iniure postal employees or dam
age equipment or other mail matter.
The rates are computed on the dis
lance and on the weight of the pack
age in pounds Provision is made, how
ever, for small packages weighing from
one to four ounces, which may be sent
at a flat rate of 1 cent for each ounce;
but for packages weighing more than
four ounces the pound rate of postage
applies.
Within the postal district OF any
Dostoffice local rate Of 5 cents for
the first pound and cent for each ad-
ditional pound is prescribed. Within
the fifty miles representing the first
zone the rate is cents for the first
pound and cents for each additional
pound. This rate increases with the
distance until it reaches a maximum
of - cents pound for delivery within
the eighth zone.
Maximum Rate Twelve Cents.
The maximum rate of IL cents a
pound applies on all parcels except
those weighing four ounces or less, ad-
dressed to any point In Canada, Mexico
Cuba and the Republic Of Panama.
The domestic rate also applies to any
point in the Hawaiian islands, the
United States postal agency at Shang
hal, any point in Alaska, and between
any two points In Alaska. It applies
likewise to parcels mailed in the
United States for delivery in the canal
zone and to parcels going to or com.
ing from the Philippine islands.
The service will extend over more
than 1.435,oOO miles of transportation
lines, including 233,S99 miles Of rail-
ways, 164,399 miles Of star routes, 90
2S3 miles of steamboat lines and 1907
772 miles OF rural mail routes.
For parcels post matter, distinc-
tive set Of postage stamps has been
provided If the packages bear ordi-
nary postage stamps they will be held
for nOstape