Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-03-28


nv the rapid increase in the number
of bundles sent out and received by
mail In January the sale of parcel
post stamps at the local postoffice
amounted to about $50, in February
II increased to over $40 and this
month will show a much larger gain.
The business is constantly increasing
and the number of packages re-
ceived here by mail has more than
doubled since the first of the year,
when the parcel post system went
into effect. The city carriers have
been unable to handle the increased
amount of mail even by working
overtime and an extra man has been
employed to assist them If the
business continues to increase it will
be necessary to put on a wagon to
deliver the packages.
The experience of the local office
is only typical of every other office
according to reports received by the
department.. The parcel post service
has now been in operation nearly
three months, and along with the
surprises it has given in it's WON
derful growth have come many try
ing conditions, which the postoffice
department is laboring to relieve.
That this new feature has furnished
trouble abundant for postoffice en-
ployes is true, and yet the amusing
features have been many, firstly be-
cause of the disposition to test it's
efficiency, and more particularly
since its efficiency and wide scope
have been proven practical. Bull
dogs, pitch forks, jack rabbits,
spades, horned owls, stove CRATES,
mince pies, shot guns, crabs and
shrimp, collins, cut flowers, a brick
mouse and one baby are some of the
thousands of articles that have flood
ed postoffices to be transferred in
the mails. Apparently there is lit
Tie doubt that it will serve the many
AoOus Vi the populace.
Practical tests have been made by
reading newspapers as to the eff
ciency Of the parcel post when COM
pared with service by express COM
panies Leading in this was a Chi
cago paper which had dispatched
from washington, D. c., New York
ana Springfield, ILL.,, identical par
csis at the same hour. Each test
favored the parcel post system as
ioilows In the first instance, time
saved hours and "a minutes, and
% cents. In the second, 90 hours
ana DO minutes, and 23 cents In
the third, l hour and SO minutes,
ana 2 cents more by post.
inasmuch as one of the last rec
lamentations made by ex-Postmas-
YET General Hitchcock was that re-
punishment of parcel post rates be
MADE at once, whereby the cost of
transportation would be materially
uecreased, 1t appears that many more
u'antages are to accrue to patrons
y Inc system at an early date. 1t
. NOT difficult to determine whence
zane the great volume of business
90 we note that one express COM
pany alone in New York City dis
sA'ised 10 of its employees since the
inauguration of the system At the
same time rs additional employees
"ere added to the postoffice force
u the same city
from reports made by fifty of the
aisest offices in the United States,
was estimated that more than
.'oVu'oOO packages were sent by par
vi post during the first week of it's
1'eer' This, with the fact that Chi
eo alone has handled more than
!, sV'Voo packages in one day, and
stamp sales of the same city
lave In one day been $4,000 more
an on any previous day in its his
's' provide the greatest proof of
'ue magnitude of Uncle Sans latest
a'ion for the benefit of his peo-
@ Like increases in postal re-
sApts throughout the country give
ui'ional proof of its success.
=. me principal difficulty in han
ns the parcel post business both
- 'ne advantage of the patron and
e postal employe still remains. 1t
seems difficult task to impress
spon people the fact that the dis
' parcel post stamp is necessary,