The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-12-12
Parcel Post Christmas Hints

be called upon to perform her
cu1ean task in the next three weeks
in connection with the transporta.
ton and delivery of millions Of
Christmas gifts. Postmaster
general A. S. Burleson, who is
responsible for the conduct of this
service, has made extraordinary
preparations to prevent congestion
in postoffices and to insure prompt
delivery of these parcels. Several
thousand additional employees will
be added to the force in the larger
cities during the holiday season
and the collection and delivery
equipment will be augmented
wherever necessary. Every pos
sible effort has been made to
strengthen these parts of the postal
organization which will be under
the greatest strain to handle sue
cessfuliy the avalanche of parcels
that will be thrown upon it during
the rush period.
The postmaster general has
caused to be printed for distribu-
ton Throughout the country hun
dreds of thousands of circulars and
placards containing directions for
the proper preparations of Christ
mas gifts for transportation of mail
and the following rules and sug,
gestions have been given out by
the department.
Christmas gifts sent by mail
should be wrapped securely. The
containers or wrappers should be
sufficiently strong to Withhold the
necessary handling incident to
transportation and delivery.
Glassware, crockery, Christmas
toys easily breakable, glass framed
pictures, ETC., should be carefully
packed in boxes of metal, wood
leather, or corrugated pasteboard
with sufficient excelsior, raw cotton
or similar matter to prevent the
contents from coming into contact
with any portion of the box.
These parcels should be marked
Fragile" Postmasters will refuse
to accept for mailing packages that
are insecurity prepared.
Parcels should be addressed
plainly, The addresses should be
complete and plainly written in
ink. The regulations require that
parcel post packages should bear
names and addresses of both sender
and addIesse. If tag is used the
names and addresses of the sender
and the addresse should also be
written on the parcel itself.
Parcels sent in advance of
Christmas may be marked Not to
be opened until Christmas or some
similar direction. Written or
printed messages such as Merry
Christmas" Best Wishes" etc.
may be enclosed in parcels, but no
other written or printed communi-
cation should be placed therein, as
this will subject the parcel to a
higher rate of postage. Parcels
should not be sealed or otherwise
closed against inspection. Sealed
parcels are subject to the frst-class
rate of postage.
Photographs, printed books, and
other printed matter are not in
cluded in the parcel post, but the
third-class matter on which the
postage rate is / cent for each two
ounces or fraction thereof.
Parcels not exceeding four ounces
in weight may be mailed in street
boxes, when prepared in conform
ity with the foregoing require
ments. The postage on such
packages is uniformly l cent for
each ounce or fraction thereof
Parcels weighing more than four
ounces are mailable only at the
main postoffce or its stations.
Ordinary postage stamps are
valid for postage on parcel post
matter. Christmas stamps or
stickers of any kind other than
postage stamps should not be
placed on the address side of mail
matter, as this renders such matter
unavailable.
Valuable parcel post packages
may be insured against loss in an
amount not exceeding SIS on pay
ment of a fee of 5 cents in addition
to the postage, and for fee of 10
cents, such packages will be in
sured in any amount not exceeding
$50.