The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-01-08
HITCHCOCK lkAUGURATTS TRE
PARCELS POST SEkYICE
OFFICIAL FIRST PACKAGE
Postmaster General Sends Silver Low
ing Cup to His Subordinate in Neu
York, Thus Starting the Govern
neats Latest Enterprise--We4s
Into Anernt;or Januarv
Into Operation January I.

As the clocks licked OF the 9rst
seconds OF 1913, Postmaster General
Hitchcock inaugurated connection
with the new era in the American
postal service by depositing In the
Washington postoffice the first Dacs~
,ge to be entrusted to the domestic
,arcels post service. The strokes OF
he last hour of 1912 were dying
lway when the postmaster general
topped up to the newly painted in
scription Parcels Post Packages
md handed in the Official first pack
lge." Al the same moment the par
:els post service was opened for bus
ness in every postofice in the Unit
I'd States open at that hour. :.
Postmaster General Hitcheock's
'ackage contained silver loving cup
nclosed in a stout box. The pack
.se was addressed to E. u. Morgan.
postmaster of the city Of New YORK.
nd after it has made its journey to
Iew York it will be sent back 70
Washington to be engraved and pre-
.erved in the national museum TO
commemorate the Inauguration Of
he parcels post service.
The postmaster general paid for
7 cents, worth Of stamps affixed to
no package, which weighed about
wo pounds. OF this II cents was for
egular postage and 10 cents for 'in-
urance," or registration.
Elaborate preparations had Been
ade by the postonlce department for
- Inauguration Of the new service
throughout the country. The posi-
laster set aside $4,000 from the
10000 appropriated by congress
or the parcels post to be used In
'quipping the Offices in largest eft
-es for handling the great amount o.
natter expected to be sent by the new
service. This sum was divided pro
alta among the big Offices and the ve-
'ious postmasters were allowed to
,se their own discretion IN the expea-
'iture OF the funds for additional
Jerks and for delivery service. Auto
Mobile delivery trucks were provided
n several cities.
Mr.. Hitchcock has ordered from
be postm asters In charge OF the Of
ices reports on the workings OF tas
parcels post to be submitted January
s. On these reports will be based
, comprehensive plan for handling
he new service and the estimates for
appropriations to conduct the service
Turing the next fiscal year. Several
postmasters have already reported
hat large department stores and
nail order houses in the big cities
ave signifled their intention Of u~-
;rg the parcel post for local delivery
TO replace local express companies
and package service.
On the extent OF this character OF
business will depend to q great de-
gree the size of the force and equip
nent necessary to handle the adds
sionsl business to be done BY the
ocst-of.ce department.
This occasion marks the eulrt-
nation OF years Of work and develop.
nent and forecasts more work and
development" said Postmaster Cen
,ral Hitchcock. as he turned in hss
rsckase to Assistant Postmaster hoo-
'nson and Granville Hunt. superin-
tendent Of registry, Of the Washing
ton postoffice. The postmaster gen
eral deposited the frs, packase on
der the hre OF a battery. of cameras
and moving picture machin"s and "a
he turned away from the window no
held an impromptu reception for the
officials Of the department who haa
accompanied him on his errand>