Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-12-07
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Endorses Purpose of
BurIeSon to Greatly Extend
Service of Department
PLAN EFFECTIVE ON
FIRST OF NEXT YEAR
Cheaper Charges in All Zones
Though Bigger Packages
Are Permitted Only in First
and Second,

fsY sopmse JOURNAL SPECIAL lrAsuo wsrl
Washington. Dec 6.-Postmaster
General Bprlesons policy TO increase
the weight limits Of parcels post pack
ages in the first and second zones
from twenty to fifty pounds. TO ad-
init books to the parcels post and to
reduce rates in the third fourth, fifth
and sixth zones, was approved today
by the Interstate Commerce commits
sion.
The maximum weight Of parcels 20
an zones beyond the second. was in
creased from eleven to twenty pounds.
The commissions consent to the
proposed changes was transmitted in
three letters from Chairman clark TO
Postmaster General Burleson The
approved changes In rates and weights
to be in effect January !. 1914, fol-
low:
To reduce the rates for the third
zone from cents for the first pound
and cents for each additional pound
TO cents for the first pound ana 2
cents for each additional pound
To reduce the rates for the fourth
zone from cents for the first pound
and 6 cents for each additional pound
TO cents for the first pound and 4
cents for each additional pound.
To reduce The rates for the fifth
zone from cents for the mst pound
and Z cents for each additional pound
to cents for the first pound and 6
cents for each additional pound
To reduce the rates for the sixth
zone from 10 cents for the first pound
and 9 cents for each additional pound
to 8 cents for the first pound and s
cents for each additional pound.
1T seems obvious, says the COM
mission, that the service TO the pub
lie viii be promoted by these changes
provided the revenue from the service
is not less than the cost thereof Your
experiences and statistics seem to
show clearly that the revenue will not
be less than the cost of the service.
We can conceive of no opposition
TO the increased weights and reduced
rates proposed except from the car
rlers that transport the mails. We have
had some objections from them on
the ground that the increased weight
should not be permitted until provi-
sion for additional compensation to
the carriers has been made.
Ii is provided by the postmaster
general. with the consent Of the com
mission, that the rate of postage on
parcels containing books weighing
eight ounces or less shall be / cent
for each two ounces or fractional part
thereof, and on those weighing in ex-
cess of eight ounces, these one zone
parcel rates shall apply
This is to be effective March 16,
1914
Serious objections TO the proposed
change in the rates on books and
were made chiefly by
mailefs Of heavy catalogues, but the
commission says it feels that the
changes are in the interest of the
public generally
Consent also was given by the com
to the admission Of shipments
of gold gold bullion and gold dust
in Alaska and 10 and from Alaska in
packages weighing not more than
eleven pounds The rate of postage
fixed is cents an ounce or fraction
thereof for all distances.
'rhe postmaster general issued an
order effective August is. last, in
creasing the weight limit in the first
and second zones from eleven to
twenty pounds and materially .reduc- |
ing the rates Of postage for these zones (
and stated at that time that this step l
was in the nature of an experiment I
said the statement issued tonight by /
the postoffice department.
After these changes had been in
effect for some time, record was
kept Of packages handled in a num-
ber Of large representative postoffices
the United states. and re-
ports received from these offices show
hat the changes in the service had
been greatly appreciated by the pub
ic The number Of parcels handled
N the first and second zones since
these changes became effective show
an increase Of approximately l6 per
,ent. The average weight has also in
,reased from l.l TO A.f pOuhus per
parcel and Notwithstanding the great
reduction in rates in the first and
iecond zones, the average package I
las increased from ~ cents a parcel
% 10 cents
The statement SAYS as to the change
relating to books that it has been
irged by circulating Libraries, schools.
colleges and publishers ever since the /
,arcels post service began. as the pres
mt restrictive weight limit and rates
N books are prohibitive TO "A great
xteni, except in the case Of cata-
ogues, ana that it was not deemed
advisable 10 place the order changing