The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-01-01
PARCELS POST
STARTED TODAY.
Uncle Sans Express Business Is Ex-
pected to Cut Down the High
Cost Of LIy-
OF SCHEME
Special Stamps Must be Used and
Packages Must be Weighed and
Mailed at the
Office
FEATURES OF SCHEME

UNITED Press special Servicel
4 WASHINGTON, JAN /. Uncle
Sans scheme to assist MIR. Ultimate
Consumer in coping with the high cost
OF living went into effect today. The
parcels post was inaugurated through
out the nation; the federal govern
ment began its competition against
the express companies.
kilograms from postmasters to the
postofilce department here today in
dicated that the general public has
taken hold of the parcels plan with
enthusiasm. The first days business
promises to be of an enormous mag
nitude
Uncle Sans express business is
expected to aid in cheaper marketing
of food products and to lessen trans
portation cost in small packages
sort of matter in which the express
companies have heretofore had prac-
tical monopoly, because of the high
postage rate. The United States is
one of the last of the worlds great
nations to adopt the parcels post. The
plan has been in operation in Europ-
can countries for several years.
As with express packages the rates
under the parcels post plan depend on,
the distance the mail matter is sent
Packages weighing four ounces or
less will be sent at the old postage
rate of one cent an ounce, to all sec
tons of the country. The largest pack
age mailable under the parcels post is
eleven pounds.
The minimum rate under the new
plan will be FIVE cents for the first
pound and three cents for each addi-
tional pound to any point not exceed
| ing fifty miles from the Office OF mail
ling. The local rate, which is Eve
cents for the nrst pound and one cent
for each additional pound, applies to
all parcels the delivery Of which
does not involve their transportation
on railway lines and this means on
rural routes or local carriers rounds.
The rates increase for each success
sive one of the eight zones, into
which the postofice department has
divided the country, the maximum rate
being twelve cents a pound, which
will carry parcel across the con-
tinent or to any of the possessions of
this country. All parcels must not be
more than six feet long or six feet in
girth.
A mailable parcel may be insured
against loss in an amount equivalent
to its actual value, but not to ex-
coed $50.
The United States has been divided
into units, thirty minutes square
There are eight zones surrounding
each unit, the last zone including the
Philippine Islands and the farther
most places on this continent. An
eleven pound package to the islands
will cost S132.
The parcels post is far more com
prehensive than the average person
thinks. 1t is possible under 1t to
send almost any kind OF package 9TH
er than explosives, poisons, fire arms,
Intoxicating beverages, or obscene
matter.
Among the mailable matter are.
Butter, eggs, vegetables, lard, fresh
meats. groceries. medicines, pastes,
salves. seeds of fruit. nursery stock,
candies, confectionery, yeast cakes,
soap, -four, meal, millinery, toys,
musical instruments. sailed, dried and
smoked meats; ink powders, pepper
snuff and paper.
OF instructions in wrapping pack
ages, the postoffice department puts
particular stress on the shipment Of
eggs. Each egg must be wrapped sep
arately and surrounded with excel
sior, cotton, or other suitable ma
terial, and packed in container made
OF double corrugated pasteboard, met
al or wood in such manner as to place
each egg On its end and to prevent
them from striking together or against
the side or top of the container. They
must be SO closely wrapped that even
in case one should break there would
be no leakage out in the other mail.
Parcels post packages are stamped
and mailed just as other mail matter
the only difference being that spec
ial stamps must be used Packages
prepaid with ordinary stamps Will be
carried at regular mail rates, any diff
ference being collected from the adj
dressee. The parcels post stamps are
all green and measure one By one and
cne-half inches--a new size in gov.
eminent stamps. They are obtainable
in nearly all denominations up to 81
1.-The subjects of the engravlngs be.
ing:
Postofice Clerk
Getty Carrier
sc-@Railway Postal Clerk,
4cRural Carrier.
Be- Mail Train.
loo" Steamship and Mar. Tender,
A 4