The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-07-24
TWENTY POUNDS AS MAXIMUM
New Order of Postmaster General Elk
tends Zones and Makes Reduction in
Rates For Carriage of Packages
More Changes to Come Later.

today unofically notices of changes to
be made in the parcel post system
which will 90 into effect on August 18th
and which it is expected will result in
the system being utilized more by the
local merchants and others. BY the new
order the zone for local business is EN-
larged and provision is made for an IN
crease in the maximum weight Of pack
ages to be mailed under the system. In
the notices being sent out from the de-
partment the plan is explained as fol
lows
After weeks of consideration of the
subject, Postmaster General Burleson
submitted to the interstate commerce
commission and obtained its consent to
the following changes, which are to be
effective on August Is:
s9The first zone shall include the ter
ritory within the local delivery Of any
office and the first zone rate. of postage
will apply to all Fparcel post mail de-
posted at any office for local delivery
OF for delivery by city carrier Of on
rural route emanauing from that post
Office.
'SThe second zone shall include the
remainder of what is now the first zone,
together with the present second zone,
and shall include all the units of area
located in whole or i'll part within a
radius of approximately 80 miles from
any given post office.
"The rate of postage on parcels
weighing in excess of four ounces in
the proposed first zone, that is, for To-
cal delivery, will be reduced from 5
cents for the first pound and ! cent for
each additional pound or fraction there
of, to cents for the first pound and /
cent for each additional two pounds or
fraction thereof.
The rate for the proposed second
zone, that is, the territory embraced
within a radius Of $50 miles from any
given post office will be reduced from
5 cents for the first pound and cents
for each additional pound (the present
first zone rate), or 6 cents for the first
pound and 4 cents for each additional
pound or fraction thereof (the present
second zone rate), to cents for the
first pound and / cent for each addi-
tional pound OF fraction thereof.
The maximum weight of parcel post
packages will be increased from II
pounds to 20 pounds, the increase of
weight to apply only to the first and
second zones. No change has been made
in the restrictions as to the size and
form of the package.
Postmaster General Burleson stated
that the changes decided upon are some
what in the nature Of an experiment,
and that it is expected that experience
gained in their operation will afford a
valuable basis upon which to predicate
future changes in reducing rates of
postage and in Increasing the limit Of
weight The statistics collected by the
department show that at least one-t third
of the total number of parcels are han
died within the first and second zones,
now to be consolidated into one zone.
Under regulations adopted by the
postmaster general the use Of distinct
i've stamps is no longer mandatory, and
the public is now permitted to mail
parcels with ordinary stamps affixed
The insurance fee, which originally
was 10 cents, was found to be excessive,
and Postmaster General Burleson has
BY order effective July /, 1913, reduced
to 5 cents the fee on parcels insured to
actual value up to $25 and 10 cent fee
IS exacted only on parcels insured to
actual value of more than $25 and not
exceeding $50.
Under this arrangement the business
of insuring packages has more than
doubled particularly in the sending of
valuable merchandise.