The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-01-16
SAYS SYSTEM WILL
DOUBLE IN VOLUME
Postmaster Haas Is Conf
dent that Parcels Post
Will Increase.
REPORT FOR IS DAYS
Shows that $2O5.35 Was Col
lected as Postage in New
Department.
REPORT FOR IS DAYS
BY POSTMASTER E. N. HAAS.


Since the Parcel Post business is
not operated by private corporation
for profit, but belongs to the govern
ment which operated it solely for the
benefit of the people there Is no rea-
son why the people may not know full
Iy how this new public service Is pro-
crossing, or any information concern
ing it's operation. AS it is a new SER
vice in this country, the methods of
administration and expense of opera
ton could not be definitely fixed until
1t had gone through an experimental
stage. This being a short session of
congress the post office department
had only short time to collect data
on which to base an estimate for the
necessary appropriation to carry on
the service for the current fiscal year,
ending June 80, 1918. The amount of
business transacted in the first 10 days
of the service, which at best can only
be taken as indication of it's possibili-
ties, must serve as the basis for the
estimates.
Details Of Work.
A detailed record of the number of
packages handled, amount of postage
collected and expense of handling it
has been kept for this period in every
Office of the country and the figures
for the local Office will be surprising
to the public. The fifteen days include
three holidays, and it therefore really
only represents IL days of service. The
tabulation shows the following:
Total No. local parcels deliver
ed 90
Total No. of incoming parcels
delivered ................ 3,O89
Total all parcels delivered. 49,. 1926
Total No. parcels despatched. 1885
Total No. parcels in and out. -. 5000
Total No. parcels insured. .... 81
Postage collected on parcels
dispatched .................$2 sos. 35
Average weight of parcels despatch
ed lb. 10 OF.
II 10 entirely proper to make COM
PARSONS with former cost of postage
on this amount of business and also
with express rates to show the benefits
to the public of the service. The 1885
parcels dispatched at the old rate of
one cent an ounce would have cost
$503.1O which makes a saving of $297.-
rs. II we compare it with express
rates the figures are still more favora-
BILE for the public. At the minimum
express rate of 25 cents, the 1885 par
GELS would have cost $483.75. but at
these parcels went to all parts of the
United States. Canada and Great Brit
ain, it would be fair to add at least so
percent to these charges making to-
tai Of $725.52, This would show saw
ing of $520.17 on express charges,
which 10 more than 20 per cent.
viii Increase.
! am quite confident that this ser
vice will double in volume in the local
once within sixty days, and the posi-
bilities Of the local service which has
only averaged z packages per day
will still further increase it. AS the
local service is something entirely new
the development will be slow, but as
local merchants as we'll as farmers
and public generally will use this SER
vice and appreciate it's possibilities, it
will become as popular as rural and
city free delivery. New methods of
merchandise will be developed based
on this new service.
l will be glad to give any informa-
ton or instruction on any phase of
the service at any time. Maps and
guides can be purchased from the
post office department by renting a
post Office money order for seventy
Ave cents to the chief clerk, post office
department, Washington, d. c. This
will enable anyone to rate up parcels,
and does not subject them to any
mysterious rate sheets.