Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-05
BLOCK SYSTEM
FOR FIGURING
EXPRESS RATES
Does Away With Complicated
Tariff SChednles-Cuts
Tipping Cost.

The old system OF fixing charges
on express shipments. with It's mil
lions of possible, distinct rates, has
PASSED into oblivion. The adoption by
the express companies of the "block
system, worked out by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, has done
away with the complex tariff books
and substituted rate card and
map of the United States with which
TO make rates.
Under the old way the most expert
rate-maker in the employ of the COM
pAnies made many glazing mistakes.
Under the new scheme It Is said any
enc of ordinary intelligence can de-
kermine a charge correctly at
glance.
The diagram shows an outline map
Of New Jersey. The lines Of longitude
and parallels OF latitude are drawn
through IL. The scheme OF the Inter-
state Commerce Commission divides
the country into blocks approximate
~ fifty miles square. These blocks
are formed by the longitudinal lines
and the latitudinal parallels. New
Jersey Is thus cut up by the seventy
fourth and seventy-ffth lines Of lon
gitude and the thirty ninth, fortieth
and forty-first parallels of latitude.
Each block is numbered, New Jer-
sey being in Nos. $50, ISL. $50, $50,
ISL, 952. 1850 and 1,051. The larger
blocks are divided into sub-blocks,
sixteen to each block Rates are
made BY sub-block when the ship
nlent is from a point in one block to
a point in an adjoining block For
instance, a shipment from any part
Of block o51 to any point in the same
block or any adjoining block $50, S51.
So, $50. 952 or l ,050), would be charged
by the number of sub blocks it
ifsVerses.
a We charge for 100 pounds for four
sob blocks or less is so cents; for
eight sub-blocks, rs cents, and for
more than eight sub-bloclSs, 30 cents.
In figuring the number of sub-blocks
a shipm snt has to travel the count
must always be made along a straight
row or at right angles Thus from
sub-block A to sub-block @ in block
ns1 would be a distance of six blocks
"a "a 70 TO on. The shipment could
not be made in a diagonal line from
to @ which would be only four
sub-blocks. No shipment under the
sub-block system could traverse more
tnan nTteeu blOchir =.
The 60-cent, 75-,eent and 90-cent
rates are made ma of a standing
charge of 20 cents. called terminal
charge. and the rest mileage" and
"haulagc weight" charges. To get
the rate ON a package weighing less
than one hundred pounds. say TWEEN
tv-five pounds, the terminal charge
would first be deducted from the
hundred pound rate and then
charge proportionate with the hun
dred pound rate made on the smaller
package adding again the terminal
charge to get the final rate. :
JExampIe-If a twenty-fve-ponn
package was to be shipped from A TO
II. in No 951, distance of four sub
blocks, the charge would be 80 cents:
The terminal charge, 20 cents, would
FIRST be taken from the 60-cent rate,
leaving 10 cents.
twenty-five pounds is one-fourth
of one hundred. One-tourth OF forty
cents is ten cents and adding the
terminal charge of twenty cents gives
the rate thirty cents. The terminal
eharge is always the same.
when the modified sub block goes
into effect April 1, as planned by the
EXPRESS companies, the rates will be
further reduced For four sub-bioeks
the rate will be so cents, for eight
sub-blocks So cents. and for more
than eight, 50 cents
The express companies will distrib-
ute rate cards showing the charges
for longer interstat shipments.