Evening star., 1914-06-08
PARCEL POST WAGONS
WILL CALL FOR MAIL
Greater Facilities Afforded Patrons
in Washington-Rules Gov
erning the Service.

Parcel post service is to be pushed to
the limit of convenience for patrons by
postmaster Praeger of this city, backed
by POSTMASTER General Burleson. Care
fui cooperation on the part Of residents
of Washington may bring about still fur
ther benefits and aid in extending them to
other cities
Beginning this morning, patrons who
have parcels weighing not less than ten
pounds nor more than twenty pounds
may have them called for by the post
office collection wagon upon serving pro-
per notice by telephone. by postal card.
or by notifying the letter carrier on the
route. To notify the main office, patrons
should send their notification to telephone
main 1l4t: those who live in Mount
Pleasant, Washington Heights and Co.
lumbia Heights. may telephone to north
1923; those in Georgetown. to west 80, and
those on Capitol Hill. to Lincoln se1.
Trial First in Washington.
This extension Of the parcel post system
has been authorized by the Post Onice
Department, thus far. only for the city
Of Washington and for shipments weigh
ing not less than ten pounds. Further
extension Of the service will depend upon
the success Of the experiment. In order
to make 1t success, the public must
comply fully with the regulations regard
ing the packing Of parcels.
The collections will be made between
O'Clock in the morning and 8
o'clock in the evening, in the course
of the regular trips of the collection
wagons. These collections range from
fyTyn f,ivN Il to ca1yy .At-
tied sections of the city to eight trips
in the heart of the business section.
The mail collection wagons will be
supplied with scales. and the postage
packages or in cash Collectors are
also authorized to accept insured par
eel post packages. The collector will
not be permitted to wait for the prep
aration of parcel. 1t must be ready
upon his arrival. wroperly wrapped
and addressed. and the collector will
not be permitted to assist in its prepa-
ration. nor to wait until it has been
tied up.
General Instructions.
Persons desiring to ship ordinary
parcels of merchandise direct from
their homes or places Of business must
be guided by the following directions:
The limit of weight of such parcels is
fixed at twenty pounds, except those
for local delivery and in the first and
second zones, where the limit is fifty
pounds. The local rate is applicable
for delivery within the city delivery
limits of Washington or the rural
routes emanating therefrom. Parcels
must not, in size, exceed seventy two
inches in length and girth combined.
The correct way to measure a parcel
is to determine its actual length (the
length being considered the greatest
dimension) and so much of the tape
as may be left should be used in en-
circling the parcel at its greatest girth
'the measuring being done with a
seventy-two inch tape
In measuring an automobile tire or
casing which is so wrapped as to leave
diameter should be taken as the length
and the distance around the body of the
tire-that is, the mere circumference
of the tubing or casing-should be
taken as the girth.
Parcels must be prepared for mail
ing so that the contents may be easily
examined. Each article. ordinary, in
sured or c. o. D., must invariably bear
the name and address of the sender.
Merchandise inclosed in boxes on
which lids are nailed may be accepted
for mailing at the fourth-class rate OF
postage when the lids can be removed
with reasonable effort for the purpose
of examination of contents.
How to Prepare Packages.
Umbrellas, canes, golf sticks. fishing
rods and similar articles should be
fastened between boards slightly longer
and wider than the articles fnclosed
Hats in pasteboard boxes packed in
Grated with wood unless packed in
double corrugated pasteboard boxes,
and must not exceed seventy-two inch
es in length and girth combined Cut
flowers should be placed in boxes of
wood. tin or heavy corrugated paste
board. Candies in thin pasteboard
boxes should be inclosed in outer boxes
of wood, tin or corrugated pasteboard.
Drawings or paintings when not fat
should be rolled around a stout wooden
stick and then carefully wrapped, or
included in a pasteboard tube
Parcels weighing less than ten pounds
each. or collection of parcels aggre-
eating less than ten pounds, must be
mailed as heretofore. at the usual post
offce stations. or at contract stations.