Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-01-13


number OF farmers are registered
from nearby states; yet there ar,
many Interesting items from far-awa,
places From Sebastian, Fla. a woman
offers guava jelly and orange marmal
ade; from the north OF Maine ar,
offered hnnan haddies and Goldfish:
Wiiliamstown, VT, producer adver
tises Vermont maple syrup, maple
sugar and maple sugar cakes; and fol
/ delivery from distant Washington
state Puyaliup farm advertises fresh
laid eggs. berries, cut flowers. dahlia
roots and bulbs, perennial plants. ana
gladion. Nearly Ave hundred such
places are listed. and now the number
OF those who specialize in the parce,
post trade and advertise accordingly
in the newspapers is growing rapidly
Another step of great Importance
worth noting was the plan to hold
parcel post exhibitions in connection
with the many thousands of county
fairs and other rural gatherings held
in the United States during the fall
Many postmasters requested permits.
sion TO place such exhibits, and au-
thority was duly granted to them
The purpose was to use an opportuni-
ty that offered an excellent means of
showing the rural public how to take
full advantage of this comparatively
new postal facility. Here was ex.
hibited sample parcel post shipments
of food products and manufactured
articles. and many Sersons lent such
articles as they were in the business
of selling, in consideration of hav-
ing their advertising cards attached
to their contributions.
During the 10 weeks prior ii July
81 Postmaster Edmund s. Higgins
received $500 parcels of farm pro-
duce for delivery in Lynn. Many of
these contained articles shipped in
from the farm in the morning and con
sumed in Lynn the same evening. The |
proportion is as follows: |
Egg. As per cent; general produce, |
30 per cent; butter. 20 per cent: !
maple products. poultry and fruit 3 /
per cent Evidently reports Mr..
the plan is meeting with
success, as We have had many patrons
Comment favorably upon the expert
nent. One result has been an impe-
us to the shipTcent of foodstuffs by
ocal dealers via parcel post These
,arcels are shipped mostly to sum.
ner resorts and camp sites. A large
Quantity of sea food is also handled
through this office"
Postmaster E. c. Mansfield of Bos-
on declares that in his opinion 1.-The
eneral feeling among the people is
hat the parcel post is a success. OF
curse there are instances where
omplaints have been made, but l be-
eve this is a question that must be
olved by the shipper. through the
doption of = container that will with
tand ordinary handling while in tran
II. One of the striking features
nat have come to my attention .
laking this campaign to bring pro-
ucers and farmers together Is that
1me farmers have been charging top :
rices for their products. II was as ,
lmed when the plan was first ,
that the consumer would get ,
le benefit of low prices as a means
: reducing the cost of living, ana 3
lat the producer. by sending direct a,
: parcel post. could afford TO sell nj
'ck bottom prices. This, however, i,
Is not generally proved TO be so, ana
the plan for bringing together pro- .
lcers and consumers is found 10 be !,
il will be due largely to :,
is fact" y
An average receipt of 225 packages ;,
/; farm products daily. and an
-erage despatch of 16s perishacle =
ticles daily, was shown by count :,
the Boston postoffice during three
VS. in last June. During the period
I'm July Is to Aug. 1. 59,770 parcel -,
st packages of all descriptions were >;
ceiyed there Parcels containing q
rishable matter are delivered by :,
,unted carriers in the afternoon and !,
enins until o'clock. and on Sun =,
VS. until in the afternoon. -
George F. Bcwerman, librarian OF =,
, public library of the District oil :,
lumbia, has taken an active interest :,
the new service. Copies of all let
s from farmers Iquoting prices were =,
Il to him after he had announced ~
willingness to post them on the
letin board in his library, where "a
" may be seen every day. The -
alliance. an organiza- -
n of women interested in reducing -
cost of living, has co-operated &C 20
ely in urging housewives to avail 60,
mselves of the opportunity to OBJ "a
4 fresh produce direct from the ~, -
ms. nr+
postmaster Sherlock Swami of Bal ~ ri
ore reports hauling 100 packages -,
'arm produce every day Eggs are o.
bulk OF the articles; then poul ~,
butter and vegetables. Baltimore g.
ners. the postmaster believes. ex- ~
I TO sell at the middleman's prices.
[. Louis makes a good showing.
e success of the farm-to-tabie -,
\ is assured" Postmaster Colin &c &c
Seiph reports. and the records OF tsN
office and the comments from
,e who have given the experiment
.ir test verify my judgment. The d.
very of all perishable matter has
n given careful attention, and all
AolfroraI ftrnnn fhaf