Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-01
Merchants Are Wide Awake to
Possibilities of Parcel Post
Growth of System During Last Year Boosts Harris
burg Up Among Leading Inland Shipping Points
of Country; Dealers Were Quick to Take Ad-
vantage and Now Many Have Well ORE ganized
Mail Order Departments

The large amount of parcel post
usiness done through the Harrisburg
Post Office and the rapid growth of
his new branch of the government
Hervice each succeeding month, is a
proof not only of its great popularity
nd usefulness, but also an indication
Rf the Importance of Harrisburg as
Pne of the leading inland shipping
points of the country.
The increase of parcel post mail
landed by the local office during last
ear was about 40 per cent. over
913, the first year of the new service.
~ this form of postal business is due
krgely the estimated increase of 20
Rer cent in the gross receipts of the
! Rfiice here for the current fiscal year,
Ilthough the sale of stamps for ordi-
Sary classes of mail is also showing a
healthy growth, due to the natural
rowth of the city and the increasing
Sc of the mails for advertising and
business correspondence.
The total receipts for the year end
J ng June 80. 1914, were about S375,-
90 in the Harrisburg office, and, ac-
cording to indications of the eight
nonths passed, the receipts for the
urrent fiscal year will be over $780,
90. This big and steady gain is a
ertain sign of Harrisburg's favorable
,acilities as shipping point and its
rowing Importance as a railroad CEN
/ er, especially in view of the fact that
he receipts of post offices in many
arge cities are not advancing, and
n some cases are falling off.
Office Ranks High
The State Legislature is, of course,
large factor in the local postal busi-
ess. 1t is estimated the total amount
f receipts from parcel post ship
1ents and stamp sales for first class
nail for Capitol Hill will probably
each $35, 600 during the present ses-
Hon
The State departments are at all
mes heavy users of the mail, and
nce permission was granted to send
Sooks by parcel post thousands of
olumes of department publications
ave been mailed. More than 49,
90 automobile tags were sent last
ear to individual license holders.
Last week several thousand dollars
ostage was received in one day from
carload of catalogs distributed in
arcels from Harrisburg within a ra-
ius of $50 miles by one of the large
nail order houses. They were the first
b recognize the advantages of using
reight to ship to a central point for
redistribution among the small towns
nd rural districts by parcel post. Last
ear one Chicago house alone mailed
We carloads of Catalogs from Harris
urg and a number of others shipped
mailer lots.
Wide Awake
Local merchants have also learned
he value of the parcel post Every
ay the local Office receives wagon
pads of bundles from Harrisburg de-
artment stores shoe dealers, seed
hen, cigar manufacturers, hosiery fac
pries and makers of women's wear
nd light clothing.
These shipments are consigned not
My to towns in the immediate neigh
orhood of Harrisburg, but to small
bwns and country customers within
he radius of the 150-mile parcel post
one. Local businessmen are develop
hg the mail order branch of their
usiness by the assistance of the par
Ell post. and incidentally they become
hrger patrons of the ordinary first
lass correspondence.
Merchandise delivery to local pur-
hasers in the city and small towns
Fithin trolley distance is also becom-
hg popular. A package bought from a
harrisburg merchant can be delivered
the customers door in Camp Hill,
Iiddletown or Rockville, or anywhere
the city, for 6 cents if under two
ounds weight. In connection with the
elephone the parcel post is getting
be one of the chief factors of time
: living for busy housewives or retail
Merchants in the rural districts.
Eggs Mailed Regularly
The parcel post is also growing rap
lily as a carrier of farm produce to
ty customers. Thousands of eggs
re mailed to Harrisburg people regu-
rly, and butter and other solid ma
sroials are also mailed to some ex-
int.
Harrisburg is growing in favor as a
ranch center for large mail order
ouses who will use the parcel post
their form of delivery. Among
he first to use this method exclusively
the S. S. Kresge Company, which