The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-14
CHRISTMAS MAIL
SHOULD GO EARLY
Provision for Attaching Communica
lions to Outside Of Packages
4 Insurance at Small Cost.

In a circular letter Just issued to
postmasters the postoffice department
warns all patrons of the postal SER
vice that all mail intended for distant
domestic points should be mailed not
later than Dec. 10, and mail for nearby
points should be mailed not later than
Dec. q if delivery is desired on or be-
fore Christmas.
The department urges the early mail
ing more than ever before for the rea-
son that it anticipates the largest
Christmas business ever handled and
because of the fact that the day before
Christmas is Sunday and there will be
no deliveries that day. This viii mean
that the carriers ON their one delivery
Christmas morning will be unable to
clean up the tremendous amount of mail
that will accumulate Saturday after
noon and all day Sunday.
All packages and letters intended for
Christmas gifts may be marked mot
to be opened until Christmas, which
will insure the opening of the gift only
upon the day desired.
Ii packages that contain fragile mat
ter are SO marked plainly there is much
more prospect of their contents being
received in good condition than if thew
are not so marked. Such packages are
tagged at the postoffice with distinctive
tags and are handled much differently
than the ordinary packages.
When 1t is desired to send a communi-
cation with a parcel on which pos
tage at the third or fourth class rate
has been fully prepaid, the communica-
ton may be placed in an envelope and
then be tied to or otherwise securely
attached to the outside of the parcel in
such manner as to prevent its separa-
ton therefrom and not to interfere with
the address on the parcel The stamps
to cover the postage on the parcel must
be fixed to the wrapper of the parcel,
and those to pay the postage on the
communication must be fixed to the en-
| velope of the communication. Parcels
| to which such communications are at
tached are treated as fourth class mat
ter. Only one special delivery fee is
required on such parcels sent as special
delivery matter.
All parcels may be sent as special de-
livery matter. Written matter in nature
of personal communication subjects
unsealed parcels to the letter rate of
| postage, except as provided above. In
case tag Is used, the name and ad-
dress of the sender and and the ad.
dressee should also be written on wrap.
per of the parcel, for use should the
| tag become detached
Owing to the enormous amount of
fourth class matter handled during the
holiday season, patrons are advised to
wait reasonable length of time be.
fore making complaints or inquiries as
Ito the non-delivery of articles mailed
by them, either ordinary, registered o,
insured. If, after reasonable time, j,
is ascertained that delivery has not been
effected, report should be made at tho
office where the article in question was
mailed, where the necessary blank NAV
be obtained and completed for tracing
the lost or damaged mail.
All valuable parcel post mail shoul6
be insured, and the recent reduction in
the insurance rate on parcels valued al
SIS or less makes it possible to insure al
parcels with but little added cost. A
mailable parcel on which the postag,
has been fully prepaid may be insured
against loss IN an amount not to exceed
So on payment of a fee of 3 cents
a. iioic IMAM % ana not TO eX
eeed $50 on payment Of fee of cents
valued at more than $25 and not to ex
coed $50, on payment of fee of II
cents; valued at more than $50 and no
TO exceed 500, upon payment of fe,
Of 70 cents. Insurance tags are used TO
the purpose and may be obtained on an
phcatlon at the postoffice These tag
may be taken home and should be com
pieted and attached to the parcels t,
be insured, in advance of their pre-
sentation for mailing at the postoffic,
window, thus saving time and avoiding
inconvenience during the busy holida,
period.