Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-25
OMAHA STORES MAY DELIVER
ALL PACKAGES BY PARCELS
POST; BURlESoN's new PLAN
Associated Retailers to Con.
slider Proposal Of Postoffice
Department; Will Cut
Cost of Service.

Extension of United States parcels
post facilities to local deliveries OF
merchandise from retail stores to pur-
chasers is among the possibilities for
Omaha in the near future. The plan
has the Endorsement of Postmaster
General Burleson as a conservation
measure.
Yhe Department of Labor will make
a survey ot-every large American city
that adopts the plan and each city
will be given the benefit Of the expe.
rience of other cities.
A cursory observation by the post.
master general has convinced him
that there is a vast waste of money
effort and material in the delivery
systems of American cities. This
waste is due to duplication OF labor
on account of many firms making
scattering deliveries with equipment
which is not worked to the "satura.
ton point"
1t has been noted that in an Omaha
neighborhood one day last week eight
delivery trucks from as many business
houses made deliveries which easily
could have been made with one We
hicle. =s".. .r
Fannin- Will Cooperate.
The new plan is to use the machin.
cry of the parcels post system and to
district the city into zones, with de.
liveries made to zones by the parcels
post organization, rather than by
scores of business trucks scurryine
over the city and crossing each 9th
er's paths many times day. r.
The force of this was strikingly IL.
lustrated in Omaha here within The
month. Drivers of delivery wagons
of two business houses covered the
same area. They tried the experiment
of splitting up, one taking part of the
others goods along one route and the
other doing likewise. They discovered
they could s;ve from half an hour to
an hour by the interchange. The driv.
ers were found out" when a woman
telephoned to store where she hsd
made purchase to inquire why the
delivery truck OF another concern
brought her goods.
Il am ready to cooperate with our
retailers on this proposition" said
Postmaster Tanning. 1--WE have the
parcels post system here working on
the zone basis and it could be en-
larged without much trouble. | can
see the logic of the postmaster gen.
erals arguments and it appeals to
every thinking person in these days
of conservation of our resources and
our energy.
"The details of a city-wide parcels
post delivery system could be worked
out and l am willing to do what
can to assist Our merchants and con-
sumers to take advantage Of this op-
portunity."
Hayden Says Plan Feasible.
Joseph Hayden, head Of the institu-
ton bearing his name. was enthusias-
tic over the plan. He appreciates that
the retail distribution system of the
average city is big factor in the cost
of living and he agrees that the du-
plication of effort is enormous.
"The plan is feasible and there
would be no more earnest supporter
than myself toward any movement to
carry into effect the postmaster gen.
erals plan ] have thought more than
once of the wasted effort in deliver
ing packages within our city. do
not maintain that it is all waste, but
there is much duplication OF effort
and the same results might be, OBJ
tanned by some such a plan as the
parcels post system applied to city
deliveries" were remarks by Mr.. Hay
den.
Thomas F. Quinlan, general man.
ager of the Brandeis stores, was
equally impressed with the plan.
Quinlan Favors Change.
He said:
you would hardly believe how
much consumers of Omaha pay for
the delivery of their retail merchan-
disc. Each store takes pride in its
own delivery system. We have a sys-
tenn which is more or less elaborate
and despite our best efforts mistakes
in addresses will occur. But neces-
sarily the consumer pays for the de-
livery in the end. That is obvious,
| would be pleased to enter into the
consideration Of a parcels post deliv-
cry system here"
In the absence from the city OF
Louis Nash and Thomas Redmond OF
Burgess-Nash stores, Treasurer Tay-
lor in substance voiced the sentiments
Of others who were asked for opin-
ions.
"As a matter Of practical economy
it is evident that the parcels post city
delivery plan would be feasible" said
Mr.. Taylor. "In Los Angeles have
in mind private concern which col
lects all packages from group OF
large retail stores and makes two de-
liveries every day. This central de-
livering firm does the work at a cost
considerably less than the group of
firms could do it, and there is profit
left for the delivering firm"
The plan will be considered by the
n