Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1913 — APPROVES RULES FOR PARCEL POST [ARTICLE]

APPROVES RULES FOR PARCEL POST

Postmaster General Issues Regulations Governing System. WHAT MAY BE SENT BY MAIL Gives American People Opportunity to Send Farm and Factory Products by Mall From and to Any Point In United States. Postmaster General Hitchcock has just approved the regulations which covhr in detail the articles which may or may not be sent by parcel post These regulations are now being turned off at the government printing office on a "rush order’’ 'and they will be distributed as rapidly as possible. The rules as to what can be sent and what cannot be sent and the Instructions for the preparation of mailable articles with other "official advice” are given here as they have just been prepared by the postoffice department in Washington. The minimum rate will be five cents for the first pound and three cents for each additional pound to any point not exceeding fifty miles from the office of mailing; the local rate, which is five cents for the first pound and one cent for additional pound, applies ,to all parcels the delivery of which does not involve their transportation on railway lines. The rates increase for each successive one of the eight zones, the maximum rate being twelve cents a pound, which will carry a parcel across the continent or to any of our possessions. Parcels will be limited to eleven pounds in weight and six feet in length and girth combined. Mailable Perishable Articles. Butter, lard and perishable articles such as fish, fresh meats, dressed fowls, vegetables, fruits, berries and articles of a similar nature that decay quickly, when so packed or wrapped as to prevent damage to other mail matter, will be accepted for local delivery either at the office of mailing or on any rural route starting therefrom When inclosed in an inner cover and a strong outer cover of wood, metal, heavy corrugated pasteboard or other suitable material and wrapped so that nothing can escape from the package, they will be accepted for mailing to any offices within the first zone or within a radius of 50 miles. Butter, lard, or any greasy or oily substance Intended for delivery at offices beyond the first zone must be suitably packed. Vegetables and- fruit that do not decay quickly will be accepted for mailing to any zone if packed so as to prevent damage to other mail matter. Eggs will be accepted Tor local delivery when securely packed in a basket or other container. Eggs will be accepted for .mailing, regardle«L_et jHftapiy3_>hen. each egg is wrapped separately and packed in a container. There is no restriction on salted, dried, smoked or cured meats and other meat products, but fresh meat in any form will be transported only within the first zone.

Parcels containing perishable articles must be marked "PERISHABLE." and articles likely to spoil within the time reasonably required for transportation and delivery will not be accepted for mailing. Manufactured Articles. Manufacturers or dealers intending to transmit articles In considerable quantities are asked to submit to the postmaster * for approval a specimen parcel showing the manner of packing. When sharp pointed instruments are offered for mailing, the points must be capped or encased. Blades must be bound so that they will remain attached to each other or within their handles or sockets. in’ Powders, pepper, snuff, or ptber similar powders not explosive, or any. similar pulverised dry snbstanoe, not poisonous, may be sent when Inclosed In cases made of metal, wood or other material to render impossible the escape of any of the contents. Flour of all kinds must be put up in such manner as to prevent the package breaking or the flour being scattered in the mails. Queen Bees and Nursery Stock. Queen bees, live Jpects, and dried

reptiles may be mailed In accordance with the regulations that now apply to other classes of mail. Seeds of fruit, nursery stock, all other plant products for preparation may be mailed under the same conditions. Confectionery and Boap. Candies, confectionery, yeast cakes, soap in hard cakes, <r.c., must be inclosed in boxes and so wrapped as to prevent injury to other mail matter. i * '• Sealed original packages of proprietary articles, such as soaps/ tobacco, pills, tablets, etc., put up in fixed quantities by the manufacturer, and not in* themselves unmailable, will be accepted for mailing when properly wrapped. Millinery. Fragile article®, such as millinery, toys, ihqsical instruments, etc., and articles consisting wholly or in part of glass, or contained in glass, most be securely packed and the parcel stamped or labeled “FRAGILE.” Unmailable Matter. The following matter is declared unmailablo by law: Matter manifestly obscene, lewd, or lascivious; articles intended for preventing conception; articles intended for Indecent or immoral purposes; all matter otherwise mailable by law, the outside cover or wrapper of - which bears and delineation or language of a libelous, scurrilous, defamatory, or threatening character. All such matter, when deposited in a post office or found in the mails, shall be withdrawn and sent to-the divisions of dead letters. Intoxicants, Poisons and Inflammable Materials.

Spirituous, vinous, malted, ferments ed, or other intoxicating liquors of any kind; poisons of every kind, and articles and compositions containing poison, ponsonous animals, insects and reptiles; explosives of every kind; inflammable materials (which are held to include matches, kerosene oil, gasoline, naphtha, benzine, turpentine, denatured alcohol, etc.). Infernal machines, and mechanical, chemical or other devices or compositions which may ignite of explode; disease germs or scabs, and other natural or artificial articles, compositions or materials of whatever kind which may kill, or in any wise injure another or damage the mall dr other property. Pistols, Animals and Birds. Pistols or revolvers, whether in detached parts or otherwise; live or dead (and not stuffed) animals, birds, or poultry, except as elsewhere provided; raw hides or pelts, guano, or any article having a bad odor will not be admitted to the malls. Treatment of Undeliverable Parcels. Perishable matter will be delivered as promptly as possible, but if such mattes can not be delivered and becomes offensive and Injurious to health, postmasters may destroy it, or the injurious or offensive vortlon thereof. Parcels Improperly Packed. Postmasters will refuse to receive for mailing parcels not properly indorsed or packed for safe shipment When parcels on which the postage is wholly unpaid or insufficiently prepaid is- deposited for local, delivery and the sender is unknown, notice of detention need not be sent but such matter will be delivered and the deficient postage collected from the addressee by the carrier. If the addressee refuses to pay the postage the matter will be sent to the Division of Dead Letters, Insurance on Parcels. A mailable parcel on which the postage is fully prepaid may be insured against loss in an amount equlv alent to its actual value, but not to exceed >SO, on payment of a fee of ten cents in parcel post stamps, such stamps to be affixed. Forwarding of Parcels. Parcels may be remailed or forwarded on the payment of additional postage at the rate which would be chargeable if they were originally mailed at the forwarding office, in which case the necessary stamps will be affixed by the forwarding postmaster. Payment must be made every time the parcel is forwarded. Preparation for Mailing. Parcels must be prepared for mailing in such manner that the contents can be easily examined. A parcel will not be accepted for mailing unless it bears the name and address of the sender preceded by the word “From." In addition to the name and address of the sender, which is required, it WTiThe permfßßTEle' to "write orprint" on the covering of a parcel, or on a tag or label attached to it. the occupation of the sender, and to indicate in a small space by means of marks, letters, numbers, names or other brief description, the character of the parcel, but ample space must be left on the address side for the full address In legible characters and for the necessary postage stamps. Inscriptions such as "Merry Christmas." "Please do not open until Christmas" Happy New Year," "With best wishes,” and the like, may be placed on the cover ing of the parcel in such manner as not to Interfere with the address. Distinctive Stamps. The law requires that the postage on all matter must be prepaid by distinctive parcel post stamps affixed. Postmasters cannot receive for mailing parcels that do not bear such stamps. Parcel post stamps are not valid for the payment of postage on matter of the first, second, and third classes, and when used for that purpose, the matter to which they are affixed shall be treated as "Held for postage." Mape and Guide® Parcel post maps, with accompany Ing guides, are to be sold to the public at their cost. 75 cents, through the chief clerk of the post office depart ment. In ordering maps care should be taken to specify the post office from which the postage rates are to be determined.