Co-operation of Public

Necessary to Insure Prompt Delivery of Holiday Parcels.

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MANY SUGGESTIONS ARE PLANNED BY

DEPARTMENT

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Valuable Hints Given

Relative to Mailing

Christmas Packages

and Greeting Cards.

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Postmaster Lewis B. Krook has handed the Journal a copy of timely printed instructions for the public relative to preparing and mailing Christmas parcels and greeting cards. These instructions were prepared by the post office department at Washington, D. C., and the public is requested to heed them and to co-operate with the department and post office employees to avoid unnecessary congestion and delay. Compliance with the suggestions offered will greatly aid the post office and insure prompt hand-ling and delivery of holiday mail matter. Wrapping and Packing. All parcels must be securely wrapped in order to reach their destination in good condition. Strong paper and heavy twine should be used. Umbrellas, canes, golf sticks should be reinforced their full length by strong strips of wood, tightly wrapped and tied, to with stand transportation. Pack hats in strong corrugated fiber boxes. Easily damaged hats should be labeled “FRAGILE.”Strong boxes, preferably corrugated cardboard, should be’ used to pack shoes. Wrap securely with strong paper and use heavy twine. Cut-flowers should be packed in strong boxes of wood, tin or heavy corrugated cardboard. Wrap with tissue to retain moisture. Candies should be packed in strong outside boxes or containers. Pack or wrap drawings, paintings, unmounted maps, etc., in strong material to avoid damage. When not flat,’roll around a wooden core anyplace in pasteboard tube. Sharp-pointed or sharp-edged tools or instruments must have points or edges fully guarded to prevent in-jury to clerks and damage to other mail. Crate suitably or wrap thoroughly so that they can not cut through the wrapping. Articles easily broken or crushed, such as glassware, fragile toys, crockery, etc., must be crated or Securely wrapped. Use liberal quaint-ties of excelsior or similar material in, around and between the article sand the outside container. Ordinary boxes of cigars wrapped in paper will not be accepted. Wrap in corrugated pasteboard or similar material to prevent damage by shock or jar. All articles easily broken or damaged must be plainly marked “FRAGILE.” Articles likely to spoil within the time reasonably required for transportation and delivery will not be accepted for mailing. Wrap or pack available articles of this nature care-fully, according to contents, and plainly mark all such parcels “PERISHABLE.”Use special delivery stamps to expedite delivery.

Addresses, Postage, Size.

Addresses on all mail matter should be complete, with house number and name of street, post office box or rural route number, and typed or plainly written in ink. A return card should be placed in the upper left-hand corner of every piece of mail. If a tag is used, the address and return card should also be written on the wrap-per for use if tag is lost, and a copy of the address should be enclosed in the parcel.

Postage must be fully prepaid on all mail. Affix the required amount of postage in the upper right-hand corner. Full information concerning postage rates can be obtained at the parcel post or stamp window.

No parcel may be more than 84inches in length and girth combined. For delivery locally and in the first, second and third zones, 70 pounds is the maximum weight; in all other zones, 50 pounds.

Uninsured parcels, four ounces or less in weight, may be mailed in street letter boxes and at the post office., Heavier parcels must be taken to the post office. Parcels containing meat, food products, cut-flowers or other perishable matter should be mailed only at the post office.

When to Mail.

Christmas gifts and cards addressed to points within one day’s travel should be mailed not later than December 20; within two days’ travel, not later than December 18; within three days’ travel, not later than December 16; for more distant points, not later than December 14. Parcels and cards for local delivery should be mailed no later than December 22. Parcels and envelopes may be endorsed: “Please do not open until Christmas.”

The early mailing of Christmas cards is just as important as parcels. Millions of these cards are mailed each Christmas, Consequently, great congestion and delay occurs in post- offices where they are all mailed within a day or two of Christmas.

Christmas stamps and stickers of any character must not be placed on the address side of mail matter. Pasters or stickers resembling postage stamps are not permissible on mail matter. In using Christmas stickers they should be so placed as not to seal the parcel.

Written matter in the nature of personal correspondence can not be enclosed in parcels. Miscellaneous printed matter weighing not more than four pounds can not be mailed as parcel post. Such matter weigh-ing more than four pounds is mail-able as parcel post.

A letter placed in an envelope, addressed to correspond with the address on the parcel, and fully pre-paid at the first-class rate, may be tied or otherwise securely attached to the outside of the parcel in such manner as to prevent separation therefrom and not to obscure the ad-dress on the parcel.

Ten cents worth of ordinary postage stamps, in addition to the regular postage, can be affixed to special delivery mail, in lieu of the special delivery stamp. When ordinary stamps are used, the words “Special Delivery” must be written directly below, but not on the stamps. Valuable mail should be registered or insured.

Foreign Christmas Parcels.

Parcels of mailable merchandise may be sent (subject to certain limitations and conditions) by international parcel post to all foreign countries, except Arabia, Spanish Guiana and Tristan Da Cumha. Parcels weighing four pounds six ounces or less may be sent to Cuba subject to the domestic parcel post rates and conditions. Foreign parcel post packages should be mailed at the post office. Owing to the long sea travel involved in most instances, and customs inspection abroad, parcels should be most carefully packed and mailed at once.

Any additional information can be secured by inquiring at the post office.

Brown County Journal,

Nov. 28, 1924

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