Not everything improves with age and experience

The Superior Express reported on Jan. 9, 1913, that “Parcel Post has made good.”

The story continued as follows:

“Great public service reforms usually require time for usage to oil the wheels of their machinery.

“But parcel post made good the first day!

“The first real test between the new government experiment and the old established express companies was made out of Chicago the very first day of the parcel post. A parcel mailed at a Chicago parcel window was delivered in Milwaukee eight hours and forty minutes later.

“A package sent by express at the same moment as a test had not been heard from 24 hours after being sent.

“The package sent by parcel post cost the sender 10 cents. The express passage cost 25 cents.

“There you are. Speed, economy, efficiency, for the new parcel post, despite the 11th hour express rate reductions and bloated organization on the part of the express companies.”

Now advance 110 years and this year the parcel post system was overwhelmed by the number of packages mailed and many were delayed by days. Because of Monday’s storm, mail was not received in Superior on Tuesday.