The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-04-05
rHE BOSTON posr oFFtcE.

the contest now going on respecting change in the
site of the Boston post Office, we have taken pains
to ascertain from reliable authority the facts in the
case which are briefly as follows;
| Until its recent removal, the Office has for many
years been kept in the of the Merchants Elk
change Building ON State street. About year ago,
Mr. Capen, the postmaster, represented to the de-
partment that it was very desirable to secure a
eligible and better Office, the premises then
pied being not only badly ventilated and 80 dark
to require the of gas in the day time, but too
contracted to afford the necessary box and other
commodations and disagreeable Of access especially
for ladies' These and other serious objections which
were urged in favor OLA change, induced the late
Postmaster General to give his assent to Mr.. Ca
pen proposition, quietly to look about and report
what he could do by way of Improvement Mr..
Capen acted accordingly, and soon reported that he
could have a handsome building erected at the cor
ner of Summer street and Chauncey Place affording
excellent accommodations in all respects, at rent of
$4,000 by the year, at less for a series of
years. The rent of the old Office was IS, 700, and
he represented that the cost of gas &C.. over what
the same would be in the new building made the
expense to the government including the rent about
$4,000 year. He further gave assurance that if
allowed to make this arrangement the receipts to the
government would be increased, notwithstanding the
proposed additional rent, besides being more CEN
trail and accessible, much larger number of boxes
could be let at the site.
Gov. Brown being satisfied that the old Office was
unfit, concluded TO take the postmaster at his word
authorizing him to aud pay $4,000 year,
provided the difference between the rent of the old
| and of the new office should be made up from the
saving of gas, and the receipts from additional boxes;
thus in effect STIMULATING that the expense SO far
as the government concerned, should not be in
! creased.
| Mr. Capen agreed TO these terms, and prepare
tons at once made for the erection of the new
office But the difficulties were not yet over No
sooner was this agreement made known than the cry
of opposition raised against removal. State
street in arms! public meeting was held
and committee of highly respectable gentlemen
sent TO Washington TO protest against and put stop
TO the proceeding. But on their arrival, they were
told that the contract had been closed and that the
matter settled and it only upon their rep
resentation that Mr.. Capen was to be the lessor of
the office, and that his conduct in the matter was
reprehensibe on that account that the Postmaster
General consented to review his decision. Finally not
obtaining any satisfaction Of him, they appealed TO
| the President, who confirmed the decision after q
most patient and careful examination of all the facts
| in the case AS the government committed for
but one year. and to pay really than for the
old Office, it was not perceived that it made any par
tcular difference whether the Postmaster himself
or some other party provided the Office Moreover
Mr. Capen his willingness to stand aside and
let any take his place, who should agree to per-
form what he because the parties first proposing
declined to the risk with the condition of the
department attached) had undertaken to do. So no
went on and erected a beautiful building, fitted it
up in fine style, and had nearly completed removing
into it, when he astounded with the report that,
on the last night of the late session of Congress- an
act was passed forbidding the removal Before
any positive knowledge of the passage of such act,
| however, he had completed the removal, and the
office is now in Summer street This act is as fol-
| lows
" 4nd be further enacted That the post Office in Bos
ton Massachusetts shall not be removed from its pres
en location until after the next session Of Congress- pro-
yided the remonstrants against its removal will ndem
Nifty the government from any additional expense grow
| ing out of any contracts for another site. 4"
The circumstances attending the passage of this act
are, to say the least, somewhat strange. The meas
ure was brought forward, in the last hours of the
| session, by Senator Hale, who said
Let me state the Senate the for the amend
ment The postmaster of Boston has entered into
tract to the post Office its present location,
and remonstancc has been sent to Congress- and the
papers were submitted to the Post Office Committee As
it presents itself to the committee it to be
by which the postmaster Of Boston Is to put
in his pocket from FIVE to ten thousand dollars year
he being the of the SITE and The lease 10
| for great nuaber Of years"
A conversation thereupon among several
senator's, on both sides of the house. some of them
remarking that it was unusual proceeding thus to
interfere in matter pertaining exclusively to the
duties of the Post Office Department. but the meas
IRE was suffered TO pass under the impress
sion on the part of democratic senators, that its
| passage was desired by the department. How this
| impression came to be conveyed we have not
| learned. OF course the senators were deceived. In
| the House, where the measure up appro-
priaton bill, on the morning of the All Of March, no
| question was raised and the chairman of the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, supposing IL had been
carefully considered in the Senate, put it through
Mr.. Capen had no opportunity whatever to be
| heard.