The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-21
THE NEW YORK POST OFFICE.

Its Birth, Growth and Arrnnaemcnts-The
Great Departments Of the PossnI System
Insu nlcicncy Of the Present Building for Its
Purpose.
history Of the New York Post once Is, in its INTEL
lscual and commercial growth, history Of the great
metropolis OF the western World As this city Ggura
lively is spoken OF as the heart OF America, 50 the
diney, patched hybrid, labyrinthian structure-haf
church and half shed-situatcd in the lower part Of
Nassau street may be accepted the Uranium which,
without thought Of reposs night aud day and
from year year, pusates brain that thinks and wills
and works. not for tho million Of souls alone which
habit Manhattan island but for he great round globe
isern Its intellectual throbbings everywhe felt
There Is no place, however remote, this rolling orb
which lie Briarsan arms do not reach, and whore.
through It's fundamentally, hearts made glad
perchance stopped 10 sorrow evermore.
Half a century ago the New York Post ONCE In It's
business capacity and consequent usefulness,
coedInsy limited. In single room. in private dwell.
ing on the corner OF Garden NOW Exchange place.
and William streets, the year 1915 General Bailey
being Deputy Postmaster but one man and boy
mels nm the mails thai came INTO and ief. TINS ciiy
daily. In that year single wheelbarrow sufhced to
carry tho mails 70 The Post Once; and in that year
gentleman yet actively employed "Superntendent OF
tho Great southern Mail > Colonel Dodd. IN the
cighty-nrs year OF hts age thought dnicult task
70 take on his back containing the correspondence
of the merchants citizens OF New York their
Southern and Western customers and friends and carry
70 the foot Of wsSa .s"s and sSns' n
where IL was delivered 10 other agents In the
postal department Of tho government To-day, TO do
these carry Jersey City matter In the form Of letters
and papers equal In bulk TO about hundred tons In
Gs, % 30 s ss "o .Sns y
the organization Of battalion Of men not less than
one thousand 10 number. This incident Is mentioned
simply give tho reader clear idea OF the truly
derfu growth OF the pos.al business OF this city within
the last ny years. growth which each day increases
be voSs ado"s nsas 70 6:
present structure, TO continue business with advantage
70 the public or tho government. Perhaps in
the CKy HAL Park for the new postal su-
perssructuro next spring the bUldIng cannot
city viii hnd lis place Of m has exceed
nely nomadicl aud sufficient room IN which 70 transact
s business for the next huodrsd years or until New
the United States ono hundred millions and upwards Of
Inhabitants.
/, has been already mentioned that the Post once has
been q nomadc institution. Indeed, from 1890 until
1874 entered, under lease OF ten years. into possss
sion OF the building which, then accounted sufficiently
large for all practical purposes, now occupies and
which II has already far ounrown. In 1870 the Office
was removed TO an old 0one structure adjoining the
two years, whence with the assistance OF waeoa the
mails aud bars and furniture were removed to the
Nerchants' Exchange, In Wall street. in the
southern half or the basement Of which !, onscouced
itself and renamed growing slowly, bu giving no hint
Of the giant u has since grown 70 be- In pecember,
1895 IL driven out Of Its snug quarters in the
Mcrchants' Exchange by the great nre which, tue
25th Of ths, montu aud year broke on. within a hun.
dred yards Of ~ and devastated all OF the CITY from
Wall street and Broadway 20 the water consuming
In tie course property 81 tne va0s OF up.
wards Of twenty millions Of dolIara Tue govern.
ment provided temporary quarters for the Post
Once 10 the Custom House, then tedsr street. IRON
which, at the expiration Of twelve months, IL
migrated 70 ths Rotunda- subsequently occupied AZ
the Office for the Anshouse department. where
was permitted TO make Itself a. home for six years
On me appointment nswsvsi Il Mr. orahsn 70 me