The New York herald., 1874-12-03
The Brooklyn Post once.

The recommendation to discontinue the
Brooklyn Post Office because Brooklyn is "a
mere appendage of this city," and because
there will thus be saved $4,000 to the de-
partment, is somewhat startling and not
highly creditable to the intelligence OF the
special agents who make it. Brooklyn had
population in 1870 Of 800, ZOO, and her popu-
lation is certainly not less now. II is true that
q very large number of persons whose homes
are in that city are occupied in commercial
and other enterprises in this city, and go to
Brooklyn only to dine and 60 to bed. But
then Brooklyn certainly has very large per-
manent population that never comes over the
ferry, or comes to this city no oftener than
the same GLASS in Poughkeepsie OF Albany. If
we put the population to which Brooklyn is
only q dormitory at half it will be
an extravagantly large estimate, and then we
shall have left city of two hundred thousand
inhabitants; and it is gravely recommended
to deprive such city of Post Office.
Poughkeepsie, with population Of twenty
thousand, shall have Post Office; but
Brooklyn. with four hundred thousand, shall
not have one, because two hundred thousand
of the number cross the river twice day.
As to the economy, it seems to us very
cloudy. Can the Post Office authorities Of
this city distribute and collect letters in
Brooklyn at less expense than the Post Office
authorities in that city can2 And will it not
be necessary to pay rent for sub-Post Offices
over there in as great degree as rent is paid
now? If Brooklyn people can get their
letters any cheaper than now there is at least
one point in favor of the project. II they
will then get all their letters from this city at
the rate OF city delivery only, instead ofat the
United States rate, they will be the better for
it; but will not that difference against the
Post Office on every letter somewhat affect the
supposed economy of the change? 1t would
only take a delivery of 100000 letters be-
tween Brooklyn and New York to swamp the
proposed saving by the loss Of one cent
on each-that is by the receipt Of the
city rate of two cents instead of the United
States rate of three cents. Between two such
cities tho interchange of correspondence
must be greatly in excess of 5000, 600
letters year. 1t is, perhaps, nearer
12,0O0000 and thus the change, instead
of an economy would represent loss-the
loss, perhaps, on this one head Of 800, 00O.
1t is argued as reason for the change that
the service in Brooklyn is very defective. If
the New York postal authorities can perform
the same service more effectively than the
Brooklyn authorities can this is an excellent
reason for making some changes in the Brook
lyn authorities. It is easy enough to roast
chestnuts without burning ones house down.
On the general principle that it would be to
the advantage Of the two cities to have their
governments consolidated, such recon-
mendation as this would, perhaps, meet with
extensive acceptance and even receive the
assent Of many Brooklyn people as step in a
good direction; but urged for the reasons
above given it has the appearance of cover
for some scheme Of jobbery or some political
manoeuvre.