The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-04

A gToPPA9E OF sUPpLIEs--No GAS, NO WATER,
NO coAL-ARE THE MAILS TO BE MADE UP
Oh DELIVERED?
The peremptory order issued by the Secretary OF the
Treasury Postmaster James to cut on the gas and
water in the Post Oace naturally created fccng Of
establishment among those having business there, or
who arc in any way conversant with the immense
amount Of labor performed the building at night.
Forcbodngs of irregular mails and the non-devery OF
letters were entertained, aud Mr.. James was over
whcmed with visits from those seeking Information rs
to the precise state OF Affairs
The Postmaster contcnted himself In many In
stances, in exhibiting the Official order received by
him, and he at nrst at loss to determine his
proper OF action He finally decided to appeal
TO the head Of his department. and accordingly sent
the following telegram:-
Hon j. w. MARSHALL, Acting Postmaster General,
BY orders from the Secretary OF the Treasury am
directed as custodian TO shut OF and water and to
discharge engineers aborers and Others by OF
the exhaustion OF the appropriation We have coal
hand and engineers volunteer to remain Dirt Is IN
ecparnbie from poverty and therefore we can with
out cleaners But after 20 night gas will be shut on,
and all night operations and all day operations in base
ments close, unless II Is possible from some Post
Office fund 10 pay gas bills Unless II Is done the en-
I. /. JAMES, Postmaster.
In tho meantime he ordered Mr. McAfee, the Assist
Custodian Of tho building discharge all OF the
cleaners and many OF the engineers possible.
Acting under these instructions Mr.. McAfee removed
twenty-five cleaners aud fourteen engineers The
Of surface 10 be cleaned in the building every day,
counting all the stairways rooms, passages &C, IL
roughly estimated ut besides tho multitude
OF windows and skylights. Heretofore the building
has been kept remarkably clean and neat but the
operations Of this department suspended
many the dirt that will not only
surprise and disgust the public, but the amount Of
vor MOI IN
But the most important feature IN the working econ
omy Of the Post Office building is that OF gas With
be performed after six p. NJ. No
mails can be made up, ana none that may come In
before daylight be distributed. SO perfect IS the
system new observed that the rapid and prompt de-
pvery and Transmission OF mail matter Is taken by tho
cubic u mere matter OF course, but II the night
Employees compelled TO suspen operations the
delay and Inconvenience occasioncd will be seriously
ict and prove positive loss to the community.
There may be some who Will wonder how II Is that
tho Secretary OF The Treasury has the power thus 10
suspend tho Operations Of another department. OF the
government The explanation is that all government
buildings are under the supervision and care OF the
Treasury Department, which has to heat, light and
keep them in order AZ Postmaster, Mr. James Is made
responsible custodian with an assistant 10 look after
the details OF that branch Of the work. Being Post
MASTER he much perplcxcd what TO do yesterday,
for while he was compelled to obey the orders OF the
Treasury Department. he was, OF course, sole tous
about the postal arrangements under his charge.
Receiving no answer TO his telegram to tho
Assistant Postmaster General he finally sent tor the
officials OF the Mutual Gas Company and requested
them to cut OF the gas The gas company, seeing
what INK the postmaster was In decided 10 postpone
until to-day, that last night work the out
gong and incoming mails proceeded usual, and
unless the order oil Mr. Bris0w Is cOuntermanded to-
day, In way got over by Postmaster General
Jewell who fortunately happens to be on his way here,
the gas will be off at two O'clock and tho mails
main in stdtu quo The explanation OF the Treasury
order is that the Congressional Committee AYpro-
pratons far neglected to act tho request of
Mr. Bristow Tor q further appropriation for
the maintenance and of all governmental
buildings throughout the United States The appropra-
ton received the year $500 600 and Ia
mated that $4,000 will be needed 1t IL 10 be
hoped that the committee will take speedy action and
thus remove the present vcxatous and unpleasant
state Of AFFAIRS
Last night Mr. McAfec extinguished all or the lights
possible leaving only sufficient number for the
OF necessary business that the building looked
dark ana drcary. The wet weather yesterday made
the passages starways very dirty the slush being
In perfect sheets Mr. McAtec seeing few OF his dis
consulate cleaners standing idly by told them that II
they volunteer TO clean up the corridors they
could do So but he could not be responsible few OF
them did volunteer. and the damage that otherwise
would have been accustomed prevented Had not these
men performed this work the interior would to-day DO
in shocking condition
AT CUSTOM HOUSE.
The excitement at the Custom House yesterday with
reference the order Of the secretary Of the Treas
ury iorbdding any expenditures for fuel light
on account OF the exhaustion Of funds set aside Tor
sad requirements, was intense
The engineers not discharged yesterday They
received their pay undor the heading Of expcnses Of
collecting revcnuc.o