The Evening critic., 1882-03-23
DANGEROUS BUILDING.
Report ON the city Postonicc-rt IL
Imsacure and nnslIY Ventilated.

iesirod to lease the premises, but their in
spector pronounced II not strong enough, and
hey sought and secured other quarters.
II was, however, deemed good enough for a
(but We are charitable enough to
believe that the juTy which rendered the ver-
dict TO that effect never saw the inside of the
or famillarlzed themselves with the
cheapness and carelessness of its construc-
tion) and the postoffice was located there, and
therc IL Is now. Insignificant changes have
been made to convert IL from Its original
but common sense protests against
the purposes for which IL is now ufed. In
hotel as well as In postoffices hygiene and
are equally important considera-
tiuns, but their internal arrangements should
be vastly different. Judge then OF our sur
prise when we found upon inspection that the
interior of this very exceptionable edlfce had
scarcely been altered from Its original design
and lis sanitary appliances overlooked en-
tirely.
The building is six stories In height.
Tho rooms above the second Moor,
with the exception OF two or three on tho third
floor, are vacant. Those are used for mailbag
repair shops. What IN known as the City De-
partment is on tho first floor. This floor, the
one above and lie basement are all that are
devoted 10 the requirements OF the postal busi-
ness, The City Department embraces distrl-
bntion, letter-carriers, general delivery, box
,'partmcnt and Congressional and Depart.
s.al mafl-rooms, occupying four apart
= entirely separated from each other,
os.,tiiN IL exceedingly inconvenient for the
erlp pi, y, eligible and proper distribution OF
.tH .iN my is mentioned and causing much
ne iUUal y 'or and consuming much valua-
lhe d ae71,'g I for making up and sending
uN 1lrulnE rlIlt, Is in two different rooms.
fo cs.nt. orH ana dispatch, the work
'fht frrIsl apartment is In two DIFF
ferFu. cDru.s cu g-ond floor, separated
nl1fl lls ~ iipu t. thNr by passage-way.
Is NutIr li in one nr in eQNnecting rooms.
fflu Mon f.1. Tor heuutQ ant Is also located
Hn ie Fec nu Nouf, 'n n most secluded
tno aim1et Figoleltl' g. part of the
ruNalnr, lud tiNt ~ rsistent gen.
rai roml lnui aee.lH 'nconvenient
'sEliUIt tl utq, Tie ulI hes to the
rIena SON and mfnoy -hfl .SN division
aus DO slmpltatcd nrH ams1it Ng, and the
lr r'fus iadOns therefor 800 80 AMted that
The .rcuoc 0i lle lost4ii1e Ie o. t1usly af-
fncfs -r' 'Ng, iile puhii ntrirrs'slf 70 adopt
hf 'ufiNlaa lf lf.HEl t their
coirea and rlsl yfiunbIl incNsures
'hei '1ilselia in hurl i- .h|'e OBJ
sc, lDA Nhe'f a. L. p1-Fi'1 nI the
dep. im 'uii hc 1n mo un ,or.
and " Nar. .4t l0aqII tg tloy l0ulr b.. lr-
ranged Nfil n Iicl Isglr0 fl .puieu. Of
commm lcaltUu YatWteD nrh nfu-a. md .,Ifh
the publ hef raduirrI. f'hr u.lDUny M
pository a h'i fa tuia pu wa .rra J....
amount OF Ifeu fCr et1rrF II pa DR.. II
In the bast tIsnt lr ccnnr. a- atiitn 0r.-r.
place, and OH. people s.aeIute,i f.rsa
arc all suffer- Inra lr IeH .".u iii.
usm OF malai uat-eae an4.r Scoops
are on the thhN am nII tHe u.atr III g FIR
workmen are Gu ur hruI eI ..srr .....f
by hand, and al routeie-sr .. .f.. +r q. II. d
from other Office ctilIad Uufuf doom i,.
THIS same elevat lMr ethno b. r..ns- .a.
and expensive. flnH iH.n rI1v be f.Hfr. a ..r
she unfitness of W. Ui" 10 fI..It tUH flf.g. fta-
for the transactio rn. fnerII..Hf- .r.Ius.4
Of the Office.
The sanitary col io e9igtl .enalart
is positively fearfts .r.-. .at the H.t1t
of the evil, the cell ..... dru-. cas-.
ern, a very charne.. ..v.~., - -, siils- atl
raj impurities are Intensified by the air
poisoning gaslights which its darkness
renders necessary shall be kept burning all
the time, and in this atmosphere men are
compelled 10 work, selecting such bags and
sacks as are still fit for use, piling the
others away, their exhalations adding
to the septic and malarial air OF the
place, which is still more aggravated by the
foul odors emanatlng from water-closets, and
the Heterogeneous heats of mailsacks arriving
daily from possibly pestilencs-breeding locali.
ties. THE accompanying report OF Inspector
Robinson 1s referred to.l "He who enters
here leaves hope behind % would be a fitting
legend to place over. this filthy place.
Directly above this delectable spot, and
compelled to share Its noxious vapors, for the
poisoned fumes from the basement permea.e
the entire basement is the floor upon which
the city delivery work of the offlce is done
This, instead Of being open space, over
which the eye crn roam unobscured, whereby
open, or covert, or neglect, or dereliction Of
duty could be detected. consists of series of
apartments, unprovided either with proper
ventiiating or lightsu,pplying facilities, and
10 which intercommunication is had by two or
three narrow archways out through the parti-
tons. Much sickness prevails among the
clerks on this floor from miasma.
The second floor contains one or two COM
Portable rooms, fronting on Louisiana avenue,
occupied by the Postmaster and his assistant,
but the location of the others, rocking with
vile odors from below, is SO complex, the
windiDgs, twistings, and turnings necessary to
go from enc department to another or to come
In or get out Of the building so numerous and
so bewfIderfng as to disgust and deter great
many people, especially females, from going
TO the Money Order or Registration Depart
ments, thus materially decreasing the inco me
OF these divisions.
The building, however, is not only. unsuita-
bio for Postoffice on account of its Internal
arrangements, but 1t is constant imminent
danger OF falling down or burning up. 1t Is
six stories high, and above the first floor the
walls are only nine inches thick, and very
irail. They tower above the adtourning build
ings, and are exposed 10 winds and storms
from all quarters-simply walking hastily
across upper floors causes the whole struc.
ture to vibrate sensibly-detter OF Inspector
EntwfSle is referred to- The interior wood
work, much out of repair from the cellrr TO the
roof, Is OF light timber dried, rotten and dilapi-
dated by time, and the building is full OF 1t; the
basement Is crammed with waste paper and
other rubbish of the Office, along with other
stun OF the most combustible character kept
there, and the tmme4se quantity Of mail mat
famable records. The whole establishment Is
simply huge tinder box, and in the event of
fire, which is liable to occur at any moment,
very many Of the occupants would be soffo-
Gated and cremated before aid could reach
them, and an inclaculable amount of most
valuable mail matter would be destroyed.
night, ana letters of Postmaster Anger and
Assistant Parker are referred to.1
When the building was first occupied plat
form ON Il level with the mailing-noor was
built on the street side, along and across
portion.of the public pavement, and modern
platform was put over the pavement and a
portion OF the street. upon which tho mail
wagons approached the first platform. The
property-owners on q street have notified
Postmaster Anger that they have consulted
counsel regarding the obstruction of the side
On Of hafu nv,
Sixth aud Seventh, ana that they would be
compelled TO bring suit for damages occa
stoned by loss OF rents and injury 10 DrOperty
Regarded from every standpoint there can.
not be found one redeeming quality about this
huge shell, ana 1t is surprising II has been
tolerated so long.
Taking into consideration the fact that tho
convenlencies Of the Washington Post ONCE
are more limited and fewer than those afforded
by any second-class ofllce In the country, and
the immense amount OF work done under
great disadvantage, 1t Is really wonderful thai
II Is 30 promptly ana so creditably performed
Humanity, Justice 10 the public, and respect
for the safety and dignity Of the service de
mand that action be taken at once 10 correc
this reprehensible condition OF things. Did
they exist In q provincial ofiice, attention
would be called 10 the matter, indignation
would be aroused, and a remedy would speed
lily follow.
How surprising It is to think that In the
capital city OF the United States, the cynosur,
OF the civilized earth, the initial point from
whence all Inquiries into our world-famec
postal system must have their be
ginning, the fountain head from
whence all our postofhces have their being;
that such an illy-adapted, miserable, un
healthy and dangerous concern as the Wash
where il is, and as It is now. Cities OF mucl
less wealth and pOpulatiOQ than Washington