Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-10-01
THE NEW POSTOFFICE.
Removal 10 KErLEK's nuupIsa.
a Change tor the Bettor--Some Description
OF tho New once and tho New Buiid-
lug In winch ~ Is Located.

a Change tor the Bettcr-some Description
Oft thc New once and tho New Buiid-
ingi which ~ Is Located.
Ga Saturday afternoon and evening the
pOstotlice was removed from its old and
cramped quarters in city hall, to the largo
and cummodiOus room expressly Tilted up
for IL In Kcplor's new building, North
Queen street. On Sunday the mails were
for tho first time received at and distribu
ted from the new office, and this morning,
October lst, tho now postal law, reducing
the postage on letters from three to two
cents went into operation-the several
changes forming quite an epoch i'll the
history of postotice affairs in this city
To Mr.. Koplor was awarded the honor OF
mailing the first letter from the now office
Ca filial cpistlo to his mother,) and of buy.
ing tho first of the new two cent stamps.
rne New building.
Keplcrs new building, erected ON the
site OF tho old Black Horse hotel, is por.
haps the handsomest building on North
Queen street 1t is four stories in height,
has front of 80 feet and depth of ll3
feet, and is substantially built Of the best
material that could be obtained.
The first floor, which is occupied
by the postotlice, has an open front
of iron and glass. Six iron box
columns support the main girder,
| upon which the pressed brick front
OF tho second. third and fourth stories rost.
| The iron columns, girdcr, window frames
and cornices are of handsome design,
highly ornamented and are painted in
| bronze and gold. all the doors and win
dows being filed with plate glass. The
three large windows which light the post
office from, contain single panes OF heavy
plate glass, each being six feet in width
and twelve feet in height, and tho panels
Of the two large double doors leading
| to the Office are also filled with heavy
plate glass. Tne doors are hung on heavy
| patent spring hinges, that open both in.
| wards and Outwards.
The Interior.
The interior of the office presents q very
attractive appearance and the arrange
ments are very convenient, both for the
public and the postotticeTs The work was
executed by the Yale \ Towne lock man
ufacturing company o. SANFORD, Conn,
who have made the fitting up of postoitices
a speciality, and have few ii any compett
tors in the United States.
That part of the office devoted to the
use Of the public is lobby OF the full
width Of the building extending from the
main entrance 70 depth OF about thirty
feet. Projected from the rear, into the
centre Of the lobby, is the general natl
delivery department. Il is au ob!onE
frame work of handsomely pauelled ash
and plate glass, reaching from uoJT 10
ceiling. Il is about twelve feet IN width
and twenty feet in length and within II
are stationed the delivery clerks. Its
front Is pierced with wicket for the sale
Of stamps" and on either side OF the
| 49, ~ -
in which TO deposit letters aud papers. W
Either side Of the stamp" wicket, are
wickets for the delivery Of letters, one
being marked "fOr gents and the other
for ladies'. Just 10 the rear Of the
delivery wickots, on either side Of the
office are the "call boxes" about three
hundred in number. These boxes have
heavy plate glass in front Of them through
| which il is easy TO SEQ whether they con.
tain mail matter or not. The glasses are
handsomely ground, the enc on the south
side having fine representation Of a
| locomotive aud train of mail cars cut in
the centre Of 1.-THE one on the north side
being Ornamcnted with fine picture o
an ocean mail steamer.
The Salo Lock Boxes
Adjoining the call boxes are the Ialr
lock boxes, 3s4 in number, which foI
beauty, simplicity aud utility are IA
superior TO anything in the postal line ever
seen in this city. They have ornameuteC
lattiCed bronze doors, behind each o
which is \ plate Of glass through which
the renter OF box can easily sec whcthe
it contains any mail. No two of the key
are alike and no box eau be opened excep
with the key that belongs 10 il. Thu
, each ones mail is perfectly secured an
can be lifted by the owner AZ any hour .
, the night, it baiug the pos:master's inteu
ton to keep the Office open at all hours.
: To tue rear of the lock boxes on eithe
side of the delivery department are heay
, ash panels which may at any time be re
moved and seyGra! hundred additions
lock boxes be added at triti!ng oxpens
and without in any way marring the sym
T metry OF the Office.
From the north side OF the lobby a do
leads into the money order room, q
/, apartment some twelve feet square, part
toned off in solid ash. 1t has two wicket
, | looking into the business department-On
\ for money orders and the other for II
> gis cred letters One of these wicket
3 contains cut glass picture Of the Ol
=, time pOstbOy mounted on horseback, an
\ the other picture of the old fashiOne
numbering mail coach, loaded with pa
| SeuSGIh lusllc anu OUT anu Win nOlbto u
n tho gallop.
, Adjoining the money order room i til
! cosy private Office of the postmaster.
The Business Department
; In tho partition at the rear of the sout
, lobby is the " carriers window, and
f door leading INTO the main business dt
partment Of the postoilice. Through tn
door the mail will be carried from I'll
p newspaper offices and to and from til
q railroads and mail stages. AT other time
r it will bo kept locked, or opened only t
those having business Behind this doc
and extending to the rear of the building
I is TO be done the heavy work Of the Office
Il receiving, asserting and delivering th
- mails TO aud from all parts OF the countrl
4 The newspaper ring, pigeon holes, tables
p desks, &c., &c, used in the old office al
,, being put to use again. They look ratht
n shabby alongside the new fixtures, but I'll
postmaster says he Intends to have the
= repaired and painted and grained 80 as
4 conform somewhat in appearance to ii
a new work.
y The new office is we'll Lighted the oe
: ing is II feet above the floor, and IL
Il front being almost entirely Of plate glas
a food OF light is thrown into that pa
/ devoted to tho public aud as the upp
"a parts Of the partitions separating the pu
n lie from the official departments are al
r. of plato glass, the latter also are fair
=. | huhta1 Far darLf laya and fnr mi Jl