The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-11
FACTS ABOUT FORT WAYNE.
Points Brought Out by the Proposal to Erect
Public Building in that City.


Public Building in that City.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 10.-Some interesting mat
ter relating to postal affairs, etc, at Fort Wayne
is found in the report of the House committee
on public buildings and grounds on the bill pro-
viding for an additional appropriation for pub
lie building at that place. The committee
states that the city of Fort Wayne is the third
largest city in the State of Indiana, and in 1880
contained population of 26,SS0. as shown by
the census returns. The latest attainable sta
tistics show a population now approximating
80, 900. very full statement of the location,
growth, wealth, business activity and pros.
poets of Fort Wayne has been submitted to the
committee, from which it appears that Fort
Wayne is an important railroad center, and has
long been recognized in shipping circles as one
of the principal distributing points for freight
in the West Eight railroads now terminate or
pass through said city, and some seventy five
passenger trains arrive and depart there daily.
1t has all the accessories of a city of great
prosperity. 1t has long enjoyed the benefits of
the mai-carrier system, has spacious hotels, a
paid fire department. unexcelled for its discipline
and skill, street ears and telephone lines, and
splendid system of water works; two colleges,
with buildings valued at 100000, are located
there, with an attendance of nearly five hundred
students. 1t is the business center of large
and prosperous section of the country, rich in
agricultural wealth. Many manufactures are
located there as well as the railroad shops of
two large railroad corporations giving employ
ment to thousands of men. A very extensive
wholesale and retail trade in merchandise is car
ried on there, which is increasing yearly, run
ming the figures largely into millions, and the
city abounds with the indicia of thrift activity,
enterprise, wealth, and commercial prosperity.
The United States Circuit and District Courts
for the district of Indiana are held there. The
postoffce at Fort Wayne is kept in dingy
building, furnishing neither safe depository of
government property nor eommodious accommo-
dations for the people. The government owns
no building there, and the United States courts
are held and the Offices of United States com.
mssioners and United States deputy marshals
and clerks are kept in rented buildings, or
small and unsuitable rooms in the county court
house.
The postal business at Fort Wayne was tabu-
ulated for the committee, and shows the money
order business in 1880 to have aggregated 1924,
s72.79. The carriers statement shows that in
$780, 2,662, GIG pieces of mail were collected and
delivered. The local postage amounted to 49,
$685. and the carriers were paid Sc, $50. The
registered letters received and sent numbered
b. 765, and those received in transit, 1891.
-Four large railway corporations have central
Offices there, and three have, in addition, large
construction and repair shops, that purchase
their postal supplies at general headquarters, To-
Gated elsewhere This reduces the income of
the Office, while the posting of mail from the
shops is all done at this point. The rent now
paid for the postoffice at Fort Wayne is 81, 900
per annum.
Of the sum appropriated for this building and
site $25, 900 has been already expended in the
purchase of site, leaving but $25, 900 Of the ap-
preparation to be applied to the building itself
This is regarded as being so entirely inadequate,
as an appropriation with which to commence
that the devising of plan and the making Of
specifications is being delayed to ava she &C
ton of Congress, although the need o Guild
ing is pressing and urgent. The bill reported by
the committee limits the total cost of the build
ing and site to $40, 00Q