The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-09-18
THE posropyIon Bu1rprNe AGAIN

The acting postmaster" again this
week endeavors to excuse Mr.. Meagher
for his lack of enterprise In placing the
postofiice building and fixtures in some
thing like respectable dimensions for
public convenience, and not at all in
contrast with his former efforts, proves
himself "linked" to an individuals in
terests as against those Of the cOmmun-
ity in general. He now admits that, In
stead Of 81 300 expense rs called for by
the Yale Lock Co., II would cost Mr..
Meagher trifie over 81 900 TO put In
what was figured upon at the time esti-
mates were being secured, and to get his
figures even there, he puts in numerous
articles, such ~ mailing rack, paper
case, ETC., which we made no mention
of, but which We are free to acknowledge
are sadly needed for the proper hand
ling of mail. To be sure an extension to
the present building would be required
in order to give place for the extra
boxes, but in making such improve
ments the proprietor of the property
would be adding money TO enhance the
value and utility of his own building-it
matters not for what business purposes
il might be used. Supposing we grant
all that Mr.. Wise claims for his master
in the way of cost for improvements.
The extreme sum is only VI ,3OO-for it
would be unreasonable to figure in the
cost of enlarging the building, AZ we said
before that would be q permanent i'm
provement-how long would it take,
with the excess of rent he IL receiving
from the government over what he
could get from an individual, to pay for
IL? After an addition of 20 feet has been
put on the rear of this building, we very
much doubt if Mr.. Meagher could find u
tenant that would pay him $500 per year
rental; but We will admit that he could.
He now gets $500 per annum, and has
for twelve years drawn this muniticent
sum. Here, then, he has an excess OF
800 per wear, or "a, 800 for the time
mentioned. To be just, Mr.. Meagher
should have interest upon his Office fix
lures. Place the inside fixtures at S.
600 at 10 per cent, and for the twelve
years we have ~, 400, subtracted FROM
", 800, the excess of rent we still have u
surplus of ~ 400. And still the public il
informed that Mr.. Meagher il not war.
ranted in laying out twelve or thirteen
hundred dollars to accommodate the
people with better facilities and more
boxes. But we have granted Mr.. Wise's
master more than he ia entitled to. Take
the present structure as il is and has
been for the past twelve years, and it
would not rent for any kind of business
for more than three hundred or three
hundred and fifty dollars year. Take
the latter figure, substract it from the
$500, which we have allowed after en-.
largement, and you have, for twelve
years 81 800 to add TO the 81 800, making
u total excess rental of IL, 900, or clear
profit over and above what the proper.
ty would rent for to an individual, after
.allowing a liberal interest upon office
fixtures of "a 200. And after this show.
ing, the "acting postmaster" says tha
making due allowance for patriOtizm
we imagine that no citizen Of MankatC
would make these improvements with
out an increased rental az we'll as an ex
tension of lease" IL such u silly prOcla
nation rs this is not toadying to the diet
ates of his master, then excuse us, John
1t il very likely that Mr.. Wise in the
efiulgence of his patriotism has an idea
that he can "pull the wool" over the
eyes of the people of MankatO, but he il
off IN his reckoning. He is pretty vel
known here. and his obligations to hi
master are pretty well understood. But i
the stirring up of this question shall hav,
the result of giving Mankato respectaJl
postofiice building and cOnveniences il
keeping with the public demand, il vii
be appreciated by a long suffering public