St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-10-25
POST OFFICE AFFAIRS.
Something About Free Delivery.


The announcement of the proposed
removal of the post Office to b. g..
Howe's new block on Railroad street
has given rise to a good deal of talk
during the week. While the general
impression prevails that the office will
eventually be moved, there are still
those who are interested in and who
have some knowledge of affairs, who
maintain that no lease has yet been
signed by the government and that the
post Office may not be moved after all.
clares his utter ignorance of the re-
mOval matter and that he knows no
more about the business than anybody
else.
AS regards the free delivery question
it is by no means assured that free de-
livery can be secured until another
summer. The law expressly states
that in order to secure free delivery the
Office must do business of $4,000
during at least one fiscal year. The
business year begins July 1. At the
close of the last fiscal year, June 80,
the receipts were 5000 short of the re-
quired amount. The fact that busi-
ness of $4,000 was done for the year
ending October l., does not meet the
requirements of the law. A petition
that was sent on to Washington two or
three weeks ago asking for free deliv-
cry was returned last week with the
above explanation in substance en-
dOrsed thereon. 1t is suggested that
by discontinuing the Summerville Office
and reckoning the receipts of the last
fiscal year as part of the business of
the ST. Johnsbury Office the desired re-
suit might be brought about. Wheth-
er this would be allowable or not we
do not know, but some such irregular
proceeding would be necessary in order
to procure the free delivery before next
July. The work of re-numbering the
houses is another thing that is likely
to delay matters somewhat, SO the res
idents of the village will do we'll not to
count on free delivery at once.
Of course there are many business
men and large number of families in
| this community who protest against
the removal of the office so far away
from the centre of the village popula-
ton. We're it pretended that the re-
moval to the proposed new location
was necessitated in order that major
ity of the people might be accommO-
dated no one could complain, but such
is not the case, and the proposition il
not worthy serious consideration. Or
the other hand it is maintained that i
the people on the Plain are displeaseG
they have themselves to blame, as the
late Governor Fairbanks and Franklir
Fairbanks were instrumental in pre-
venting the completion of the Eastern
avenue block that would better accom-
mOdate the people if a removal mus
be made. This is neither fair nor
tenable position. The Fairbankses di,
exactly by Mr.. Howe in relation to hi
block as they did by Bella Hasting
when they compelled him to material.
modify his building arrangements oil
the other side of the street. They wer
consistent with past action in what wa
done. Furthermore, we firmly believ,
that carrying the post Office to the pro
/ DOsed new location will finally react oI
the promoters of the scheme and tina
they will live to realize that they hav
carried matters with altogether to-
high hand.