The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-22
THE INDIANAPOLIS PosToFrICE.

The bill for the proposed enlargement of
the indianapolis postofice has been favorably
reported from the committee on public build
ings, and is now before the House for action.
AS to the necessity for the Improvement Mr..
Julius Z. Holmes. superintendent of repairs
for government buildings, writes:
1.-THE different inspections made by me
have revealed the fact that the building is too
small to properly transact the public bust
ness; especially is this true in regard to the
postofice working room, registry division,
money order Office, and the corridors used by
the general public. The second and third
stories are also inadequate. In fact, the
building was built many years ago. and no
provision was made for the rapid growth of
your city and the vast amount of public bust
ness that must necessarily be transacted in a
city that is the central point of fourteen rail-
roads, thus increasing the local business and
making it the distributing point for large
section of country, and the repair shop for the
ail-bags of that section.
The committee sent the bill to Super
vising Architect Freret for report. He re-
turned it with his approval, saying:
1.-The purchase of additional ground will
enlarge the present site to dimensions of about
160 by l60 feet, and it would seem to be in
the interest of economy to obtain the same by
purchase condemnation before any addition
al or expensive improvements made there
on by enlarging the site to the dimensions
proposed. The site will then be bounded on
each side by street or alley, which is an
important consideration. Owing to the rapid
increase of business in this city and the con-
dition of the present building, as is evidenced
by the report of the superintendent of repairs,
it would be unwise to expend large sum in
the construction of an addition to the present
building"
The latter part of this statement hints at
the probable necessity for new building in
the near future. So does the report of the
committee, and for that reason recommends
an appropriation of only 1925. 900, instead of
500, as had been suggested. AS to the
necessity for the enlargement the committee
report says:
1.-THE city of indianapolis contains about
10000 inhabitants; is a great railroad center,
being the terminal of fourteen roads radiating
in all directions. Over one hundred and fifty
mails are sent out every twenty-four hours.
The postoffice necessarily by reason of its
central location and railway facilities, is
distributing Office of great and growing i'm
portance. By reason of the central location
and the advantages of the city as a distrib-
utinG center, the mailbag repair shops are
located there. the basement cellar of the
pcssoffice building being used for a shop and
store-room, and Is wholly unfit as we'll as inade-
quate for the purpose. The present building is
crowded from cellar to garnet, and that portion
used for postoffice is hampered to such an
extent that the number of employees neces-
sary to do the work efficiently cannot lind
room to work without getting in the way of
each other. and. as consequence, the hand
ling of the mails is very difficult, extremely