Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-23

Of them wonder and keep on wonder
ing why the great and rich government
of the United States does not give its principal
city-the heart Of the nation-a post office
worthy Of the name and the locality. To every
caller is visible the miserable temporary ar
rangement which press of business made abso-
lutely necessary-the woodshed that had to be
stuck on the ground floor front in order that
there might be 9O4 additional square feet Of
space taken into the rooms which front on
Louisiana avenue and which are generally
crowded to their utmost capacity with tons Of
mail matter and large number Of human
lives that ought to be precious.
The words absolutely unfit" are stamped
everywhere. The cracked and blistered wood
work appeals to every observing eye for coat
or two of paint, while door frames warped and
disjointed by old age and doors that will either
refuse to shut or insist on staying shut all the
time mutely petition Congress for an appropri-
alton to supply their shortcomings and cure
their infrmities. 1t is common thing for
strangers to say, upon visiting the post office
for the first time. well. this isn't much of an
office; our little place down at Podunk is better
all around" So far as appearances go that re-
mark and others Of a similar nature are cur
rent. but in reality it is far from truthful, for
behind the long string of screens and parti-
tons are more than three hundred employees
who are the peers, in the postal business, OF
any force in any Office on the face of the globe.
The casual observer, who admires their in
dustry and whose wonderment is excited by
their dexterty, knows but little, if anything, Of
the difficulties under which they labor, nor is
he aware that the WORKOUT shell in which so
many lives are spent is so completely the re-
verse OF desirable as place of occupation.
THE PUBLIC LOBBY.
In the ''woodshed' the public generally finds
a suffciency of room for the transaction Of
ordinary business, but the poor unfortunates
who have to remain in it for any period longer
than few minutes during winter time will be
lucky if cold feet is the only affection which
seizes on them. Behind the screen which shuts
the crowd out of the employees departments
the floor is of tile, laid when the building was
constructed for a hotel, its original use. In
the rear of the general delivery window is the
archway that once spanned the hotel office, the
safe, the clerk the matches, the tooth picks,
the register and the hummer who so carefully
and frequently perused the register ''in search
OF a gentleman who is expected to arrive heah
this evening. sab, but who insisted on staying
away for years at time. Everything looks old
enough to be venerable.
A flight of stairs-placarded as the route to the
money order and registry divlsions-comes to
a conclusion alongside two noisy swinging
doors, which bear on the glass set in them
legends indicative of the close proximity of
the pOstmaster's Office, and he who ventures to
force his way in finds himself, as a STAR re-
porter did day or two ago, in a lobby where
sits the doorkeeper, whose duty and privilege
it is to direct the ignorant into the offices be-
yond, there to be filled up with such informa-
ton as he may desire. During the day no one
pays any attention to the long strips of grimy
paper which hang loosely from the ceiling and
which flap dismaly whenever breath of wind
penetrates their sanctum. but when the lights
doing their best to blaze then it must be
noticed. There would be much more of the CELL
ing paper in Happy condition were it not thata
number of electric light wires cross the ceiling
and prevent the rest of it from unfolding itself
A few old boxes, chair or two and directory
laden desk comprise the other features of this
vestibule. and the visitor would naturally step
next into the room occupied by the assistant
postmaster, Capt. Henry Sherwood. were it not
that his attention would almost certainly be at
tracted by the miscellaneous collection of
choice kindling and stove wood which has been
given place in the continuation of the long
vestibule. There is no other place in which to
store this aggregation Of fuel, SO no apologies
are necessary