The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-29

department-Wh1ch projects about three
feet into the lobby-serves to emphasize
that part of the Office and gives it pleas
ing prominence in the general outline.
THE BRONZE BOXES.
The lock boxes were supplied by Thomas
Kane & Co., of Chicago, and have a solid
bronze front, the number plate being of
French plate glass with the figures ground
into the glass. The new office contains
l,5O0 lock boxes, as against 500 in the old
Office. For each box there are four keys,
giving Postmaster Benton 5000 keys, val
ued at 80 cents each, for which he must
stand good to the government.
THE WORKING ROOM,
where the mails are received and arranged
Tor distribution, and where the outgoing
mails are assorted into the hundred or more
pouches is the most important department
Of the office, as it is here that direction is
given to all the mail handled by the Office.
TO facilitate the work, there are large dis
trlbutlng tables and cases and the mail
pouch rack. A huge table twenty feet long
set at the door where the mails are re-
celved, divided into thirty sections, into
which the distributing clerk ''f1res" the
papers with lightning rapidity according to
their direction, is useful piece of furniture.
The letter distributing case is arranged
so that two clerks can work at asserting
the letters at the same time and contains
forty pigeon holes. The bag rack with a
capacity for hooking ninety-four mailing
pouches will greatly facilitate the making
up OF the outgoing mails.
There are eight bins for keeping the out
going mails, so that San Francisco will not
get mixed up with New York, and vice
versa.
The mailing case comprises five sections
he h.l
contain 25O pigeon holes with wire backs,
so that the dust Twill blow through" as
Postmaster Benton aptly put it.
THE CARRIERS DEPARTMENT.,
which occupies the west side of the room, is
large. Each carrier has his window facing
the lobby through which he can pass out
mail.
IN THE BASEMENT
there is large storage room 40 35 feet,
where the stock of Office supplies in the
shape of stationery and mail pouches will
be kept. There are also fitted up in the
basement lavatories, closets, etc., all with
perfect sanitary plumbing.
THE ENTRANCE.
The entrance to the lobby is very wide, to
obviate any crowding while passing in and
out, and the lobby proper is large and spa
cious, being 60 feet deep and "a feet wide
The ceiling Is II feet high, and the entire
room is unusually well lighted.
A GENERAL GLIMPSE.
Special care has been taken to secure
perfect ventilation, and there will be an alb
sence OF the strong smell, which was SO
peculiar to the old dingy room.
When asked what he would set out for
the people to commemorate the opening of
the new Office, Postmaster Benton replied:
Fresh air, an article never known to
have found its way into the old room.n
The arrangement of keeping the regis
tered letter, money order and stamp de-
partments separate from each other with
wire screens will help the efficiency of the
service, and hold the heads of each depart
ment personally responsible for all the
money that passes to them There is FIRE
proof vault, the upper portion assigned to
money orders and the lower to the regis
tered letter department
The entire fixtures were furnished by
Thomas L. Kane & Co., of Chicago and much
credit for their superior quality and tasty
ornamentation is due TO their agent, H. n.
Morgan, who had personal supervision of
the work.
Postmaster Benton has received a great
many compliments, and all the officials of
the postoffice department who have seen it
pronounce it the most perfectly arrange of
nee In the country. The Denver office,
which costs the government $4,000 an
nually for rent, does not hold candle to
it and the st. Joe building, which cost
$500, 900, is a back number when it comes to
light and convenience of arrangement.
Chief Inspector Patterson said it was by
all odds the finest Office in his district, and
he is disposed to feel little jealous to-
wards MIR. Benton for beating the govern
ment at its own business.
AT HOME TO-DAY.
Postmaster Benton, Assistant Nash, Su-
perintendent Slade, and the host of good
natured boys and men who make up the
roster Of the Salt Lake postoffice were in
high glee last evening over the prospective
removal, which will take place today at
noon. The mails of last night and those of
this morning will be placed in the boxes in
the old office, and it is hoped that all holders
of boxes at the old Office will clean out their
mail during the day.
The general delivery will be open to-day
at the old Office from to 10 a. m, and the
carriers department will be open at the
new quarters from 10 noon to p. m.