The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-06

1t is entirely probable that the con-
dition of the Roanoke postofIice will
soon receive attention at tn, hands of
the Postofiice Department at Washing
ton.
Tho clerical force has been at all
times too small to handle the heavy and
rapidly-growing business of the Office,
and, notwithstanding repeated reprcsen-
tations, but little relief has been
afforded. The fault in reality is not
with the Department., but with Con-
gress, which cuts down the allowance
for clerk hire to figure hundreds of
thousandseOf dollars below the pressing
needs of the service.
Postmaster Asbcrry made strong
presentation to the Department re-
Gently ard secured Slight measure OF
rcliet. During his recent visit to Wash.
ingtOn the editor of TIE TIMES called
upon First Assistant Postmaster-G Gen
eral Whitfield and presented Summary
of the business OF the Roanoke office
during 1SS0-'00, with the business for
the month of January, as printed in re-
cent numbers of TIE TINES.
Col. Whitfield took the matter under
personal ndviscment and promised, if
possible, to give some relief.
sit is difficult, however" said he, "to
do much. We have margin of only
SIC, 1000 to get through the year with
for increasing clerical assistance, and
are struggling as bankruptnever does
TO make it.go as far as possible. Wo
are certain to be confronted with def
cheney, as the matter stands, but will do
for tho Roanoke Office the best we can"
Col. Whitfield was at one time post
master at Cincinnati, and n model post
master at that. lie brought the Gin
cinnati Office up to a high standard of
efficiency, and his experience there en-
ables him 10 bring n fund of valuable
information to his aid in the responsible
position he now holds.
In connection withthis subject Post
master Asberry calls the attention of
the public to difficulty which causes
large amount of trouble in the office,
and which could easily be rcmedied by
tho responsible parties
There are" said he yesterday, ''sev-
eral hundred chartered companies doing
business in Roanoke. Thousands of
letters como in every week addressed to
these various companies, yet many of
them have neglected to furnish the
Office with their addresses or the names
of their secretaries or the proper Off
Gals to whom they desire to have their
mail delivered. This causes an i'm
mcnse amount of delay and labor, in
properly distributing and delivering
their mail. All this would ca lily be
saved by adopting the precaution l have
suggested"
The passage of the Senate bill in the
House appropriaaing $4,000 for post
Office building at Roanoke is fitting
recognition Of the Magic City of South
west Virginia. Virginia has already
received two public buildings this year.
ono at Norfolk and one at Staunton. If
Roanoke gets hers, Virginia will have
received more public buildings this SEES
sion than any other State.
AS the House changed the amount of
the senate bill, Il conference committee
will lie appointed and the House amend
mcnt probably concurred in. Then it
goes to the President. Steps are already
being taken to have the merits of the
bill properly laid before tho President,
that his signature may be assured.
The two Virginia Senators will accom-
pany Representative Edmunds to the
White House in it's behalf, and other in
fiucnce of n formidable weight will be
brought to bear in favor of the bill.