The morning call., 1893-03-21
IN A CUBBY=HOLE.
Postal Clerks Huddled Up
Together.
THEY CAN'T LEAN OVER.
An Outcry Against Close Quarters at
Station X in the Croker
Building.
HEY CAN'T LEAN OVER.

There is much grumbling among business
men and others at the very scant accommO-
dation furnished the public In the Branch
PoStoffice known as Station K.
The location is under a shaving parlor on
the ground floor OF the big Crocker building,
9 Post street. in the very heart Of the bust
ness portion of San Francisco.
There is not room nOugh there to swing
cat in the space occupied by the Govern
ment when the clerks are at their posts. 1t
is probably the smallest Postofice in the
United States situated in the populous CEN
ter of large city.
The exact floor NJ Measurement is Sx16 feet,
with some odd corners, which bring The
total up to about 14O square feet. Less than
half this area is occupied by the clerks.
The larger portion is for the public. half
a dozen persons will make a crowd big
enough to fill this portion.
When the station was first established
the Postal Department authorized the en-
ployment there Of one superintendent and
one clerk. 1t was then located at Mont
gomery street, in the Lick House block.
Last July it was removed TO the Croker
building, when the business Increased so
rapidly as TO make it necessary to crowd in
two additional clerks. These unfortunate
men are so closely jammed that when any
one Of them has to turn from his desk to
attend TO any bushes he jostles all his
neighb ors. If a piece OF money or Dos
tage stamp is accidentally dropped on the
floor all but one of the clerks must step out
side TO enable that one to find STOPPING
room to pick 1t up.
SO many complaints have reached Post
master Backus in regard to this cubby-hole,
coupled with protests against the cruel con-
hnement Of the clerks immersed within it
for hours every day, that he is making eff
forts TO secure relief. The condition of
affairs has been fully represented to the
Postal Department al Washington.
Stat on * handles more business than any
other branch pOslofice in the city. notwith-
standing 1t Is neither a distributing nor a
letteT-carrier station. The superintendent
is w. j. Phillips, who has Tad charge of it
since II was first established.
The volume Of business at this station
has more than trebled within twelve
months time. A comparison of the busi-
| ness transacted Tor the last quarter of 1891
with the last quarters business in 1892
shows the advance.
During the quarter ending December 81.
1891. there were issued 1872 domestic money
orders, representing a total of S27, 40 50.
During the same period in 1892 the number
was 59Zl, representing total Of S9l, 6l2 3S.
During the same period 21S international
money orders, representing total of
S30S9 o. were issued, as against 1874 in
1892 of the value Of S14 1913 Of.
Where 1874 postal notes of the total
value OF S2l66 GS were issued in the last
quarter of 1891, the number issued during
the same period last year was 1854 repre-
senting a total of S7027 %
The number of letters registered during
the same perIod In 1891 was 1852; in 1892.
9545. In 1891 the clerks sold stamps to the
value of S23, CAS- rs against So, 978 10 in 1892
The Postal Department IN leasing prem-
ises for branch stations reserves to itself
tho right TO cancel a lease upon giving
ninety days notice.
AS several good sites have been offered
the department in the same neighborhood.
the prospects are fayorable for a move at
an early date of Staten K to quarters
where the Office cat will have something
more than swinging room and an ordinary
sized man sufficient space to wet Column
ban postage stamp.