The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-08
THE new PUBLIC BUILDING
The Reasons for the Delay in the
Construction of the Same.
The Money in Hand is Not Sufficient
to Erect Such Building as Would
Answer the Requirements of a
City of Norfolk's Present
and Future Importance.

The meeting of the John S. Barbour
Club, to take action in o, dor to push TO
beginning the construction OF the new
public building for the use OF the post
Office and Federal courts, has attracted
attention'and comment. Ii WAS thought
when the meeting WIS called that, by
concert of action gu the part of our
people, the instruction could be given
To go ahead with the building. But
from the letters received from the Su
pervisiug Architect and Hon. ID. Gard
ner Tyler, 1t WAS found that il n build.
ing was to be started, based upon the
amount in hand, thar it would be thor.
oughly. Inadequate fur tho service.
Under the belief that the work could
be pushed aud that future appropria.
tions would be made, OK Postmaster
Glennan was requested to pre-.
pare the resolutions for adoption by the
meeting. When, however, he learned
that the Government architects de.
partment wes restricted 10 making
plans for the erection of building
based upon the sum Of money on hand,
he urged that the resolution shonld not
be considered save rs q basis by means OF
the facts embraced therein could help
in securing additional approprintl ons
for the erection Of such bun ding as
would meet Norfolk's wants ns post
office for years to come. The present
Federal building cost about $1,000 900
to S40U, 900, aud was begun when the
population of Norfolk was only 1000.
Now, Eorfoik's population is fully 90,
600, and it is reasonable to expect that
IN forty years from now 1t will bp 300,-
600. ami 1t is building that will an
swer the needs of such n city Tint Nor
folk wants. The reasons for tho con.
struction OF new building as set forth
in the resolutions were as followa:
WHEREAS, Congress at various
times during the past nine years has
recognized the necessity OF now pub
lie building to meet tue requirements
OF the greatly increased postal bust
ness Of this city, as also for the greater
convenience and requirements of the
Federal Courts, and whereas Congress
has made IN appropriation OF money
for tue purchase Of u site and the con
struction Of suitable building, and
whereas several years ago site was
purchased, but RS yet no work on tho
erection OF tho building has begun,
and whereas this delay Ill tue erection
OF tue proposed building is II dstriment
to the postal service oil II city of the
business aud commercial Importance of
Norfolk, and source OF Inconvenience
to the routine business of tho Federal
Court, therefore it is that the John S,
Barbour Club unite with citizens of
Norfolk in the effort TO secure IA speedy
recognition on the purt Of the Treas
ury and Postal Departments of III.
United States to the imperative i'm
portance of beginning and pushing to
completion the erection of the now
public building for the Postal and
Federal Court service, for which Con
gress has appropriated money.
The reports upon which the appro.
priation was made for the construction
OF the new Federal building will show
how greatly inadequate are the fncili-
ties Tor the proper transaction of the
been located in the basement of the
present public building more than
forty years. At that time the popula.
ton OF Norfolk was about 10, 600. To-.
day IT Is $4,000, with surrounding
population OF nearly 100000. The
office is the distributing office of all
the mails for the eastern sections of
virginia and North Carolina, besides
being the United States depository of
the postal business of all the money
order postottices in these sections aud
beyond. Postal receipts for the wear
ending June Sd, 1885. were S43, go. 27
at cent postage. For the year
ending December, 1891, the receipts
resched $50, 30b.33 st cent post
age. This increase has required
and secured large addition TO
the clerical and letter carrier force,
and 80 result the present post.
once, located as it is in low, damp
basement, lily ventilated, crowded and
cfamped Tor space, badly lighted, ia
not only sadly deficient for the hand
ling OF the mails, bnt is seriously detri-
mental to the health of all who are EN-.
ployed therein, and this is demonstrate
ed IN the sick list of employees aud also
me death rate that the records show.
For these reasons be it therefore.
resolved by the John s. Barbour Club,
that In recognition OF the views of the
business interests of Norfolk, the city's
rapid development in business and
population. its bright future, tho
WretchedIy inadequate facilities of the
present postoffice for present business.
Its uDbea!thiness. its i'll ventilation, the
act that Congress has appropriated
money to erect new Federal building.
and that the site has been purchased.
an earnest appeal IL made to the Treas.
nry and Postal Departments of the
Government, to a. once take nm the
matter OF the erection OF the new pub.
lie building, and begin its speedy cree.
ton.