The San Francisco call., 1896-04-14
The Postmaster Submitted His
Ideas of Changes in the
Plans.
HE RESENTS ALL CRITICISM.
Declares the Drawings of the Archi.
tect for Interior Arrangements
Were Eau ty.

Postmaster McCoppin declines to en-
large his responsibilities by assuming
credit for the long delay in the commence
ment of work on the new postoffice build
ing. In a dispatch to The CALL from
Washington it was stated that the super
vising architect was awaiting his ideas as
to how the rooms devoted to the postotfice
in the proposed structure at Mission and
Seventh streets should be arranged. Mr.
McCoppin said yesterday that he had al
ready communicated his views to the
architect az Washington and would have
nothing more TO do with the matter.
The plans were here year or more
ago, but they were not submitted to me-"
said Postmaster McCoppin, ''nor was in
vited TO look at them, and I do not now
even recall the name of the person in
whose hands they were at the time. Later
on the architect, Mr.. Aiken was here, and
though I saw something OF him in social
way. he did not show me his plans nor
talk TO me about them.
But about two months ago he sent
sketch Of the plan of the ground floor Of
the postofice, with a request that l make
any suggestions regarding changes that
might occur to me. made several. They
were of radical nature and concerned the
interior arrangements, and I also wrote
him fully on the subject.
81 can furnish THE CALL a copy of the
letter at any time. 1t was so plain that a
schoolboy could understand it, and was
accompanied by a drawing with the
changes suggested.
Later l saw that the architect had
given out to THE CALL correspondent at
Was hington that he did not understand
fully the Postmaster's suggestions, and
that he had called upon him again to 60
over the ground.
He sent out another sketch plan, differ
ent from the first, but equally faulty in
the opinion of the Postmaster. 1t was
promptly returned, accompanied by a let
ter which was intended to further enlighten
the architect on the subject of the post
office as to ground plan and the working
utilities of the Office. Therefore, the archi-
tect, or whoever has assumed the
right to speak for him, has no right to
pretend that the Postmaster has been the
cause OF any delay in the perfe ction of the
working plans for the building"
This is all the Postmaster would say on
the subject, though it was quite evident
44OuA LIS ludAueI lIIdI Hc N1S oil ~ LuIuS Dul
pleased with the criticism of his conduct
sent out from the chief architects depart
ment at Washington. He is as anxious as
any person in San Francisco to see work
begun on the building, but does not ex-
pect to live to see the big building COM
pieted unless the good Lord gives him a
onger lease of life than he has ever before
allotted to any of his creatures.
An equally ridiculous statement emanat-
ing from the architects office at Washing
ton is the one attributed to certain Fed
ersl Judge, who, so the story goes, had de-
manded that the plans be changed, or he
would not move into the new building.
This statement can only apply to Judge
McKenna or Judge Morrow, and the fact
is that they, like the Postmaster, have
done everything in their power to facili-
tate matters rather than to obstruct the
plans of the architect.
The belief is pretty general in Federal
circles that Representative Loud hit the
nail on the head when he said in an inter
view with the Washington correspondent
OF The CALL that the reason why the Gov
eminent did not proceed with the work
was on account of the absence of ready
cash.
The Congressional delegation at Wash.
ington is doing everything in its power
to advance the enterprise, but little
aid is hoped for from those having the
construction of the building in charge.