The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26
THE GREATER POST OFFICE
so,ooo,oO0 IN RECEIPTS AND $4,000
600 IN PENDITURES.


Benent 70 Suburban Residents, who VIII
Rave FREQ Delivery and other Facilities.
WARRINGTON. Sept. General
Gary has two projects on hand, either OF which
would stand as n Landmark for an Administra-
ton. They are the institution OF a postal saw
ings bank and the consolidation OF tho Post
Offices In Greater New York. Attention has
been called to the latter scheme several times,
but the interest which is taken in 1t has never
been fully shown. Tho preparation by Mr..
Beavers, formerly a New York inspector, and
now chief OF the salary and allowance division,
Of a table showing tho receipts and OK
penditures Of tho various offices was done
ut the direction of the Postmaster-Gen.
eral. This table shows that there are
fifty Post Offices in the territory COM
posing tho Greater New York, whose gross re-
ceipts aggregate 80, 1873, 92l, to which New York
contributes S 1911, $50 and Brooklyn 81. III ,423.
Tho salaries of Postmasters aggregate S70.723;
clerk hire and other expenses. So, or .o31; cost
of carrier service, $2,0l9. 5o4. and the total cost,
"a, 137.2 $50. leaving a profit of rs, 052, 682. Mr..
Gary was in his office at tho department when
the table was shown to him by o reporter for
THE Sun. He said:
ut shows what q great, one might even say
tremendous. thing this consolidation scheme 10.
Nine millions In receipts and four millions In
expenditures; 1t is certainly a great oflcei No
one. even thouRh'he lives in New York and does
business at the side Of the Post Office, has any
idea Of tho vast amount of business transacted
by the office and the absolute necessity of a
wise administration Of Its affairs unless he
makes a study OF 1t. I was greatly surprised, on
the occasion OF my recent visit, at tho volume
Of matter handled daily by tho office, and l
became deeply interested in It's affairs. l re-
ceived considerable additional information as
the result OF my trip, but there is still much for
me to learn. AS you know. the consolidation OF
these two Offices of New York and Brooklyn, will
require an act Of Congress, and really there is no
reason why such an important matter as this
should not receive attention at tho hands of
Congress This being the case. the department
can take no steps in the matter until called on
by Congress. In the meantime. however. we
can gather together the information necessary
for tho proper presentation OF the subject, which
we are doing, and we can also draft q plan of
consolidation 80 as to put 1t into effect should
Congress authorize the execution OF the plan.
1t seems to rue that the consolidation am
speaking merely my private opinion-would DO
Of considerable value to the residents of
Greater New York who live In the out.
lying districts. on account of tho addi-
tional facilities 1t would give them for
their mails to and from points within the
city boundaries. There is room for internal i'm.
%provement in this territory. and the department
is ready and willing to give the New York office
all the facilities 1t can. Ibelieve that the pneu-
matte tube service will be a good institution
and prove OF much benefit to those who patron
ize 1t. 1t will enable a person to have a message
sent from one point to another covered by this
service within ten minutes and delivered by a
carrier. This will be done for the sum OF two
cents, much faster than by n messenger.
almost as rapidly as by telephone or telegraph.
and AFT N mpch lasa coaf I haya M 5ouht
that this system will be largely patronized,
and 1t will be extended when possible. The
same reasoning applies to other points. 1t is
remarkable how much mail is handled strictly
within the limits OF Greater New York. OF
course 1t Is on this mail that the department
makes the greatest profit. although only the
volume handled enables it to perform the service
for . cents. Millions OF letters are sent every
year fr ON one point in New York to another,
and II we can facilitate the delivery OF these let
tiers and the reception OF replies you can readily
see the benefits conferred"
The department Is rather backward about
taking hold Of the scheme of consolidating the
Post Office. as In some cases where such con.
solidation has been proposed the plan has met
with opposition from those who are not well In
formed regarding It. Yet it speaks well for the
principle that In no case, even where the opposi.
ton has been greatest. has there been any re.
monstrances after the service was once estab-
lished. for as soon as the patrons realized the
benefits which they received they were perfectly
willing TO let the matter stand. and would not,
II they could. return TO the scheme OF separate
Post Offices. The Post Office Department. under
these circumstances, Is dcsiroup OF having the
matter thoroughly discussed and brought to the
attention OF the residents OF this territory. be-
fore taking any action itself, 80 that IL will be in
a position to measure tho opposition, should
there DO any. and determine the best way OF
overcoming It. The position which Mr.. Wilson,
the future Postmaster OF Brooklyn, will take on
this question Is. Of course. an important factor.
AS yet there is no means Of knowing how here
CARDS 1t. but 1t 10 understood that he ia not IA
vorably disposed toward 1t. As explained In
THE Sun. the act consolidating the two offices
could easily provide for the Postmaster at
Brooklyn. either making him q deputy Postmas.
ter OF Creator Now York or a deputy Postmas.
ter in charge Of the Brooklyn station. In either
case the position would pay 60, 1000, as at pres
emit. or at least $4,000. and it could be made
permanent during good behavior. or practically
a life position. This would appear to make II
moro desirable than a four-year term at Sc, 600.
Tho Importance OF this measure" said an
official OF the department who has made a study
Of the question. has not yet been realized.
either by the department or the patrons of the
office. We are Just getting down to II ourselves.
A glance at this list shows you that sixty offices
are concerned in It. many OF them being first.
Sc ond and third class Offices. Tho total receipts
run up into the millions. as do the expenditures,
and there are thousands OF employees concerned.
There seems to BIO an impression prevailing in
and about New York and Brooklyn that the
consolidation OF these offices would cause them
10 lose their postal identity. On the contrary, il
would mean nothing but the addition OF the word
station to Brooklyn. Creedmoor. Floral Park,
and others. That is all the public would have
the Post Office Department. The general ipub.
lie would never realize that the change had
been made. except that they would receive much
better service and be greatly benefited. 1t is the
same principle as the consolidation OF the Fire
experiments, tho Street Cleaning departments. |
The Health departments, and other branches OF |
the city government. No one for IA moment |
would think OF maintaining q separate Fire De- |
pnrlment for BROOKLYN, Far R~ockGway. or Cedar
hurst; These departments will all be under the
same head; why not the Post Offices OF the city,
There are many towns on this list which
have not now and will not have for years The |
dement's OF free delivery. Under the consolida-
doubt that the patrons would be pleased.
XII INr h - a. --.II Ill .4-