The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-19
POSTOFFICE STATIONS.
MIR. Sahm's Encouraging News from
Washington.

Postmaster Sahm has received word from
the Postofiice Department at Washington
that the request for fifteen additional car
riers and seven additional stations will be
taken up very shortly and will be given
earnest and careful consideration" Mr.
Sahm regards this as encouraging news.
An inspector was here recently and recon-
mended that fifteen new carriers be APP
pointed, and two "full'' stations and five
substations with the necessary clerks be
established. A 'full'' station is in reality
a minor postoffice. If the requisition is
honored one full station will be estab-
lished in the northeast part of town, prob
ably at the corner of Home avenue and
Columbia avenue, and another at the cor
ner of Illinois and old Thirteenth streets
Mr. Sahm says that there would not be
sufficient room in the central postoffice for
the additional carriers. If the new stations
are established, ten carriers will operate
from each. The time that is now taken up
in going to and from remote parts of the
city will be devoted to distributing mail
Additional clerks would be required for the
full stations. They will be designated by
letters, station A and Station b. if they
are established. The five substations will
be known by numbers, and will be operated
in Brightwood, North Indianapolis Haugh-
vile, Mount Jackson and West Indiana
polls. They will be located In drug stores
or other places of business. and will con-
tain stamps, money ORDERS etc. 1t is be-
lieVed that such arrangements will be a
great convenience to people who are now
compelled to come down town to transact
postal business.
Indianapolis has outgrown one postoff1ce,
MIR. Sahm says, and there is urgent neces-
sty for the improvements that have been
asked The trouble is that the department
has TO keep within its appropriation. Re-
quests of similar character come from all
parts of the country, and in each case the
claim is made that there is urgent necessity
for the improvements requested
1.-The Postal Department, said Mr.. Sahm,
lis the one branch of the government that
touches every person, and my idea is that
it ought to be managed as literally as pos
sible. / recognize the necessity for econ
onay but all the money necessary to give
the people the best service possible should
he expended. The department asks for a
lump appropriation. Then a committee of
ord takes a turn at ii and lops off 100000
or more The result is that just such urg-
emf claims as ours have to be dsregarded
We recognize that you ought to have what
YOU ask for say the authorities, but the
trouble is we have no money That is one
reason there is so much delay"
The Postal Department is not self-sup-
norting Last year there was a deficit of
So 600 O00 This is due to the fact that the
government carries second-ciass mail
calls at a loss. The rate is l cent pound.
vile IT costs the government 10 cents to de-
liver il. Mr. Sahm says. First-class mail.
letters. postal cards etc, forms a veritable
mint. The profit from the Indianapolis
Office last year WAS $250000 but what the
more than consumed by the loss on second
ala