The times., 1898-11-27
new POSTOFFICE Open
Work Of Moving in Finished
Last Night.
NAIL RECEIVED TODAY
No Interruption in the Routine of
the Service - Last Dispatch Made
From Union Building at Midnight
Followed by Others From New
building = Greatly Increased Fa-
ciIities-Much Yet to BE Done.

The new city postoffice, which occupies
the block on the south side of Penn
| sylvania Avenue between Eleventh and
Twelfth Streets, will be open for busi-
ness this morning. Yesterday the final
work of moving in was completed and last
night the Union building, in 6 Street be-
tween Sixth and Seventh Streets, was
deserted. The last delivery from there
was made at $3.50 o'clock yesterday after
noon, and the last mail dispatch before
midnight.
| At midnight last night the big mail
wagons began to back up against the
platform at the south end of the build
| ing, emptying the mail which had come
! in from other cities, and the carriers
came and went, bringing in the city COL
| lections. All dispatches of mail after
midnight were made from the new build
ing and all mail gathered in the city
during the night was deposited there.
The work of transfer was done as
smoothly as Postmaster Willet had an
| ticipated, and there was not a moments
| interruption In the reception and distri-
| button of mail matter. The most care
| knew just where he belonged and what
to do.
The work was the same, and done in the
same way; the employees were the same
The only change was in the greatly-in-
creased facilities and the handsomer Of
fees Every branch of the office was in
It's place in the new structure early in the
night. except the mailing division, which
includes the packing and transportation
of mail.
This division was compelled to remain
at the old office until midnight TO send out
the dispatches up to that time. 1t was
moved promptly at Midnight however,
and was in its place In time to send out
the dispatches at o'clock this morning.
The employees of the office were busy
last night getting things in shape, and
there will still be traces of disorder this
morning. but it will not interfere with
the work. II will be a week or more be-
fore everything is cleared out on the main
floor of the building and the full beauty
of the new office can be seen without the
unsightly board partitions. boxes. and old
furniture which arc scattered around now.
Much of the furniture is new. and II
is said that as soon as possible new stuff
will be purchased to replace all that was
taken from the old office. Such of the
furniture as is new is OF the most improved
style. and, as a whole. the Office is said
to be an almost perfect postofhce es-
tablishment. The cases into which the
mail is distributed are OF the latest make.
and the men employed on them have more
room 10 work than in the old place.
The greater part of the space on the
main floor is taken up by the mailing and
delivery division, which occupies the CEN
ter, being lighted from above, through
glass skyiights. The center compartment
is encased in handsome partitions of
hardwood and glass and the visitor can
see the workings of every department
OF the Office from the corridors. The
south side is left open for the reception
of mail from the wagons, which back up
In the rear.
The general delivery window faces
Pennsylvania Avenue In the front corri-
dor and is under the tower. On either
side are the wholesale and retail stamp
windows and the bureau of information.
In the east corridor are the drops" IN
which mail is deposited, and the mailing
department and carriers windows are In
the west corridor.
Tie registry department is located in
the southwest corner. and in the north
west corner the money order division is
located The handsome offices of Post
master Willett and Assistant Postmaster
Wilson are in the northeast corner, and
the office of Cashier Tulloch is in the east
corridor, south of the Eleventh Street
entrance.
In addition to the main floor. the Office
occupies about a third of the basement
and will have the meZzanine floors when
they are completed and fitted up The
building is lighted by electricity, which
for the present, is furnished by the United
States Electric Lighting Company the
dynamos in the basement not being in
operation.
The corridors of the main floor are
beautifully finished in marble and Italian
onyx, while the partitions are OF polished
hardwood Altogether the structure is as
handsome as the most critical could de-
sire, and is postoffice worthy of the cap
ital city.
particularly noticeable feature of the
new building is the light effect. from the
illumnations in the main entrance, at
night With all the rest of the building
in darkness, and no lights around the
front, the light from three arc lamps,
which streams through the three deep
arches. makes a striking picture.