Connecticut western news., 1898-02-17
THE POST OFFICE CONTEST
At Winsted, Conn.

cffice, for instance, let disinterested spectator, who has nothing whatever to gain or lose by either consolidation or non consolidation, give review of the situation. and tell just why there is such an earnest contest over the post office locations here.
 1 First, the borough of Winsted is In it's territory very peculiarly situated. The borough is shaped somewhat like horse shoe. Rivers sweep along the whole length of the village from the Empire Knife Company's shops, far west, to the Woodruff tannery on the other end of the village, distance of easily three miles. All the section lying east and north of Oak street Is conven- iently reached in the matter of mail fa- cilities by the Winsted post office. All the section from Chestnut to High street is convenient to the Flat sub- office, and all that part from High street west is convenient to the West Winsted | office. The maj ority of the people, not manufacturers or merchants, prefer one office with carriers, because their letters will be brought to their doors, and they save box rent. Besides this 0H people on the Flat, including tho manufactnr- CTS, the Pin Co.,, the Box Co, the New England Knitting Go. and about twenty merchants and business men, besides large number of people who reside on the hill streets which run down into the valley towards Main street, in it's cen tre, prefer one office in the centre of the | town. Back of all this sentiment is the | great m onied interest of the Wetmore estate. whose real estate holdings will be enhanced by locating the post office in the centre These holdings include the Opera House block, the Wetmore 1 block, the Hotel Central block, the Citizen Printing Go. block, the New l England Knitting Go. block the factory buildings occupied by the Pin Co.,, the Box Co.,, the Knitting Co.,, as we'll as number of dwellings not so very re- mote from the centre, in which the | Wetmore estate is interested Many other property holders who are conven- tent to the Flat also favor one central office, because it will enhance their | property values. On the other hand, in both East and West Winsted. the same conditions ob- tain. In East Wins.ed the Tannery, | Woodruffs Mill. the Moore Bolt Works, the Winsted Mfg. Co, the Gilbert Clock Co.,, the Winsted Hosiery Go, the Real Estate Co, the Strong Mfg. | Co.,, as well as a number of merchants are benefited in all ways by having the | post office in East Winsted. The en- tire west section of Winsted from Union street, is solidly mercantile on Main street, while the Mad river approaches are studded here and there with large factories. All of these factories and all of these merchants. and they are legion, as we'll as all of the householders on a | dozen side streets want a main post office in West Winsted. Now a post office. no matter where. is rendezvous for people, and business houses desire to be where the people go. That is so patent fact that 1t needs no argument. | When the people desert locality then down go rents and away goes business, and property must then depreciate in value. wbile the property in that locality where the business has flown, reaps s corresponding value in appreciation as | the other sections have met corres- l bonding loss in depreciation.
 Before the Flat was built up, when it was little more than a marsh, the fight | over the post office was between East aud West Winsted. Each section rec | ognized its value, and so the post office was a shuttlecock, banged around from east to west. By and by when John G. Wetmore settled down on the Flat and | utilized those water privileges, and got hold of property on Main street, and put up his big blocks. then a new rival had appeared for cham pionship honors. and East and West, although not loving each other more, but Wetmore less, elasped hands, and the war began be- tween the Flat or centre. and the ends of the borough. It is still going on, and like "Tennyson's Brook" may go on forever unless the postal authorities set tie the matter, aud Congress then pass- es law making it penitentiary offense to talk post office in Winsted.
 This present post office contest is on- ly what may be expected until the post office commissioner have been here. and looked over the field. After they have looked over matters and gone back, then the people ough; to be given a chance to vote upon the matter. And when the ] people have voted-even then it may not be settled, for like the tariff eues- tion it is very hard work 10 suit people when their money interests clash And that is the sum and subtance of 1t all, and it is the reason also for prophesying a great kick no matter what the post office committee may decide to do.
 Since the above was written 1t has been officially announced that the com mittee would reach Winsted this Mon- day morning. Postmaster Stevens has also secured rooms at Winsted's best hotel, the Beardsley House, for the &C., comodation of the mmission, and the public will be given chance to en- tighten the commission as 10 what Is what and why it is what. The consolidationists have secured the services of the Hon
 Joseph l.. Barbour of Hartford, to look after their interests, and the other side have secured MT Gross, who Is also
 Hartford lawyer of ability An arrange
 ment has also been made to hear 9 or 30 representative men from each side.
 and after the hearing the committee Nill
 probably like the Arabs fold their
 tents and silently steal away" It is
 probable that the decision will not be
 made until after the commission has
 reached Washington. This is the pro-
 gramme as outlined now, Lut of course
 change may take place in the pro
 gramme. although at this writing the
 probability is that the hearing will be at the Besrdsley House and in the manner
 as given above. No one can say what
 the decision will be, although consolids-
 tlonists are hopeful thst the visit of the
 commission will result in one post office
 located in the centre of the town. and
 with letter carriers sufficiently numer-
 ous to deliver letters at every one's
 door. Loco Perry s. Heath end G. w Beavers,
 the commissioners appointed to inves-
 tigate the Winsted post cffice matters,
 arrived Monday morning and were : driven about the town At one o'clock