New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-13
THE POSTOFFTCE Hay SCALE.
OBSTRUCTIVE TO THE SIDEWALK AND
VEXATIOUS TO THE EYE ABOUT
TILE EI.II DINl.

The Postonlcc Department soons 70 think that
tho whole country s Washington. In Washington
al tho people walk in tho street and the sidewalks
never need repairs And so tho Postoflce Depart
mont thinks that everybody ought TO walk In the
street in Park Row and Broadway. while the side
walk is reserved for the weighing Of expected tons
OF hay which never come
There used 10 be sidewalk In Mail-st. on the
Tostohice side. but that removed some time
ago. and It's width was added to the promenade on
the north side Of The street Nobody complained
much about that The sidewalk on the south side
az Mai-st. always a good deal Of nuisance
anyway and anybody was a good deal better OF
II than on II.
Bur walking in the street in Park Row IL another
matter. and II seems 10 he the intention OF the
Department that people shall 20 there and dodge
cable cars. which come from all sorts Of unexpect-
cd directions the best they can. For right in the
middle Of the Sidewalk they have planted A hay
scale There is platform biz enough for hay
20 stand on and llttle runway for it 70 come
up on side and one for II 10 20 down on the
other What # IS there FOR nobody knows. though
everybody knows that Il ought not TO be There It
has never been seen f. use and hay Is not malta
be matter I'm any such quantity as would require
such scale as this 10 weigh =.
Then there is n singing around IN the Broadway
side Of a building. doubtless connected WIKI some
repairs which arc I'm progress. Probably this Is
useful and commendahlo for the time being. bn' II
helps 10 make the whole binding all nut hnneaf-
aale MS II always was There are still some p@o-
gle in New-York who have not got over asking
why tho Posiofiice was ever put there any way II
stands on ground that was once good ano useful
part Of tho city Hall Park. and why could II not
iu-t as well stand on the block over the way.
which WAS not park AZ all or on the block over
the other way or the block IN the other corner or
tho TWO WAYS? And then think Of thos" hideous
columns and the unspeakable octagonai hands
around them-an architects nightmare.
Just now the Department seems 10 have noticed
some thing There are signs Of cleaning the outside
Of The building on the Broadway side Perhaps the
cleaning will 20 clear around. Then. Ike the story
Of the boy who went 10 the ragged school and had
his face washed the inside may be cleaned clean 10
match. OF course. the inside Is frequently cleaned,
hu, r. IS never cleaned clean. Then. possibly. the
Sidewalk VIII be attended to- and perhaps even the
hay scales may be sent whore they belong. r. they
belong anywhere.
The only Wiy 10 comfort yourself with the POST
office s 20 90 down there when the moon IS 10 the
south of f. Then 20 to the south Of u yourself,
far enough so that you the front and two
sides m the same time and turn and look AT IT,
n rises n great sombre mass ~ pillar on pillar,
more solid. more heavy more impressive than the
very high buildings around It. not showing IN the
dim light the costly cheapness NJ It's ornamental
ton or the crime that covers n ALL but only the
great pile n columns ana columns and roofs and
cunola Then you will forgive the Postoihce-till
YOU see II again the next day.