New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-19
POSTOEEICE NEEDS.

First Assistant Postmaster General Heath Of
fers an extremely wise suggestion to New-YOrk
Congressman and people when he tells them TO
get together and make united demand for the
Improvement of the postal facilities Of this city
on an adequate scale. One of the greatest OBJ
staces to obtaining justice for the New-York
Postofice has been that its needs have been
urged piecemeal No one item was important
enough to arouse any strong public sentiment in
its favor or lead Indifferent Congressman TO
make complete study of the question and be
convinced, In spite of local prejudice, OF their
duty to this office but 1t served on the other
hand to fix In the minds Of the lawmakers the
impression that they had just been asked to do
something for New York and that new appeals
were unreasonable. One large, comprehensive
scheme Of improvement will challenge atten-
ton and demand investigation and have more
chance Of carrying conviction than q succession
of petty claims which. even If granted would
not properly meet the emergency. If New-York
as whole will take up the matter and force
the rest Of the country to understand the Ma
tional interests involved in the conduct of this
postoffice there ought TO be no difficulty In Sc
curing ample appropriations. But this can never
be done II our citizens are Indifferent and our
Congressman disunited in urging action. Other
cities with far less need obtain more in proper
ton than we do, because they go to work at
Washington with fixed purpose and united
force
Therefore the New-York Postoffce officials
should al once draft liberal and comprehensive
plan Of improvements, including such additional
postofffce buildings such extensions Of the pneu-
matte tube service such new poStOfce boxes
and such increase of force, that the business
centring here may be transacted with the great
est possible speed and convenience. large
branch postofice near the Grand Central Sta
ton would be OF great utility. The main post
office would. Of course, have to remain down
town and any attempt TO transfer the central
postoffice uptown would be at once bad policy
from a postal point OF view and handicap 10
all Improvement, for il would surely arouse in
fuential opposition. The present Postoft1ce Is
most convenient 10 the financial centre. No up
town site could be found which would be
equally convenient 10 the ferries and railroads
running to the South and West. Brooklyn and
Long Island, the points of foreign mail delivery,
are also close at hand Uptown Manhattan
Island is so much wider that the journey to any
of the ferries would be much longer, even where
the railroad stations are as near by the uptown
as the downtown ferries. The existing pneu-
matte tubes to Brooklyn, the Produce Exchange
and the Grand Central Station make Park Row
the natural centre OF postofice business Never
theless, the New England and New-York bust.
ness, which has 10 be handled at Forty second
st., much of which can be distributed and re-
shipped there, warrants ample accommodations
TO avoid unnecessary transportation.
1t should be remembered when the cost of
new buildings, more tubes and larger force is
under consideration that the New-York Post
Office does not live to itself alone. II is the
point Of entry and transfer for vast quantities of
mail in which 1t has no interest by which. in.
deed its own business is made to suffer, for II is
handled to the delay and inconvenience Of local
matter. Every clerk added TO the force to
Hpickea the distribution of foreign and domestic