The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15
CHICAGO'S QUEER POSTAL DISTRICT.
Four Carriers whose work Is wholly within
q Ground Area OF 10 BY o Feet.
From the Chicago Tribune

TfOVt ~ W f"NN'
The smallest postal district In the world il
under the roof OF tho Monadnock Building at
Jackson, Dearborn and Van Buren, streets. in
Chicago. The building alone comprises a
separate and distinct district In itself. At the
same time the volume Of business there is the
largest Of any OF the sub-stations or even
districts In the city. save that Of the Board OF
Trade station. In this immense seventeen
storied structure. which. covers the small
ground area Of 400 feet long by 10 feet wide.
nearly 5000 people occupy the 200 rooms:
When IL Is considered that the population OF
many towns covering many miles Of area do
not reach that figure. some conception OF the
population Of the Monadnock Building may
be had. The COMPARISON Is a striking one,
people can be crowded into a small space. ~
Is also an example OF the economy In ground
space that, has come TO be necessary IN this
commercial age, And out OF this economy
has come the system Of skyscrapers that the
larger cities. and especially Chicago, have been
The Monadnock postal district was estab-
lished on NAV I, though a money order, lamp,
and registered letter station was established
there more than two years ngo 10 meet the
demands made by that section Of the, down
town district. Prior TO May | the deliveries
OF mail In the building were made by carriers
working out Of the central station at the foot
of " ashington street. on the lake front. They
would have To route their mail az the main
offcc and then carry 1t 20 the Monadnock
Building. The rapid increase in the volume
OF mail overburdened the carriers to such an
service. and the expenditure OF money in car
fare allowance IN transporting the heavy mails
from the central station TO the building, In
order TO relieve the situation an investigation
was made, resulting in the recommendation
By Supt. Clarity 10 Postmaster Charles |.
Gordon that the four carriers serving n the
building from the main Office be ransferred
to the Monadnock station, aud that the mails
I've despatched to them by wagon messenger.
This recommendation was approved by Post
master Gordon. The building therelpon was
made n separate district and the carriers were
transferred on MAY l.. The schedule Of the
wagon service was arranged so as 10 make
close connection with the carriers deliveries.
IL provided for sixteen dispatches daily from
the central Office TO the M~onadnock Building
and twenty from the building 10 tho central
Office except on sundays. when the number
is ONLY three to and two from the sub-station
and district
The carriers schedule in the building pro-
yides six deliveries every day except Sun
day. and Is so arranged "a to enable the men
10 begin their deliveries Practically tho same
time "a they did when serving from the central
station; In these 81, deliveries II Tn the c%srrisrs
daily In the great oflcc structure. Al least
rs per cent. OF the mail received there for de-
livery IL addressed without room number. The
difficulties and DELAYS that would naturally
grow out of this condition can readily be seen.
The carriers who serve the district are old ones.
however. and have reduced the apparent draw
back to a minimum. Seldom Is a mistake made
in the distribution.
long training and service in the Postal De-
partmeDt have made these carriers adopts.
establishing a system that insures accurate
delivery Of mail TO the persons to whom 1t il
addressed. Every old or new ccupa Of the
building u known 10 them. And when a new
person comes into the building. no matter how
humble or high in position, he gets his mail
promptly. Such uames are secured by the car
riers on their Respective floors and added TO The
list. Those who leave the building are also
kept up with and their mail u forwarded TO their
new addresses. la fact. the district, though
small In area, is a separate and distinct post
Office IN itself, aud the same routine Is found
there as in the central office. 1t only differs In
degree.