The times., 1901-05-15
WARM SUBURBAN RIVALRY
Dis 1nsiOns Over the Location of q
New Branch POstOffice.

Brightwood Park Presents n Petition
and the HeighborinE Ta<omn Park
rs Expected TO Also Hiring Forward
Counter Claims to Recognition.
The northern suburbs generally. and
particularly the sections bordering Sew
enth Street extended, on both sides to
the District line, are hot with dissension
over the question of where the general
suburban branch postoffice shall be To-
Gated.
The promise Of the Postoffice Depart
ment and city postofice authorities that
all the suburbs are to have free mail de-
livery from the beginning of the new
fiscal year was received with loud rejoc-
ing by the towns of Brightwood. Takoma
Park, and Brightwood Park. All of these
towns have been working for this eXten-
sion of the free delivery system for two
or three years. persistently and aggres-
sively. As soon as the gift is received,
however. the three towns that have been
I working together turn against each other
over its disposal There are some peo-
PIE at least in each that would rather
| not have free delivery than to have it
coming from a rival town. Takoma Park
! believes that the central branch office
should be situated there, and Brightwood
! Park is quite as certain that all good
/ reasons favor BTiEhtwood Park
! The present outlook is for mass meet
/ ings and counter mass meetings and pc
/ titions and counter petitions I'm rapid sue
/ cession for some time TO come, or at
/ least until a final decision has been
reached by the authorities. Already
charges and insinuations are made that
! personal, business, and political interest
are influencing various people in their
! claims for the location. People who own
large realty holdings I'm the section are
! said to be working to have the office
! where it will do the most good to their
property. Other people holding Govern
ment offices in Washington and supposed
| to have political influence are accused of.
working this pull energetically for their
own selfish qualification and against the
interests of the community at large.
The first shot to be fired in the cam
paisn comes from Brightwood Park,
which has just presented to Postmaster
Merritt a long petition, signed by a large
number of people of that place making
its claims and charging the other side
with various inadeQuaces, not to men
tion positive dement's.
The petition is in part as follows:
Two places of this section of the Dis
trict Of Columbia are. as we understand.
considered by your honor for the main
office of the delivery Of -Brightwood
Park, the centre and most pOpuEouS part
Of the District, and Takoma Park on the
farthest northern end of the District of
Columbia. two-thirds of it extending into
the State Of Maryland.
1T has been the rule and custom of
this and Other countries establishing a
postofhce to consider two points-the
geographical and the financial one.
"Brightwood Parks present postoffice
is located right on the intersection of two
Of Washington's most important thor
oughfares, Seventh and Fourteenth
Streets northwest.
1T is the geographical centre of this sec
ton of the District. For the last thirty
five years Brightwood Park has had post
office which Is iocated right on the june
tlon OF the continuation of Seventh and
Fourteenth Streets. Brightwood Park has
the greatest population; il includes four
churcheS two public SCHOOLS; twenty
stores. Brightwood Park Hotel, Washing
toms most popular resort outside the city
limits. Twelve buildings are now under
construction. and the contracts for ten
more are given out. Hygienically It is
the best part Of the District of Column
bia- Highly located. IL has a most ex-
cellent drainage and sewers ald gas and
public water pipes extend nearly over the !
whole territory. The commercial welfare |
of its citizens and the financial interests |
Of the Government demand the location |
of the main office Of free mail delivery al
Brightwood Park.
Should TakOma Park, a much smaller |
place, situated on the District line and in |
the remotest northeastern edge Of the |
District, be considered. this would be a |
violation of the rule heretofore followed |
and the location Of the main office would |
cause a direct financial loss to the Gov |
ernment. While a mail carrier If Bright |
wood is selected by your honor can fin |
ish his route to Takoma Park Petworth |
down TO Florida Avenue and return in
less than three miles. to Terra Gotta /
West Brightwood. Soldiers Home in |
about two miles. twice and three times the |
distance he has to walk if Takoma Park |
is selected.
Personal or individual or political in |
terests. Mr.. Postmaster. should not be |
taken in consideration in locating a post |
office in the District Of Columbia The /
interests of the masses and not classes !
should alone be the guide Of your honcrs |
conclusion"